60 platoons of police, 120 CCTVs to secure Baliyatra

Cuttack: In a bid to ensure safety and security of visitors during Baliyatra, the commissionerate police has stepped up deployment of security personnel across the fair ground. The maritime festival will kick off on Monday on the banks of Mahanadi river in Cuttack. As many as 60 platoons of police force have been deployed in and around the Baliyatra ground. Subsequently, 120 CCTV cameras have been installed at various places and six watch towers have been placed for crowd management and keep an eye out for miscreants.“Two control rooms have been established to monitor each and every movement on the ground,” said deputy commissioner of police Pinak Mishra. One control room will be in upper Baliyatra ground and the other in the lower ground. TNN

Why Myanmar junta forces are fast losing ground to rebels

Myanmar's military is losing control of the country to resistance forces, suffering heavy casualties in its fight against rebel organizations and civilian militia groups. More than 70 soldiers fled to India but were sent back. The military continues to face challenges from the combined opposition and the emergence of a shadow National Unity Government. The resistance forces are gradually taking over border areas and ethnic provinces. Although the military faces airstrikes and artillery fire, ground invasion has become difficult due to surprise ambushes by the rebels.

No ground to hold prayers, students assemble on road

Students of a primary school in Sector 45 have been conducting morning prayers and outdoor activities on a road due to ongoing construction activities near the school. The school has been operating out of four 2BHK flats since 2017. With no authorized playground, students used to access a nearby vacant plot, but now they assemble on the road. The lack of a playground and small classrooms have affected the students' learning and delayed the completion of the syllabus. The district administration has been contacted to shift the school to a proper building with a playground.

Sarfaraz Ahmed should have been Test captain: Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad believes that Sarfaraz Ahmed would have been a better choice as captain for the Test team during their tour of Australia compared to the newly appointed Shan Masood. Miandad emphasizes the importance of maintaining an age gap between coaches and players in international cricket to foster respect. He criticizes the decision to remove Babar Azam as captain from all three formats and expresses concerns about the negative impact on the team. Miandad also questions the reliance on foreign coaches and highlights India's success with stalwart coaches like Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri, and Rahul Dravid.