Deepak Mittal has been appointed India’s next Ambassador to Qatar, while Piyush Srivastava goes to Bahrain in the same capacity, as per an official release of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued on Wednesday.

Deepak Mittal is a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. Mr Mittal has served as a Joint Secretary in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.

The new appointees are of the 1998 batch of Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and both of them are expected to take up their assignments shortly.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday launched ‘Jagananna Vidya Deevena’, a fee reimbursement scheme that would benefit 14 lakh college students in the State.

From the 2020–21 academic year, the fee reimbursement amount would be credited directly into the accounts of the mothers instead of that of the students in four instalments.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday said it has approved $1.5 billion loan to India to help fund its fight against coronavirus pandemic.

The loan has been sanctioned to support immediate priorities such as disease containment and prevention, as well as social protection for the poor and economically vulnerable sections.

It is fully committed to supporting the Indian government in its response to this unprecedented challenge, said ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa.

Private sector lender Axis Bank on Tuesday said it would acquire an additional 29 per cent stake in Max Life Insurance for an estimated price of Rs 1,592 crore, raising its total holding in the life insurer to 30 per cent after the completion of the deal.

Max Financial Services will hold the remaining 70 per cent in the joint venture.
Axis is looking to purchase around 556 million shares of Max Life Insurance at a price of Rs 28.61 per share, but the estimate will change based on the date when the deal is closed. The bank will acquire the shares from Max Financial Services and sign a shareholders’ agreement and a share-purchase agreement.
The boards of Axis Bank and Max Financial Services (MFS) met on April 27 and gave the go-ahead to the deal. This comes after the signing of the confidentiality and exclusivity arrangement on February 20 to explore the possibility of a long-term strategic partnership between Axis and Max Life.

Former Liverpool striker Michael Robinson, who later on went to become a well-known commentator in Spain, has died aged 61.

Robinson joined Liverpool from Brighton and Hove Albion in August 1983 following previous spells at Preston North End -- where he began to make his name -– and Manchester City.

He spent 18 months with the Reds, making 42 appearances and scoring 12 goals during the 1983-84 season as Joe Fagan's team lifted the league title, European Cup and League Cup.

Kenny Dalglish has paid his respects to former Liverpool forward Michael Robinson, who has passed away at the age of 61.

Following the announcement of Robinson's passing on Tuesday, Sir Dalglish sent his thoughts to Robinson's family and a tribute to his old teammate.

"I am deeply saddened by the news that Michael has passed away and my sympathies go out to his wife Chris and their two children, Liam and Aimee," he said.

Mark Lawrenson, who was Robinson's teammate, told the club's website: "Robbo was such a whole-hearted player."

"He would give you absolutely everything and he wouldn't try to do things that he couldn't.

"He wasn't a Rush or a Dalglish, he was Michael Robinson, and he played a big part for us during that treble season," he added.

Robins

middle-distance runner Jhuma Khatun has been banned for four years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics for testing positive for dehydrochloromethyl testosterone, a steroid.

Khatun’s sample taken during the National Inter-State Championships in June, 2018, initially did not test positive for a banned substance when it was tested by the National Dope Testing Laboratory here. The World Anti-Doping Agency, then, decided to test the sample at its Montreal Laboratory in Canada and it returned positive for dehydrochloromethyl testosterone.

Khatun had won a bronze medal each in 1,500m and 5,000m at the Championships in Guwahati.

Khatun’s results from June 29, 2018 to November 21,

Akmal, 29, was banned following a disciplinary panel hearing on Monday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had charged him with two breaches of its anti-corruption code for not reporting two unrelated approaches.

Akmal, who was provisionally suspended in February, refused an earlier hearing before the anti-corruption tribunal.

"The PCB doesn't take any pleasure in seeing a promising international cricketer being declared ineligible for three years on corruption charges," said PCB director of anti-corruption and security Asif Mahmood.

"But this is once again a timely reminder to all who think they can get away by breaching the anti-corruption code.

"I request all professional cricketers to stay away from the menace of corruption and immediately inform relevant authorities as soon as they are approached.

BHUBANESWAR: Noted playwright and lyricist of Odisha Bijay Mishra passed away at a private hospital here on Sunday. He was 83.A pioneer of modern theatre movement in Odisha, Mishra was recipient of many awards at the State as well as national level. He won the Kendriya Sahitya Akademi award for his play ‘Vanaprastha’. Besides, he won Odisha Sahitya Akademi and other State-level awards. He also received the prestigious Jayadev Award for his lifetime contribution to Odia film industry at the 30th Odisha State Film Awards last year.

Mishra began playwright from 1960 and his first play ‘Janani’ was staged in Annapurna Theatre, Cuttack. His widely acclaimed play ‘Tata Niranjana’ has been translated in Hindi, Nepali, Kannada and in several other Indian languages which won him a national award from All India Radio.  Born at Santaragadia village in Balasore district on July 16, 1936, Mishra had written at least 60 dramas and 55 film scripts besides, many serials. Some of his literary works have been translated to other regional languages.