GOOGLE TRANSLATE GETTING SMARTER!!

Google Translate will now understand the difference between bass and bass

Revealed in the midst of the company's Live from Paris event, Google Translate is gaining a much-needed upgrade as it's gaining what is arguably the most important translation metric: context.

With the power of AI, Google Translate will begin to provide more “contextual translation options” complete with examples in the intended language. In the example given, the AI will be able to understand if you’re talking about ordering a bass (the fish) for dinner or ordering a bass (the instrument) for your band. The service will then provide sample sentences for each translation pertaining to a particular meaning.

Besides maintaining accuracy, the announcement states Google Translate will begin using “the right turns of phrase, local idioms, or appropriate words depending on your intent.” That way, the translated sentence will match how a native speaker talks.

The update will be rolling out to Google Translate on both mobile and browser versions within the coming weeks. At launch, only a handful of languages will be supported: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Other reports claim more languages will be coming out months from now. We reached out to Google to confirm this; however, a representative told us the company doesn’t have any new info to share at the moment.

Additionally, the Google Translate app redesign that first appeared on Android is migrating over to iOS. iPhone owners will now have a slew of quality-of-life changes such as a “larger canvas for typing [alongside] more accessible entry points”. The user interface has also been streamlined to make translating easier to do.

You'll also have a more dynamic font that will autocorrect itself as you type. “Alternate translation and dictionary definitions” will appear alongside translations. Users can also hold the language button to “quickly pick a recently used language.” And swiping down on the text area brings up recent translations.

For the cherry on top, Google Translate on iOS will support an additional 33 languages from Hawaiian, Hmong, Luxembourgish, and Yiddish – just to name a few. It is recommended you download this batch onto your phone in case you get stuck without an internet connection and need to translate something on the fly. A set of instructions on how to download them can be found on the Translate Help page. 

Hopefully, with these changes, Google Translate is able to shake its long-standing reputation of being inaccurate. But if you still don’t trust the service and want something better, be sure to check out TechRadar’s recently updated list of the best translation software of 2023. 

Google Translate is getting contextual translation & iOS redesign

Ever since the launch of Google Translate, the company has been at the forefront of the field of translation and language technology. At the recent Live from Paris event, Google announced new contextual tools for Google Translate, which the company claims will transform how people communicate across different languages, along with a major redesign of the iOS app.

The update places a major emphasis on improving the accuracy of bilingual translations with the introduction of contextual translation in English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. The app will now display different variations of words with multiple meanings, allowing users to choose the option that best fits their intended communication. This is particularly helpful for those learning a new language and seeking to communicate effectively with native speakers.

Further, Google is also enhancing its AR translation capabilities through Google Lens by introducing the ability to seamlessly blend translated text into the background image, making it easier to translate posters and signs without altering their appearance. However, this feature will only be available on Android phones with 6GB RAM or more.

After rolling out the Material You redesign for the Android version of the app last year, Google is finally updating the iOS Google Translate app. As part of the redesign, the app will now feature a large microphone button in the centre-bottom part of the screen, making it easier for users to input text through voice. Secondly, the app will also include a dynamic font that will make the translations more legible as users type and new gestures such as swiping down to access recent translations and holding the language button to quickly select a recently used language.

Additionally, the app will also support offline translation for 33 new languages, including Basque, Corsican, Hawaiian, Hmong, Kurdish, Latin, Luxembourgish, Sundanese, Yiddish, and Zulu.

The post Google Translate is getting contextual translation & iOS redesign appeared first on Android Headlines.

AI is about to make Google Translate a whole lot smarter

Google today announced updates to its Translate app for iOS, Android, and the web. The company will be bringing in additional context to translations to help you understand more about your target language, and it’ll also be using a lot more AI power for Translate to make that happen.

First, Google is using AI to add more context to transitions, as well as better translate images. The first is aimed at helping people properly grasp words that have multiple meanings.

Google gives the example of “novel.” This could mean a novel, something that is new, or something that is unique and original. Translate will now use AI to deliver contextual information so you can pick the right word for the occasion. Google will support this feature in English, French, German, and Spanish over the next few weeks.

The second feature uses AI and machine learning (ML) to properly position translated text on an image, Currently, Google displays text in an overlay that may or may not properly display. Google says if you’re using an Android phone with over 6GB of RAM, it’ll now be able to blend the text into the image properly such that it looks more “natural”.

Google is also bringing a new design to the iOS app following the rollout of the Material You redesign on Android phones. It’s not clear if Google will use the same styling or one that’s more tailored to Apple’s Human Interface Design guidelines as the company has indicated it plans to start doing. In any case, the new design will include a “redesigned Translate experience provides a larger canvas for typing and more accessible entry points for translating conversations, voice input, and Lens camera translation.” Universal to iOS and Android will be new gestures, a more readable font, and support for more languages when using on-device translation. Highlighted is support for Basque, Corsican, Hawaiian, Hmong, Kurdish, Latin, Luxembourgish, Sundanese, Yiddish, and Zulu.

Google has always used a little bit of AI through its services, but the rise of generative AI in recent times has made companies like Google (and Microsoft’s new Bing experience) substantially keener to show off just how good and helpful their AI is. The Google Translate app is a fantastic tool in the arsenal of travelers, and these updates at least sidestep the thornier issues that AI use is facing this year.

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YOUTUBE 1080 PREMIUM!

YouTube says it isn’t messing with 1080p — ‘1080p Premium’ is higher-bitrate

YouTube has confirmed that it’s experimenting with a higher-quality 1080p option for Premium subscribers after some Reddit users noticed a new “1080p Premium” option in the quality settings menu. The option is currently available to “a small group of YouTube Premium subscribers,” according to Paul Pennington, a spokesperson for the company.

“1080p Premium is an enhanced bitrate version of 1080p which provides more information per pixel that results in a higher quality viewing experience,” said Pennington, adding that “there are no changes to the existing quality offerings for 1080p (HD) resolution on YouTube.” There have been concerns that YouTube is nerfing the standard 1080p mode to make the Premium version more appealing, but the statement implies that the company hasn’t made any changes.

While 1080p describes a video’s resolution, or the number of pixels that make up the image, there are more factors that go into overall video quality. Bitrate and color depth are also important factors and can even lend to good 1080p video looking better than bad 4K footage. Bitrate is often used to describe how much data is used to transfer each second of video.

For example, a 1080p Blu-ray can give you a maximum of 40 Mbps, which provides a pretty crisp image. Meanwhile, YouTube’s standard 1080p bitrate hovers between 8 and 10 Mbps and can be noticeably blockier than Blu-rays or the original exports. It also depends on what codec the video is compressed with, as some are more efficient than others and can produce better results with less data, often with costs elsewhere — it can be pretty complicated. (Also, bitrate isn’t entirely separate from resolution; how many pixels are in a video will play some factor in how much data you need to transmit it in an acceptable quality. If you want to go deep into the concept, here’s a pretty good explainer.)

However, it’s generally accurate to say that video encoded with the same codec but at a higher bitrate will look better. That seems to be what YouTube’s doing — one Reddit user with access to the feature posted a screenshot of the company’s “Stats for Nerds” tool, which shows that the Premium 1080p option ran at around 13 Mbps versus 8 Mbps in the standard mode for the same video. However, it’s worth noting that YouTube usually uses variable bitrate encoding, meaning that the amount of data it uses will fluctuate a bit depending on what’s shown on screen.

The premium version could boost bitrate by around 50 percent

The company didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment on what the average premium bitrate would be.

The reason YouTube doesn’t just show you the original video file at its maximum bitrate is that doing so would be expensive, both for them and potentially for you, depending on your speed and data cap. The lower a video’s bitrate, and thus the lower its quality, the less bandwidth it takes up in the journey from YouTube’s servers to your screen. The 1080p Premium test indicates that YouTube could be willing to let people access more quality as long as they pay for the service.

This isn’t the first time YouTube has experimented with putting higher-quality video behind the Premium paywall. Last year, the company ran a test that made it so some people weren’t able to access 4K playback unless they were subscribers, a move that garnered a lot of pushback from the community. However, a lot of that came down to the fact that people were losing something they previously had access to for free. If YouTube truly is keeping the quality for the regular 1080p option the same, then the experiment is just adding a perk for paying customers.

YouTube creators can now dub their videos in multiple languages

YouTube rolled out a new feature on Thursday for creators to dub their content in other languages, allowing viewers around the globe to consume more content.

The multi-language audio feature has already been test-piloted by one of the platform's biggest stars: MrBeast.

"Because his content is so wide-reaching, over the past year we’ve asked MrBeast and a small group of creators to help our team test a new feature that lets creators add multi-language audio to their videos," YouTube Product Manager Ritz Campbell wrote in a blog post on Thursday.

MrBeast has already dubbed some of his "most popular videos in 11 languages and is hoping to bring more international viewers to his main channel through the feature," Campbell wrote.

In an interview with YouTube Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie, MrBeast said the ability to dub videos — rather than creating numerous separate channels that exist solely to provide his content in other languages — streamlines his workflow.

"Having a lot of different channels is just honestly a lot more work," MrBeast said. "It's just so much easier to have it all in one central place."

MrBeast said the new feature doesn't just help content creators to streamline their workflow — it also helps viewers and followers around the world to find the content their looking for in one place.

"Whether you're in Mexico, you're in Brazil, you're in India — all the dubs are in one place, on one video. So it's a lot simpler for people to understand," he said.

Initially, the feature was only tested among a handful of creators, like MrBeast. YouTube will now expand the availability of the feature to "thousands more creators," Campbell's blogpost stated.

The post added that YouTube has "already seen over 3,500 multi-language videos uploaded in over 40 languages."

YouTube reported that, in testing the new language features, creators found 15 percent of the watch time on videos that offer multiple language dubs came from views that were not in the video's original language.

In January, viewers watched, on average, over 2 million hours of dubbed video daily, YouTube reported.

Viewers who want to watch videos in a different language can access the feature by clicking the audio settings and selecting the available language of their choice.

"Whether it’s chess tutorials, a historical documentary on Rome, or a series of ghost hunting investigations in Italy, we can’t wait to see our creators continue to adopt this feature into their own content, and for our viewers to discover videos from international channels," Campbell wrote in the blogpost.

YouTube lets creators add multi-language voice tracks to their videos

YouTube viewers from around the world might start finding more videos with audio in their native language. The video-hosting website has launched a new feature that gives creators the capability to add voice tracks to their new and existing content in multiple languages. YouTube has been testing multi-language dubs with a handful of creators over the past year, but it's now expanding the feature's reach and making it accessible to thousands more.

The website presents the new feature as a tool creators can use to grow their audiences around the world. Early testers apparently uploaded 3,500 videos in over 40 languages last month, and viewers watched over 2 million hours of dubbed video everyday in January. The creators who tested feature also found that around 15 percent of their watch time came from viewers playing their videos in another language.

One of the most notable creators who tested YouTube's multi-language tool was MrBeast, who has over 130 million subscribers worldwide. MrBeast runs multiple channels in 11 different languages, but in an interview, he said that it would be much easier to maintain just one. It's also probably a plus that anybody clicking on a link shared by someone speaking another language will be able to understand it simply by changing the dubbed audio.

After switching to their preferred language for the first time, the website will default to it whenever they watch videos with dubs. Viewers will also be able to search for content dubbed in their language, even if the video's primary tongue is different, through translated titles and descriptions. YouTube didn't say how it chose the thousands of creators getting access to the feature today, but we asked the website for an idea how it will roll out multi-language dubs until it's available to everyone.

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WHO IS AJAY BANGA?

Who is Ajay Banga, India-born nominated by President Joe Biden to lead World Bank? Early life, career, more

President Joe Biden announced that the US is nominating Ajay Banga to lead the World Bank.

Ajay Banga, ex-Mastercard CEO, was tapped by US President Biden to lead the World Bank. Biden said that the Indian- American leader was an ideal choice to lead the global institution, given the unique geopolitical situations. Banga currently serves as Vice Chairman of General Atlantic. Through the years, Banga has had an illustrious career. “He has spent more than three decades building and managing successful, global companies that create jobs and bring investment to developing economies, and guiding organizations through periods of fundamental change,” Biden said. Here’s a look into the life and career of the business executive. 

Banga was born to army officer Harbhajan Singh Banga, who retired as a lieutenant-general of the Indian army. Even though his family’s roots are from Jalandhar, Punjab, Banga grew up in Khadki, Pune where his father was posted. The ex-Mastercard CEO’s family also boasts of another famous CEO, M S Banga, who is Ajay Banga’s brother.

Ajay Banga studied economics at St Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and completed his further education from the famed Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

As the world recognised his talent, India, too, honored Banga. In 2016, the Indian government awarded Banga with a Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honor.

Banga started his career in India, spending 13 years at Nestle India, and two at Pepsico. Following this, in 1996, he joined Citigroup where he climbed the corporate ladder to lead the Asia-Pacific region as CEO.

He retired in December 2021 after 12 years at the helm of Mastercard, where administration officials noted that he helped 500 million unbanked people join the digital economy, averted layoffs of the bank’s 19,000 employees during the Covid-19 pandemic, and led work on climate, gender, and sustainable agriculture.

Previously the COO, in April 2010, Mastercard announced that Ajay Banga would lead the firm as president and CEO. The previous CEO, Robert W. Selander had led the firm since March 1997.

Despite retiring in 2021, Banga chose to join General Atlantic, a private equity firm, in the capacity of vice chairman. His focus is primarily on General Atlantic’s climate-focused fund, BeyondNetZero.

Other than his incredible career, Banga has found himself in a series of positions that help advance technology, financial services and constant innovation. Among his various accolades:

Worked with US VP Kamala Harris as Co-Chair of the Partnership for Central America,

Member of the Trilateral Commission,

Founding trustee of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, 

Former member of the National Committee on US-China Relations, 

Chairman Emeritus of the American India Foundation. 

Honorary chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, after serving as chairman from 2020-2022.

He previously worked with President Obama, who appointed Banga to serve as a member of the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations in 2015.

Ajay Banga is the first Indian-born nominee for the World Bank presidency. President Biden, in his statement, added that Banga “has critical experience mobilising public-private resources to tackle the most urgent challenges of our time, including climate change.” Furthermore, on climate change, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Banga’s experience “will help him achieve the World Bank’s objectives of eliminating extreme poverty and expanding shared prosperity while pursuing the changes needed to effectively evolve the institution.”

Biden selects ex-Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga for World Bank president

Washington — President Biden will nominate Ajay Banga, the former president and CEO of Mastercard, to serve as president of the World Bank, the White House announced Thursday.

Banga is currently the vice chairman of General Atlantic, a private equity firm, and would succeed David Malpass as head of the World Bank. Malpass was tapped for the post by former President Donald Trump and announced this month his plan to step down on June 30, four years into a five-year term.

The World Bank president has been an American citizen since its founding after World War II, and the U.S. candidate is traditionally chosen to head the bank. The nominee must be confirmed by the World Bank's executive board.

"Ajay is uniquely equipped to lead the World Bank at this critical moment in history," Mr. Biden said in a statement announcing the nomination. "He has spent more than three decades building and managing successful, global companies that create jobs and bring investment to developing economies, and guiding organizations through periods of fundamental change."

The president said that across Banga's three decades of business experience, he has a "proven track record" of managing large organizations and working alongside leaders worldwide, and Mr. Biden highlighted his experience tapping into public-private resources to tackle pressing issues, including climate change.

"Raised in India, Ajay has a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing developing countries and how the World Bank can deliver on its ambitious agenda to reduce poverty and expand prosperity," Mr. Biden said.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen applauded Banga's nomination, saying in a statement that his leadership and management skills, as well as experience, will help the World Bank evolve to "meet global challenges like climate change."

"While the World Bank will continue to play a key role in improving the lives of people around the globe, it can't do it alone," Yellen said. "Mr. Banga's track record of forging partnerships between the public sector, private sector and non-profits uniquely equips him to help mobilize the private capital and press for the reforms needed to meet our shared ambitions."

The change at the top of the World Bank comes after Malpass faced calls for his ouster after he declined to say in September during a New York Times event whether he believed the burning of fossil fuels is causing the planet to warm, and instead declared "I'm not a scientist."

The comment sparked claims he was a climate-change denier, and Malpass sought to clarify his stance, telling CNN International he is "not a denier" and "it's clear" greenhouse gas emissions are coming from manmade sources, including fossil fuels."

"We're working hard to change that," he said.

In response to Malpass's comments on climate change, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters in late September the Biden administration disagreed with them.

"We expect the World Bank to be a global leader of climate ambition and mobilization as well, of significantly more climate finance for developing countries, as is the business of the World Bank," she said.

Before joining General Atlantic, Banga worked for more than a decade as Mastercard, serving as its president and chief executive, and then the company's executive chairman. He also was chief executive officer of Citigroup's Asia-Pacific region and worked with Nestle in India for 13 years. He has served on the boards of the American Red Cross, Kraft Foods and Dow Inc. 

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SELFIEE MOVIE REVIEW!

Selfiee review – stan v superstar caper is a copper-bottomed crowd pleaser

After the monumental success of Pathaan, something a little more low-rise. Director Raj Mehta has emerged as Bollywood’s best-placed continuity candidate, landing one of the industry’s last pre-pandemic hits with 2019’s babymaking romp Good Newwz, before resuming with post-lockdown marital farce Jug Jugg Jeeyo. His latest expands upon the 2019 Malayalam hit Driving Licence, with its copper-bottomed premise: a movie star is driven nuts by the superfan schooling him in three-point turns. Another broad, sitcom-bright crowdpleaser, prone to abusing the wacky sound effect button, this latest Mehta comedy has nevertheless been packaged with a professionalism that’s hard to deny.

Crucially, Mehta gets his script right. Regular scribe Rishhabh Sharrma ensures this feud, between unsmiling action hero Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar) and moustachioed jobsworth Om Prakash Agarwal (Emraan Hashmi), develops organically from an early misunderstanding around the former’s surrogacy plans. It flares, wildly but not implausibly, into a 24-hour media storm encompassing weaponised hashtags, cancellation cries and angry mobs. Fixing one eye on the madness of moviemaking in modern India possibly explains why some stretches are played with an oddly stiff bat: Sharrma’s sharper satirical barbs risk drawing blood too close to home. (In an opening, out-of-character address, the actual Kumar nervily maintains no slight is hereby meant on his real-life superfans.)

Still, it is well played, within certain parameters. Other halves Diana Penty and Nushrratt Bharuccha are left looking on in cowed awe as the leads go mano a mano; in this Mehta appears fustily traditional. Yet Kumar and the ever-sly Hashmi spar well, and Abhimanyu Singh is hilarious as a rival thesp plotting Vijay’s downfall while making the world’s worst celebrity endorsements. A moderate timekiller, Selfiee earns goodwill with the sheer daftness of its final act, featuring a televised theory test and pro-celebrity parallel parking. But it may be time to reassess 2016’s Fan, one of Shah Rukh Khan’s pre-Pathaan flops: a film that proved far more daring in pitting superstar against stan.

Selfiee is released on 24 February in cinemas.

'Selfiee': Not worth the effort to visit the cinema

Film: Selfiee. Duration: 142 minutes.

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Diana Penty, Emraan Hashmi and Nushrratt Bharuccha.Director: Raj Mehta. Cinematography: Rajeev Ravi.Rating: **1/2

Celebrities, particularly film stars, and their brush with the law are not uncommon. Famous people do have run-ins with the law, and some of them have even spent time behind bars. Some superstars rue the fact that the law is very often much tougher on them, but law enforcement agencies believe that celebs are not immune to the law and that all citizens must abide by it.

This week's only release, 'Selfiee', attempts to raise the issue of well-known people riding roughshod over the law and getting away with lesser penalties.

Superstar Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar) enjoys the status of a demigod in the country. His cramped schedule doesn't allow even a single day off, much to the annoyance of his doting wife (Diana Penty).

The couple had planned a month-long holiday in the US, where she wished to deliver her first child conceived through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). Kumar is all set to finish the last leg of a film shoot in Bhopal before flying off, but the producer (Akashdeep) requests him to shoot the climax for which the star needs to drive a vehicle in a sensitive area maintained by the Army.

Now that isn't much of an issue, but Kumar's driving licence has expired, and therefore, he cannot be allowed to drive without one ASAP. He needs to obtain a new driving licence from the RTO, Om Prakash Agarwal (Emraan Hashmi), who happens to be Kumar's diehard fan.

Not paying much attention first to something which looks like a cakewalk, Kumar refuses to come down from his privileged high horse and comply with the rules that require him to visit the RTO and do the needful. The inspector, who is delighted at the thought of meeting his idol, decides to take his young son to get a selfie clicked on the historic occasion.

To complicate matters, Vijay's rival actor (Abhimanyu Singh), supposedly his childhood friend who's had several flops in a row, and is desperately trying to make a comeback, tries hard to get Vijay into trouble so that his film career nosedives too.

Meanwhile at the RTO, Kumar is upset to see mediapersons thronging the office even before he reaches there to fulfil the formalities required for the licence. Some of the scribes begin to ask uncomfortable questions as to how Kumar was driving his car without a valid licence and canvassing for Safe Driving campaigns too.

An enraged Kumar blames Agarwal for stooping so low just for his 15 minutes of fame at Kumar's expense. The misunderstanding between the two escalates into a feud played out in front of the entire country.

The premise of this 143-minute film is believable. A worshipped film hero cannot be above the law and must face the consequences of his actions. Agarwal is a commoner who not just adores but reveres his hero, but at the same time is a committed and law-abiding officer. Though the face-off between them seems exaggerated and too staged, it works as per the film's theme.

What doesn't work is the script trying hard to highlight Akshay Kumar and his stardom. Even when his character is shown to be weak and losing his popularity, he is unnecessarily allowed to behave arrogantly.

Maybe, it justifies the superstar status of the character he plays, but on the other hand, it serves as a ploy to make him look both supreme and heroic. Hashmi, who has earned a respectable position as an actor over the past decade, having done away with his stereotypical romantic image that also won him the tag of the 'serialkisser', is consistently good as the simple, family-loving conscientious officer.

Director Raj Mehta, who is known to handle serious themes in a typical filmi manner ('Good News' and 'Jug Jugg Jiyo'), cramming his narratives with masala and entertainment, lets you down by reducing all other supporting actors into buffoons.

Some of the situations, too, could have been far more convincing had they been dealt with some sensitivity. Instead, every serious tone is diluted with comic dialogues and characters who are imperfect, derailing the weightiness of some important developments. It had a good premise that could have been either hilariouslywritten, or by adding thrilling moments between entitlement and the principles of the law.

Cinematographer Rajeev Ravi doesn't have much at hand to improve the strongly marked laugh lines that Kumar tries hard to hide.

Writer Rishabh Sharma, too, must have had a tough time adding heft to the story credited to Sachy, though we all know that it is based on the 2019 Malayalam film 'Driving Licence' by Jean Paul Lal.

There isn't much scope for songs in between what seems like a face-off between a hero and a villain, but there are a few that appear out of the blue -- one of them being a a rehash of Anu Malik's 'Main Khiladi Tu Anadi'. 

Selfiee movie review: Akshay Kumar gets up, close and personal with his superstardom in this mass entertainer

Not very long ago we saw Ayushmann Khurrana play a superstar in An Action Hero, where an upcoming youth icon wanting to take a selfie with the actor ends up dead, and his brother lectures the superstar that all he is is because of public, so if they want a selfie, actors need to oblige. Cut to Akshay Kumar's latest theatrical release Selfiee, where the actor plays a superstar and ends up in a murky mess of sorts with his biggest fan. All this fan desired for was a seflie with his idol, but things take an ugly turn when media gets involved and it becomes a battle of egos and an ultimate fight between a superstar vs his fan.

An official remake of Malayalam film Driving Licence, this Akshay-starrer dramedy is not a frame by frame copy of the original (I've seen the Malayalam one in bit and parts) and has many lighter moments. Other than the basic storyline, Selfiee has ditched the serious undertones of the original and laced the writing with a lot of humour.

The story follows superstar Vijay Kumar (Akshay) who wants a driving licence urgently to be able to finish the climax of his film and save the producer from incurring losses. His diehard fan, RTO officer Om Prakash Aggarwal (Emraan Hashmi) is given the task to help the actor, and he agrees to fulfil it without following the usual tedious process and asks for a selfie as a gesture in return. But things don't go as planned and a misunderstanding leads to their feud becoming prime time news, while public has a field day with their juicy fight.

I have somehow always enjoyed watching actors portray superstars onscreen; it's kind of watching a film within a film, so double the fun at the cost of one. And this is seemingly becoming a tried and tested formula for filmmakers. Remember when Om Kapoor, played by Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Shanti Om, became everyone's favourite, or when Vidya Balan brought to life the superstardom of Silk Smitha or even Kangana Ranaut's portrayal of Jayalalithaa during her best days as a superstar -- all these tried to bring to fore various aspects of a star's life and their connection with the common man, too.

With Selfiee, things look more real and relatable because of the story and narrative which is not too far-fetched and is pretty convincing. Selfiee doesn't end at being a feud between a star and an RTO officer, but also covers their emotional side of being a husband, a father and balancing it all with their respective jobs. The screenplay is engaging and doesn't let you have too many dull moments. The original story by Sachy has been written for the Hindi version by Rishabh Sharma and he tweaks it a bit to suit the Hindi audience's palette.

Akshay as Vijay gets as close as you could imagine to the superstardom he enjoys in real life. Bearing a charming persona and swag, he shows signs of gratitude for his fans despite being a self-made star. What I loved about Selfiee and which perhaps remains the highlight of the film for me, is Akshay's tendency to be able to take a joke on himself and laugh at it, too. Be it taking a dig at the constant scrutiny on the number of films he does in a year, Hindi films not working not working at the box office of late or a doctor telling him that he needs to do some 'classy films over massy cinema', or even his infamous smile showing his gums , he delivers all of these with so much ease.

It was after over a year that we saw Emraan Hashmi back on the big screen, and he has a pleasant screen presence though at places, he seemed a bit loud and over-the-top. But, maybe that's how some diehard fans of superstars are. That they can't control their emotions on seeing or meeting their 'gods'. In face-off scenes with Akshay, it's commendable to see how Emraan manages to hold his ground.

Among the supporting cast, Mahesh Thakur as Vijay's manager delivers an earnest performance, Meghna Malik as politico Vimla Tiwari is on-point with her comic timing and is given some funny lines. Abhimanyu Singh as Vijay's contemporary is comic relief and hilarious in scenes, but for someone with his acting calibre, he is completely wasted in the script. And so is Paritosh Tripathi and Kusha Kapila, who appear and disappear as per convenience.

And the ladies are once again neglected or have very little to do in the film. Nushrratt Bharuccha as Om Prakash's wife is caring but has a quirky side to her. And even though she doesn't approve of her husband's obsession with a star, she doesn't mind flexing in the front of whole colony when the husband is enjoying his 2 minutes of fame on news channels on TV. Diana Penty as Vijay's wife exists in the script only because there needed to be an emotional arch to the script and that the superstar can use that track to deliver an emotional speech in the climax. Other than that, Diana doesn't really get much scope to perform or showing her acting chops. Even her scenes with Akshay aren't anything great or something that will make you sit and take notice of their chemistry.

Talking of chemistry, I rather liked the song Kudiyee Ni Teri Vibe where Akshay grooves with Mrunal Thakur and the two set the screen on fire. Even the remixed version of Main Khiladi Tu Anari that comes in the end credit is a sure shot party number and not to be missed. In a nutshell, Selfiee ticks most of the boxes that Hindi film audiences look for. So, if you are fine with Akshay Kumar continuing to do Hindi remakes of films from the South, you would definitely enjoy Selfiee, even if you have seen the original Malayalam film. After all, isn't this what everyone is craving for - mass entertainers that can bring audiences back into theatres.

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XYLAZINE!!

Will Xylazine Become a Controlled Substance?

There's serious discussion at the highest levels of the U.S. government -- among both congressional lawmakers and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) -- about making the veterinary sedative xylazine a controlled substance.

In a statement, the American Veterinary Medical Association said that it is "closely engaged with the relevant congressional offices and committees" that are discussing scheduling xylazine, noting that it understands that the DEA "has begun its internal process to schedule the drug."

Indeed, one source told MedPage Today that the DEA has conducted an 8-Factor Analysis for xylazine, which is an assessment of the drug's abuse potential that is a required step in the scheduling process.

Additionally, the DEA has said that the "two-part process" to schedule a substance has been in the works since October 2021, according to Fox News. The agency told the news outlet that the process involves sending data to HHS and requesting a scheduling recommendation.

The DEA sent HHS "supplemental information" in September 2022 to "accelerate" the scheduling process, and DEA is "still waiting on HHS to provide a scheduling recommendation," the article noted.

The DEA did not return several requests for comment from MedPage Today.

A spokesperson for the FDA, which is the HHS agency tasked with reviewing the 8-Factor Analysis, said it is "continuing to investigate the impact of xylazine presence in the illicit drug supply and will provide an update when new information is available."

"We defer to DEA to confirm what actions they have taken with regard to the scheduling process, but we are in regular contact with them pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding between our two agencies," the spokesperson added.

A Congressional Research Service report from February 2 titled, "Xylazine: Considerations for Federal Control," noted that "either Congress or DEA (in conjunction with FDA) could decide to schedule xylazine."

"The CSA [Controlled Substances Act]-required process for DEA and FDA to schedule a substance can be time consuming, whereas Congress may pass (and the President may sign) a bill scheduling a substance and is not bound by the CSA's procedural requirements," according to the report.

The report also noted that regulators would have to consider which schedule it would belong to, from the most restrictive Schedule I to the more lenient Schedules III-V.

It is not known which legislator requested the report.

Xylazine has popped up on regulators' radars as it increasingly has been mixed with the opioid fentanyl. The problem has been particularly prevalent in the Northeast -- especially in Philadelphia, where some 90% of fentanyl samples also contain xylazine -- but is reportedly spreading across the U.S.

Since it's a sedative, one of the problems is that it knocks people out, leaving them vulnerable to assault or robbery. Another challenge is that the opioid overdose reversal agent naloxone (Narcan) may appear not to work. It can still reverse the effects of the opioid, but additional steps may be needed to treat the effects of sedative overdose.

Another area of concern has been the wounds that have been more severe than those seen with injection drug use in the past, physicians said. "With xylazine, the wounds are much more severe, much deeper, and much harder to manage," Joseph D'Orazio, MD, of Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, previously told MedPage Today.

D'Orazio and others believe the xylazine is mostly pharmaceutical-grade and has likely been diverted. Pictures taken in xylazine hotspots in Philadelphia have shown bottles with the label "VET One," which is distributed by MWI Animal Health, a subsidiary of AmerisourceBergen.

Lauren Esposito, a spokesperson for AmerisourceBergen, said, "We continuously evaluate and expand the measures we have implemented to maintain the integrity of every order we ship. We perform due diligence on all customers and ensure they are appropriately licensed by regulatory agencies."

"We also maintain robust processes and systems that track and monitor the products that move through our distribution channels," Esposito added. "If we identify any patterns of ordering that could indicate the potential for diversion, we evaluate and act appropriately."

Esposito added that xylazine "is stocked and distributed exclusively through our animal health distribution centers and shipped only to licensed veterinary providers and other licensed wholesalers."

She declined to share 10-year sales data for xylazine products.

Andrew Kolodny, MD, an expert in opioid policy and addiction medicine at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, said xylazine is probably widely diverted because it's unscheduled.

"If it were scheduled, distributors would have to have a suspicious order monitoring system. It's a DEA [requirement] that would tell you, for example, your Philadelphia region, or a particular veterinary practice you're distributing to, are outliers and you can't continue to fill that order. You have to report them," he explained.

"For sure, you would not see xylazine all over the place if it was scheduled," Kolodny added.

Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, is latest threat in the opioid epidemic: What you need to know

What is fentanyl and why is it so dangerous?

A new threat has emerged in the United States' illicit drug supply: an animal tranquilizer called xylazine.

The drug is showing up in synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, leading to more overdoses and alarming side effects, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control. 

While most jurisdictions don't routinely test for xylazine in postmortem toxicology, the Drug Enforcement Administration estimates xylazine was involved in at least 1,281 overdose deaths in the Northeast and 1,423 in the South in 2021. 

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

Last week, ONDC director Dr. Rahul Gupta hosted a listening session with local public health and safety leaders to discuss trends related to xylazine and efforts to address it, including plans for tracking, substance use treatment, and harm reduction.

What is xylazine? Is it a horse tranquilizer?

Xylazine was created in the 1960s and is used in veterinary medicine to sedate animals during procedures or diagnostic testing, according to the DEA.

Xylazine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for human use.

While it has been given in the past for household pets, the sedative is now typically used for larger animals like horse, sheep and elk. 

It's most commonly used in cattle as it's one of the few sedatives studied in food animals, said Dr. Bernd Driessen, professor of anesthesiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. 

The drug is available in liquid form and sold in vials or preloaded syringes in veterinary medicine, the DEA said, but it can also be sold online in powder form.

Xylazine side effects include open wounds

Anecdotal reports indicate using xylazine causes open wounds to "spontaneously develop," said Maryann Mason, associate professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. 

These open wounds may lead to necrosis, or dead tissue, and eventually amputation of affected limbs, she said. 

Xylazine is not an opioid and doesn't target the same receptors, but the Michigan Poison Center at Wayne State University says it has similar effects, including: 

Sedation

Anesthesia

Muscle relaxation

Slowed respiratory rate

Slowed heart rate

The poison center said xylazine can be swallowed, snorted, injected, smoked or inhaled. The DEA said it's unclear whether it can be vaped. 

Is xylazine safe? What should you do if someone overdoses?

There is no amount of xylazine that is safe for humans, said Dr. Neeraj Chhabra, emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist at Cook County Health in Chicago. 

Humans are about 10 to 20 times more sensitive to xylazine than animals are, Driessen said. 

The sedative can be lethal because it slows down breathing, Mason said, like an opioid overdose. However, because the animal tranquilizer is not an opioid, an overdose can't be reversed by naloxone, known as Narcan. 

"Xylazine is not responsive to naloxone like heroin and fentanyl are," Chhabra said. Medical providers "may have to provide certain support measures in addition to naloxone," like breathing assistance. 

An antagonist that reverses the sedative effects of xylazine, called atipamezole, is used in veterinary medicine. While it has been studied in humans, it is not approved for humans by the FDA, said Driessen. 

In the event of a suspected overdose, the National Institute of Drug Abuse still recommends giving naloxone because xylazine is frequently combined with opioids. As with all overdoses, the agency also urges calling emergency medical services. 

Where is xylazine showing up?

In an October report, the DEA said exposure to xylazine is most common amongst people who use heroin, fentanyl or cocaine.

The administration said xylazine is commonly found in drugs that have two or more substances present. While some users actively seek substances with xylazine, others are surprised by the adulterated supply.

'Zombie' drug? Other names for xylazine

Brand names for xylazine include:

In the illicit drug market, providers have heard xylazine or drugs laced with xylazine referred to as:

Tranq

Tranq Dope

Sleep Cut

Zombie Heroin

The drug was also called "anestesia de caballo," or horse anesthetic in Spanish, in Puerto Rico where it was first noted as an adulterant in the illicit drug supply in the early 2000s, according to the DEA report.

What Is Xylazine? How Is The Drug “Zombifying” People’s Bodies? All You Need To Know

Xylazine, or “tranq” is the new drug wreaking major havoc in cities across the US. Reports say the deadly symptoms include skin rotting and "zombifying" people. 

Xylazine or the ‘zombie drug’ has been ratified by the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for veterinary purposes. It was earlier used for cutting heroin, but shockingly its most recent discovery has been discovered in fentanyl and other illicit drugs according to sources.

The Drug OD situation has been an issue for a long time and according to statistics, a person dies of a drug overdose every five minutes in America. 

Xylazine, otherwise known as Tranq, is the new drug creating mayhem in major cities across the country with its devastating effects of "skin-eating" and zombifying people addicted to this.

What is Xylazine?

Xylazine is a pharmaceutical drug used for sedation, anesthesia, muscle relaxation, and analgesia in animals like horses, cattle, and other non-human mammals hence the name "tranq".

 Xylazine is used by Veterinarians as an emetic, especially in cats. 

It is an analog of clonidine and an agonist at the α₂ class of adrenergic receptor.

Did You Know?

Over 2% of the world population has an alcohol or illicit drug addiction.

What is Xylazine Used For? 

Discovered as an antihypertensive agent in 1962 by Farbenfabriken Bayer in Leverkusen, Germany Xylazine has several central nervous system depressant effects.

Xylazine was approved by the FDA for veterinary use and is now used as an animal tranquilizer.

As a veterinary anesthetic, xylazine is typically only administered once for the intended effect before or during surgical procedures.

 The sedative and analgesic effects of xylazine are related to central nervous system depression. Xylazine's muscle relaxant effect inhibits the transmission of neural impulses in the central nervous system.

The early 2000s marked the era when xylazine became popular as a drug of abuse in the United States and Puerto Rico. 

Xylazine's street name in Puerto Rico is anestesia de caballo, which means  "horse anesthetic".

Xylazine's street name in the United States is “tranq,” “tranq dope” and “zombie drug”.

What Is Cordyceps Fungus? Did The Chinese Army Intrude Into Indian Territory To Find It? Find Out About The Usage, Location, And Other Details Here!

How is Xylazine "Zombifying people's bodies"?

Sam the 28-year-old said that he has struggled with a substance use disorder since the age of 14, adding that he has been in and out of treatment for many years of his life. HE said in an interview, that "Tranq is basically zombifying people's bodies."

Xylazine outbreaks of skin infections and overdoses. 

The national spread of xylazine is a public health threat as Xylazine overdose is usually fatal in humans.

 Because it is used as a drug adulterant, the symptoms caused by the drugs accompanying xylazine administration vary between individuals.

The Current Scenario Of The Drug

The current situation of drug abuse foreshadows the future of the overdose crisis, increasingly driven by powerful synthetic compounds mixed into potent combinations.

"Tranq Dope" is a mix of Fentanyl, the opioid that has decimated America's youth, and the veterinary drug Xylazine.  It is currently being sold on the streets for just a few dollars per bag. Public health authorities are horrified by its spread and worried about the terrible scars it leaves on individuals who use it. With its catastrophic results, including the ability to visibly damage the user's skin, "tranq dope," has raised concerns in the US.

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VEERA SIMHA REDDY IS OUT!!

Nandamuri Balakrishna's Veera Simha Reddy is out on Disney+ Hotstar

Nandamuri Balakrishna gave strong proof of his star power when Veera Simha Reddy opened to a good response at the box office this Sankranti and emerged as a box office success. It received decent reviews, with critics praising the performances and action sequences but labeling the story as routine.

The biggie is now out on OTT. Veera Simha Reddy is an actioner, directed by Gopichand Malineni. 

VEERA SIMHA REDDY OUT ON OTT

On Thursday, February 23, Disney+ Hotstar announced that Veera Simha Reddy is out on the streaming platform. It also shared a video of key moments from the film. 

The tweet read: "Aaj se hoga ek hi slogan kyuki aagaya hai Veera - Jai Balayya!#VeeraSimhaReddy is now streaming in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada,"

Here is the tweet:

Veera Simha Reddy comes to Disney+ Hotstar more than a month after it first premiered in theatres on January 12. 

ABOUT VEERA SIMHA REDDY

Veera Simha Reddy is an actioner that features Nandamuri Balakrishna in a double role. The cast includes Shruti Haasan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, and Duniya Vijay. This was Balakrishna's first film with Shruti. It also marked the Sandalwood actor's Tollywood debut. Its music is composed by S Thaman. It opened in theatres on January 12, 2023.

It clashed at the box office with Waltair Veerayya, Thunivu, and Varisu.

Veera Simha Reddy Streaming Now on Disney+ Hotstar

Veera Simha Reddy: A Star-Studded Blockbuster That Delivers Action and Emotion.

If you're a fan of action-packed, emotionally charged movies, then "Veera Simha Reddy" is definitely worth checking out on Disney Plus Hotstar! This film has been a massive hit in theaters and is now capturing the hearts of audiences on OTT platforms.

One of the standout features of "Veera Simha Reddy" is the incredible performance by Balakrishna, who plays two roles as Veera Simha Reddy and Jayasimha Reddy. His portrayal of both characters is captivating, with powerful emotions that will leave you feeling deeply moved.

But it's not just Balakrishna's performance that makes this film special. "Veera Simha Reddy" is a complete entertainer, with a perfect blend of sentiment and action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

Veera Simha Reddy" boasts of an impressive star cast, with some of the most talented actors in the industry bringing their A-game to the table. In addition to the powerhouse performance by Nandamuri Balakrishna in a dual role, the film also features some other notable names that add to its appeal.

Shruti Haasan, who has won accolades for her performances in both Bollywood and the South, brings her signature charm and energy to her role in "Veera Simha Reddy". Meanwhile, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, known for her powerful portrayals of strong, independent women, delivers yet another impressive performance in this film.

Honey Rose, a popular actor in the Malayalam film industry, impresses with her natural acting skills in her role in "Veera Simha Reddy". And last but not least, Duniya Vijay, one of the most versatile actors in Kannada cinema, adds his own unique touch to the film with his portrayal of an important character.

With such a talented cast, "Veera Simha Reddy" offers a feast for the eyes and promises to keep audiences engaged and entertained from start to finish. So, if you haven't already, be sure to catch this blockbuster film on Disney Plus Hot Star and experience the magic of this star-studded extravaganza!

Veera Simha Reddy OTT release date and time: When and where to watch Telugu movie

Veera Simha Reddy OTT Release Date: Telugu film Veera Simha Reddy is an action drama starring Telugu superstar Nandamuri Balakrishna who has acted in over 100 films. Directed by Gopichand Malineni and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Veera Simha Reddy was released in theatres on January 12.

Veera Simha Reddy OTT platform  

Disney+Hotstar has announced that the movie will stream on the platrform, starting February 23.

“Get set to welcome the God of Masses. Veera Simha Reddy streaming from 23rd Feb onwards as soon as the clock strikes 6 pm. Available in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada,” it 

The movie will be available in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada languages on Disney+Hotstar.

Watch Balakrishna in action#VeerSimhaReddy available in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada.

Streaming from 23rd February.#VSRHungamaOnHotstar pic.twitter.com/Gm2T87BYMP

— Disney+ Hotstar (@DisneyPlusHS) February 13, 2023

Veera Simha Reddy OTT release time  

The movie will be available on Disney+ Hotstar on Thursday, February 23, at 6 p.m.

Veera Simha Reddy cast

Veera Simha Reddy's cast includes Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Honey Rose, Naveen Chandra, Easwari Rao, Malayalam actor Lal, Murali Sharma, and other notable actors in pivotal roles. Kannada superstar Duniya Vijay made his  Telugu debut.  Shruti Haasan plays the lead in Veera Simha Reddy

Veera Simha Reddy Plot

In Veera Simba Reddy, Nandamuri Balakrishna plays the dual role of Pulicherla Veera Simha Reddy and Jai Simha Reddy, father and son. Veera Simha Reddy is a respected person in a village, his son Jai lives abroad. When Veera Simha Reddy gets killed because of village politics, Jai returns to his village for ravenge.

 Veera Simha Reddy Collections

As per the trade portal Sacnilk, Veera Simba Reddy, the Nandamuri Balakrishna starrer has collected a total of Rs 97.41 crore at the domestic box office and Rs 128.97 crore at the worldwide box office in terms of net collections. The film minted Rs 15 crore in terms of its net overseas collections.

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