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Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS) Simon Curtis, who has directed the upcoming film ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’, has spoken up on his shooting process. He said that he loves little moments of humanity between the characters.

The director said in a statement, "This film is a loving portrait of the characters as they enter the 1930s, and we really dig into the characters' emotions at the end of the story we're telling. I was thrilled because, as a director, I simply love working with actors and this is the greatest ensemble of British actors around; and then you add the amazing guest stars we've got and it’s a dream come true”.

‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ is set against the backdrop of elegance and tradition, and it explores themes of dignity and transformation, eloquently incorporated by writer Julian Fellowes.

He further mentioned, “I love those little moments of humanity between the different characters, with the added poignancy that, very often, these moments are their final moments together,” says Curtis , referring to the nuances through which Fellowes wrote the characters. “Julian has such great humanity, and he gives every character, no matter what their class or their sex or their age, dignity, wit and warmth”.

The film follows the Crawley family and their staff as they enter a new era of the 1930s, also the one where Lady Mary Talbot (played by Michelle Dockery) finds herself at the center of a public scandal. The family faces the concerns of financial trouble, all while the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace.

Directed by Simon Curtis, this edition of Downton Abbey transports viewers to the Crawley family and the household servants enjoying the glittering London Season in the summer of 1930. As the festive elite gather at Lady Petersfield’s Ball - the highlight of the social calendar - a shocking announcement brings Mary at the centre of public scandal: newly divorced, her aristocratic identity redirects her from the position of ‘society darling’ to shamed outcast. Alongside the family’s financial worries, they are also dealing with the aftermath of this newly minted divorce being publicised.

‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ is set to release theatrically on September 12, 2025.

--IANS

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Ahmedabad, Sep 2 (IANS) Adani Power Limited, India’s largest private thermal power producer, on Tuesday announced it has received approval from the Ministry of Coal to begin operations at the Dhirauli coal mine in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh.

The company said this approval is a major step towards strengthening its fuel security and ensuring stable power supply in the future.

“Adani Power Limited has received approval from the Ministry of Coal to begin operations at the Dhirauli Mine in Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh,” the company said in its stock exchange filing.

The Dhirauli mine is owned by Mahan Energen Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Power. It has a peak production capacity of 6.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), of which 5 MTPA will come from open-cast mining and the rest from underground operations.

The geological report shows that the mine has reserves of over 558 million tonnes, which will provide decades of fuel security and operational stability.

Adani Power plans to achieve the open-cast peak capacity of 5 MTPA by FY27, while underground mining will begin nine years later.

The company holds a 30-year mining lease for the block, ensuring long-term operations, the company added in its filing.

Highlighting the development, Adani Power CEO SB Khyalia said, “The commencement of mining at Dhirauli marks a pivotal milestone in Adani Power’s journey towards self-sufficiency and sustainable growth.”

“By integrating backward into raw material sourcing, we are not only optimising costs but also ensuring affordable power supply for millions of consumers. Our focus remains on responsible mining and long-term value creation,” Khyalia stated.

The company also said that it may wash and process coal within the mine area itself to reduce impurities and minimise emissions, keeping operations environmentally safer.

This is Adani Power’s first captive mine to receive government approval for operations.

The coal from Dhirauli is expected to meet the company’s merchant power requirements and also supply the nearby 1,200 MW Mahan Power Plant, which is currently undergoing a 3,200 MW expansion.

--IANS

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Visakhapatnam, Sep 2 (IANS) Fresh off a commanding win over defending champions Haryana Steelers, the Bengal Warriorz are all set to face a challenging test against Puneri Paltan in their upcoming Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 fixture on Wednesday.

After their 54-44 victory in the last game, the Warriorz dove straight back into training to focus on their next match. While talking about the environment in the dressing room, Coach Naveen Kumar said, “After the win, the players were hyped up but we have calmed them down as they now focus on our next target. Our training sessions have been very good and the energy within the squad is positive. We worked on combinations and discussed the weaknesses we want to correct.”

Coach Naveen Kumar also commented on the Warriorz mentality he has instilled in all the players and the impact it's going to have over the course of the season. Naveen Kumar said, “Our mentality is very strong. Since we have a young squad, instilling a Warrior mindset to not fear any opponent and be completely focused and disciplined is very important. It is going to be a long and tough season, but the belief in the team is strong that we will reach our full potential.”

This is Naveen Kumar’s first season with the team and he credited the Bengal Warriorz management and support staff for their complete support so far in his tenure. “The Bengal Warriorz management has given me the complete freedom to make decisions and has ensured that all the requirements of the team are met. They have supported me in all ways and together we are working on the progress of our players.”

Last season, the two sides met twice, with Bengal Warriorz coming away with one tie and one defeat. However, with a young and revamped squad with star raider Devank Dalal leading the team and Nitesh Kumar as the defence captain, coach Naveen Kumar is confident ahead of the important fixture. “Puneri Paltan is a very good side with a strong record. Their defense was impressive last season and they have a set-squad which has further been strengthened with the addition of Aslam Inamdar. They are a tough opponent, but our team is young and highly motivated. Our players are working extremely hard and our performance should be good,” he concluded.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS) In a historic moment for Indian Scrabble, 14-year-old Madhav Gopal Kamath from Delhi has won the 2025 World Youth Scrabble Championship (WYSC), becoming the first Indian ever to claim a major global Scrabble title.

Madhav, India’s highest-ranked Scrabble player in the world and the reigning national champion, emerged victorious among 218 under-18 players from 18 countries at the 20th edition of the annual tournament held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, organised by the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA).

Madhav clinched the championship in the penultimate round, finishing with an impressive 21 wins from 24 rounds.

Like every year, India sent a strong contingent to WYSC, comprising 12 of the country’s best youth Scrabble players, seven boys and five girls, mentored by Mumbai-based player and coach Neeta Bhatia.

Among them, 15-year-old Suyash Manchali from Bengaluru, runner-up at last year’s edition in Sri Lanka, secured fifth place with 17 wins.

The Indian contingent was supported by the Essar Foundation, in partnership with the Scrabble Association of India (SAI) and Wordaholix.

Harvinderjit Bhatia, President, Scrabble Association of India, said: “Madhav’s victory is a historic milestone for Indian Scrabble and a proud moment for the entire community. Over the years, our young players have shown immense promise, and this world title validates India’s growing stature in global Scrabble. We thank Essar Foundation for supporting Team India at WYSC 2025 and helping create the platform for such achievements.”

An Essar Foundation spokesperson said: “We are immensely proud and thrilled by Team India’s historic achievement at WYSC 2025, especially Madhav Gopal Kamath’s extraordinary victory. At Essar Foundation, we believe sports, whether physical or intellectual, have the power to inspire, educate, and unite. Supporting these young Scrabble champions is central to our mission of nurturing talent and creating opportunities for the next generation to excel.”

Commenting on his victory, Madhav said, “To be the first Indian to win a world Scrabble title is a dream come true. I’m grateful for the support of my family, coaches, and teammates, and I hope this inspires many more young players in India to take up the game and believe they can compete at the highest level.”

Earlier this year, Madhav became the youngest ever national champion by winning the 25th National Scrabble Championship in Mumbai, and he is currently ranked 8th in the world across all ages. Having come close at both the WYSC and the Asia Cup Youth Championship in recent years, this landmark triumph marks both his and India’s first global Scrabble crown.

Madhav started playing Scrabble when he was just six years old. His extraordinary aptitude and ingenuity on the board have propelled him into the ranks of the world’s top players, with the potential to break into the global top five before turning 15.

His WYSC victory is expected to give a major boost to youth Scrabble in India and inspire a new generation of players to pursue the sport competitively.

As Scrabble continues to gain recognition as a sport in India, these achievements highlight the immense potential of the country’s competitive youth Scrabble circuit.

The Scrabble Association of India expressed gratitude to Essar Foundation for its partnership, as well as to Assembly Travel for providing backpacks and Black Panther for designing the team jerseys.

--IANS

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Dhaka, Sep 2 (IANS) At least one worker was killed and 10 others injured on Tuesday when clashes broke out between workers and law enforcement personnel in northern Bangladesh, amid protests against factory closure and layoffs.

The workers gathered in the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in the Nilphamari district of the Rangpur Division, during which they clashed with the security officials, local media reported.

The deceased, identified as 20-year-old Habibur Rahman, worked at a knitting factory named Eku International, reports leading Bangladeshi daily, Prothom Alo.

"Habibur was on night duty at his factory. After finishing work this morning, he was shot and killed while leaving the EPZ," the victim's elder brother, Ashiqur Rahman, said.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Nilphamari Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) MR Sayeed said, "We are still on the road. We are hearing from people that one person has died. I cannot say for sure whether anyone has died or not."

Reports suggest that the injured workers were transported to Nilphamari General Hospital.

According to Farhan Tanvirul Islam, a doctor at the hospital's emergency department, Habibur was brought dead to the hospital on Tuesday morning, and six people who sustained injuries have also been admitted to the hospital.

Reports suggest that 51 workers were recently laid off from the factory Evergreen, sparking outrage among employees.

As tensions ran high, management issued a notice declaring the factory closure for an indefinite period, starting on Tuesday, without clearing the workers' salaries and allowances.

On Tuesday morning, as the workers arrived for duty, they found the notice at the gate and were denied entry. Immediately, in protest, they gathered on the road in front of the EPZ, bringing traffic on the Nilphamari-Saidpur highway to a halt.

Army and police members arrived at the spot to disperse them, but the agitated workers reportedly attacked them, triggering a clash between the two sides.

The closure of many factories across Bangladesh has triggered continuous protests in which many workers have either lost their lives or been seriously injured.

Recently, Awami League also highlighted that over the past year, more than 500 factories across the country have shut down, resulting in nearly 120,000 workers being pushed towards unemployment, while many, after desperate job hunts, were left with no choice but to return to their villages empty-handed.

Last month, hundreds of ready-made garment (RMG) workers staged a protest at the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway in Gazipur district, blocking the roads and demanding the reopening of closed factories and immediate payment of their pending wages.

Protests and strikes by workers over non-payment of dues and deteriorating working conditions have gripped the entire country since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus came to power in August 2024.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) More than 1 crore people globally live with a mental health disorder, and women account for over 53 per cent, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday.

The WHO reports World Mental Health Today and Mental Health Atlas 2024 stated that conditions such as anxiety and depression inflict immense human and economic tolls and called for greater investment and action to scale up services to protect and promote people’s mental health.

“Transforming mental health services is one of the most pressing public health challenges,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

"Investing in mental health means investing in people, communities, and economies -- an investment no country can afford to neglect. Every government and every leader has a responsibility to act with urgency and to ensure that mental health care is treated not as a privilege, but as a basic right for all,” he added.

The reports showed that anxiety and depressive disorders are the most common types of mental health disorders among both men and women. However, women are disproportionately impacted overall.

Overall, more females (581.5 million) than males (513.9 million) live with a mental disorder.

“Mental disorders were found common among pregnant women and women in the year after birth, often with severe impacts for both mothers and babies. Worldwide, more than 10 per cent of pregnant women and women in the year after birth experience depression. In low- and medium-income countries (LMICs), this figure is estimated to be substantially higher,” the reports said.

Further, the report showed that suicide remains a devastating outcome, claiming an estimated 7,27,000 lives in 2021 alone. It is a leading cause of death among young people across all countries and socioeconomic contexts, and progress in reducing suicide mortality is too low.

Of the targeted one-third reduction in suicide rates by 2030, only a 12 per cent reduction will be achieved.

Further, the economic impact of mental health disorders due to loss of productivity is also staggering. Depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy an estimated $ 1 trillion each year, the WHO report said.

The 2024 Mental Health Atlas showed that fewer countries have adopted or enforced rights-based mental health legislation, and only 45 per cent of countries evaluated laws in full compliance with international human rights standards.

The report also revealed a concerning stagnation in mental health investment. Median government spending on mental health remains at just 2 per cent of total health budgets -- unchanged since 2017, with low-income countries spending as little as $ 0.04.

The WHO stressed to governments to urgently intensify efforts toward systemic transformation of mental health systems worldwide. This includes equitable financing of mental health services; legal and policy reform to uphold human rights; sustained investment in the mental health workforce; and expansion of community-based, person-centered care.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) As the Supreme Court on Friday amended its August 11 order on capturing and relocating stray dogs to shelter homes in the Delhi-NCR region, political leaders across party lines welcomed the decision, and the Mayor of the national capital said the order will be fully implemented.

The top court said in its tweaked direction that the stray dogs must be released to their respective locations after sterilisation and immunisation.

The court also said that the order applies to all stray dogs, except those infected with rabies or those exhibiting aggressive behaviour.

The fresh directive has been hailed by leaders across the political fraternity as well as the public at large.

Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh welcomed the SC’s revised order on stray dogs and said it was a very positive move.

“We welcome this decision. We are yet to get a copy of the order, but this is a welcome step and a move in the right direction. We will implement it in its entirety. Even the dog lovers wanted the dogs should be sterilised and released,” he said.

He further said the Corporation has been working on similar lines and that steps will be taken to develop new feeding centres for dogs in all localities, as directed by the Apex Court.

“Feeding dogs at one particular place will solve problems of littering and address complaints by other residents of localities," he added.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam said the Mumbai Corporation follows the practice of sterilising the stray dogs, and now, with this SC order, their immunisation will also begin.

He also urged dog lovers to support this ruling of the Supreme Court, claiming that it's time to check the dog menace on the streets.

BJP MLA Ram Kadam said, "Keeping in mind the difficulties faced by people due to the behaviour of stray dogs, the judiciary had earlier issued some orders. Now that the new decision has come, it must be welcomed by all."

Samajwadi Party leader Udaiveer Singh said, "The previous order had created a divide between dog lovers and those troubled by animals. This order has tried to strike a balance in this matter, and we thank the Apex Court for this."

--IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday confirmed that Navi Mumbai will replace Bengaluru as one of the five venues for the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 in a revised schedule for the showpiece event.

The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will host up to five fixtures comprising three league matches, a semifinal and potentially the final after a rejig was necessitated because of the unavailability of Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The development occurred after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) failed to meet multiple BCCI deadlines for obtaining police approvals, following the stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebrations earlier this year.

ICC confirmed that tournament dates remain the same – September 30 to November 2 – as do the other venues, which are the ACA Stadium (Guwahati), Holkar Stadium (Indore), ACA-VDCA Stadium (Visakhapatnam) and R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo, Sri Lanka).

ICC Chairman Jay Shah expressed satisfaction at the announcement of the new venue, which he felt was an ideal one for women’s cricket.

"Navi Mumbai has emerged as a genuine home for women’s cricket in recent years. The support it has received during international fixtures and the Women’s Premier League has been remarkable, creating an atmosphere that elevates the players and inspires fans. I am certain that the same energy will define the big matches of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as it returns to India after 12 years," he said in an ICC release.

“We stand at a pivotal moment in the journey of the women’s game. This World Cup has the potential to be remembered as one of those defining milestones that shaped the sport’s future, not only in India but across the cricketing world.

“While unforeseen circumstances required us to adjust the schedule and replace a venue, we are pleased to now have a line-up of five world-class venues that will showcase the very best of the women’s game. The stage is set, and I am confident this tournament will capture imaginations and inspire a new generation of fans.”

The final of the tournament will be held either in Colombo or Navi Mumbai on November 2; the first semifinal will take place in Guwahati or Colombo on October 29 and the second semifinal in Navi Mumbai on October 30.

India are scheduled to play co-host Sri Lanka in the tournament opener in Guwahati on September 30.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) Automotive retailing solutions provider izmo locked in another 20 per cent upper circuit on Friday after its special division, izmomicro, developed a high-density silicon photonics packaging platform.

The stock hit a fresh all-time high of Rs 587.55 apiece, up Rs 97.90 during intra-day trade, after the company's achievement led to India’s entry into next-generation semiconductor technologies.

The Bengaluru-based company announced that the innovation will be crucial for advancing artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and future telecom networks. This advancement supports scalability and efficiency for hyperscale data centres, AI clusters, and next-generation 5G and 6G networks.

The company has developed a high-density silicon photonics packaging platform that supports 32-channel fibre input and output, achieving an industry-leading insertion loss of under 2 dB.

It achieved this density by overcoming a significant challenge of reaching nanometre-level optical alignment, using advanced assembly processes, and seamlessly integrating electronics.

The company said in its regulatory filing that the module integrates 32 DC input/outputs, 4 RF input/outputs, and provides high-speed RF performance up to 70 GHz.

“Only a few companies worldwide have demonstrated this capability, and we are proud to be the first in India. This breakthrough positions us as a critical partner for the global silicon photonics industry. As AI and data-driven applications demand ever-higher performance, our innovation will help power the infrastructure of the future,” said Dinanath Soni, Executive Director of izmomicro.

Silicon photonics is taking over copper interconnects for high-speed data transmission, becoming the key technology for multi-terabit optical communication. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 79th Independence Day address from the Red Fort, declared that Made-in-India semiconductor chips will be available in the market by the end of 2025.

The Union Cabinet this week approved four semiconductor projects worth Rs 4,600 crore. Odisha will receive two new projects, and Andhra Pradesh and Punjab will each receive one. After new approvals, there are ten India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)-sanctioned projects in six states.

–IANS

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