India dropped one rung to be placed 97th in the latest edition of the FIFA Rankings issued on Thursday.The Blue Tigers had achieved one of their best rankings in recent history when they climbed to the 96th spot last month.But with international football largely taking a backseat in the off-season, India have dropped one spot.India still have 341 rating points with no changes from their last month’s tally.Canada has jumped five spots to 95th following their performances in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, leading to India dropping to 97th.Among Asian countries, India are the 12th highest ranked team in the continent while Iran leads the chart at 24th position.Meanwhile, Brazil have gained the top spot from Germany while Argentina, Switzerland and Poland complete the top five.
I must return to Atletico Madrid: Chelsea’s Diego Costa
Chelsea’s Spanish forward Diego Costa on Thursday confirmed his intention to return to Spanish football giants Atletico Madrid during the current summer transfer window.The 28-year-old Spain international had fallen out of favour with Chelsea’s Italian coach, Antonio Conte, who reportedly asked him at the end of last season via a text message to search for another club, reports Efe.”My destination is already made,” Costa said in a statement. “I must return to Atletico Madrid.””It turns out that there is the impasse that Chelsea does not want to release me,” Costa added. “But I believe that this situation will be resolved now on my return to Spain.”The Brazilian-born forward has been in Brazil since last season ended, but the English Premier League’s defending champions have expressed their wish to have him join their current training sessions.Costa’s attorney, Ricardo Cardoso, confirmed last week of his client’s intention to present a transfer request to the Blues.Cardoso did not rule out taking legal action against Chelsea to ensure his departure from Stamford Bridge.Chelsea, who paid 32 million pounds ($41.2 million) to sign Costa in 2014 from Atletico, seeks a 50-million pound (around $64 million) bid to let him leave, which is 26 million pounds ($33 million) more than what the La Liga side is offering.If a deal were to be finally reached, Costa would not be able to play with Atletico during the first half of the season due to FIFA’s ban that prevents the Spanish club from registering new players until January 2018.advertisement
Thakur blames Cong govt in HP for poor sports infrastructure
Dharamsala, Aug 22 (PTI) BJP MP Anurag Thakur today held the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh responsible for poor state of sports infrastructure in the state.The BJP MPs critical remarks for the Virbhadra Singh-led government came during his recent visit to Government Degree College in Hamirpur. He was disappointed over poor condition of an athletic track in the college premises.”Under Prem Kumar Dhumal jis tenure, the state government had spent Rs 6 crore for development of athletic track at Government Degree College Hamirpur, in order to promote sports amongst youth.”However, the poor state of the facility under the Congress government highlights their lack of interest towards youth development,” he alleged.He said the area was covered with “grass, bushes and hemp”, grown upto a knee-length.”Even the indoor stadium is incomplete till date and no action has been taken to expedite the work for initiating work on this front,” he added.Thakur alleged the state government is least bothered “to utilise the available sports infrastructure for children”. PTI COR ARK
ISL: Sunil Chhetri scores stunner, Bengaluru FC beat ATK to go top of the table
Sunil Chhetri found the back of the net in a stunning fashion as Bengaluru FC (BFC) beat ATK 1-0 in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Sree Kanteevara Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.With the win, Bengaluru FC went on top of the league table with 18 points from nine games.On the other hand, ATK have managed only one point from their last two matches and currently sit seventh in the 10-team table with nine points from eight games.It was Chhetri who stood up once more for BFC and sent the supporters into frenzy at their fortress. In the 39th minute of the match, Chhetri intercepted Conor Thomas’ loose pass and opened up space for himself on the right foot. With about a yard of space, India top-scorer smashed the ball past ATK goalkeeper Debjit Majumdar to put Bengaluru ahead in the game.And it was his goal, fifth for him in the league, that ultimately was the victorious one..@bengalurufc edged @WorldATK and returned to the top of the #HeroISL table thanks to a magnificent @chetrisunil11 strike!More videos: https://t.co/cVyUhTONeX#ISLRecap #LetsFootball #BENKOL pic.twitter.com/05hXyrCVsc- Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) January 7, 2018Bengaluru began the match on a high tempo with chances coming thick and fast. They got their first chance in about the fourth minute but eventually it was Chhetri’s strike that put them on top of things at home.BFC was all over ATK in the first half and it was only in the second half that they began to find their footing.advertisementRobbie Keane came close to scoring when he tricked two markers and went for the strike, only for BFC keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to pull off a fine save.ALSO WATCHKeane continued to influence the proceedings for ATK and found Rupert Nongrum in space. Nongrum’s cross found Tom Thorpe, whose across the face of goal went begging.On the other end of the pitch, Debjit was called into action when Miku went for a first-time drive.Braulio Nogreba then had two chances in quick succession in the dying minutes to consolidate the game for BFC, but he first shot wide from a narrow angle and then was brilliantly stopped by defender Jordi Montel.The Viking Clap is back in Bengaluru! Watch the @bengalurufc players celebrate with the fans!#ISLMoments #BENKOL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/83HQ4FVJZ0- Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) January 7, 2018
Maverick Calderon Knick Now
TweetPinShare0 Shares NEW YORK — Jose Calderon believes he can make life better in New York for Carmelo Anthony and Andrea Bargnani.Nobody knows if he will get to play with both.Acquired from the Dallas Mavericks, Calderon is coming to a Knicks squad that is faced with losing Anthony to free agency next month.If the All-Star forward stays, he may benefit from playing with Calderon, the longtime point guard for the Spanish national team who is an outstanding 3-point shooter.“He’s one of the best players in our league and I’d love to play with him,” Calderon said during a conference call. “I think I could help him to just take a lot of pressure out of him, just give him the ball when he’s ready for it.”The Knicks also acquired center Samuel Dalembert and guards Shane Larkin and Wayne Ellington in the deal, sending starters Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas.New York also obtained the Nos. 34 and 51 picks in the draft, which it used on Wichita State forward Cleanthony Early and Thanasis Antetokounmpo of Greece, who played last season for Delaware in the NBA Development League.It was the first move for team President Phil Jackson, who will turn his full attention starting July 1 to Anthony. The Knicks’ leading scorer has opted for free agency and the team wants to keep him.“I think he’s a great player, one of the best. I’d love to play with him,” Calderon said. “He could be a big part of this for sure, there’s no question about that. Anything I can do to make him stay, for sure.”Calderon has averaged 10.2 points and 6.8 assists in nine seasons while shooting 41 percent from 3-point range. He noted the success he has helped All-Stars Chris Bosh and DeMar DeRozan achieve in Toronto, as well as Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas last season.He was also with the Raptors for Bargnani’s peak. But the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft has struggled with injuries the last few seasons, and his first one with the Knicks was cut short by an elbow injury. Calderon thinks he can help his friend rediscover his confidence and his game.“Last couple of years, he wasn’t able to really to show the potential he got. And sometimes when you’re No. 1 in the draft, sometimes all the pressure is there, all the expectations are there. But he’s great,” Calderon said.“He’s a good friend and for sure I’ll try to help him … put him in the right situation to be successful and he’s a guy who’s going to be important for sure.”The Knicks hope Dalembert can help replace Chandler, the former Defensive Player of the Year.“That’s what I’ve been doing throughout my career,” the 12-year veteran said. “I’ve always been a defensive guy.”Larkin was a first-round pick last year but broke his right ankle in the summer, and the son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin averaged just 2.8 points in 48 games.“The injury kind of set me back, was out for like 4 1/2 months and kind of just put me behind the 8-ball where my first game in the NBA I was kind of just of thrown in there and saw what was going to happen,” he said.“So I think just a fresh start in New York is going to offer me a new opportunity to go in there and create a different first impression.”(BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer)
Lightning Zap The Rangers, 6-3
NEW YORK — Martin St. Louis knows firsthand just how much fun the Tampa Bay Lightning can have when they get on a roll.Seeing their success from the other side of the ice has been anything but enjoyable.Brett Connolly’s second goal of the game during a third-period power play lifted the Lightning to their third straight win over the New York Rangers, 6-3 on Dec. 1.St. Louis starred for years with Tampa Bay before being dealt to New York last season for Rangers captain Ryan Callahan. In his first three meetings against the Lightning over 15 days, St. Louis was 0-3 and saw his new team get outscored 15-7 while being swept in the season series.“If you don’t get on the good side at least once, it’s tough to take,” said St. Louis, honored before the game for his 1,000th NHL point.With St. Louis off for slashing, Connolly scored past Henrik Lundqvist at 5:34 for his fourth of the season. Tyler Johnson gave the Lightning a two-goal lead 1:24 later with his second of the night, and Ondrej Palat added an empty-netter with 26.4 seconds left to give Tampa Bay its fourth consecutive victory.“This was special for me, to get two here. My first two-goal game,” Connolly said. “We didn’t have our best, but we found a way in the third period. We play good hockey against them.“This is one of the most prestigious buildings in sports. It’s nice to get a couple, especially against a goalie like Lundqvist. That’s good for your confidence.”Victor Hedman had three assists, and Ben Bishop made 32 saves to improve to 8-0 against the Rangers. He even had an assist on Connolly’s first. Matt Carle also scored for the Lightning, who netted 11 goals in two visits to Madison Square Garden.“We just have a knack against them. I can’t really explain it,” Bishop said. “It’s obviously fun to play Lundqvist. Maybe I just raise my game.”Kevin Hayes, Jesper Fast and St. Louis scored for the Rangers, who had won four of five. Lundqvist struggled and made only 15 saves.“It’s not good enough,” Lundqvist said. “We’re not going to win games when I give up four or five goals. We mostly have to look at, why are we giving up the goals?”St. Louis was joined by his family on the ice before the game. A video tribute was shown, and he was given gifts by both teams. St. Louis had 953 points in 972 games with the Lightning and was a Stanley Cup champion in 2004.Now he and the rest of the Rangers will have to stew over this loss for a while before they play again Saturday in Detroit.“We will use that time wisely to work on things we need to,” St. Louis said.After he put the Rangers in front 3-2, the Lightning went on a 5-on-3 power play that generated only one shot, but tired out the New York skaters and set up the tying goal 26 seconds after the advantage ended.The Rangers couldn’t clear the zone, and Carle scored off a pass from Johnson to make it 3-all at 14:23. Tampa Bay had only five shots in the second and 13 through 40 minutes.“When we came in after the first, guys were saying we were lucky to have the lead,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We like to play North-South but we were playing East-West. We kept going the wrong way. Ultimately, we turned it into a one-period game.”Earlier, the Rangers erased their second one-goal deficit at 2:42 when Fast scored his second NHL goal — in consecutive games.St. Louis put the Rangers in front for the first time by scoring his 10th during a power play at 9:24.Tampa Bay grabbed a 1-0 lead 6:32 in on Johnson’s seventh. Hedman took a shot that hit the skate of Palat in front. Palat got the puck to his stick and fed a pass to Johnson.New York tied it when Carl Hagelin set up Hayes from behind the net for a goal with 7:46 left in the first.Connolly restored the Lightning lead 3:48 later. He snapped a drive that got past Lundqvist as New York’s Dan Girardi and Tampa Bay’s Brenden Morrow jousted in front.“I tried to pick up a couple of goals where our guys are going one way and I tried to look around them,” Lundqvist said. “The same on the second goal. I don’t pick it up until it’s almost past me.“Bottom line is I just need to fight better to pick up pucks through screens.”(IRA PODELL, AP Hockey Writer)TweetPinShare0 Shares
Blackhawks Beat The Devils, 3-2
NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey Devils rookie Keith Kinkaid has never been a fan of the shootout, and that was long before he faced Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in his first NHL start.Toews and Kane scored on the Blackhawks’ first two chances, and Chicago rallied late and earned its seventh straight victory, 3-2 over the Devils on Dec. 9.“They are top guys in the NHL,” Kinkaid said after his outstanding 37-save performance ended in a loss. “Obviously I was a little too far out on the Toews one, I wanted to get the leg out, and then Kane has a great set of hands. You never know what he is going to do.”Chicago had to work to get the best of the 25-year old Kinkaid, who was called up from Albany earlier Dec. 9 with the Devils playing the second game of a back-to-back set.New Jersey had the better of play for almost the first 25 minutes before the Blackhawks started showing why they are one of the NHL’s top teams.“Early on, he was playing pretty well,” Toews said of Kinkaid. “We threw some shots at him and I think, if anything, we built his confidence up a little bit throughout the game. Nowadays, even backups are strong, and you have to make their job as tough as you can.”Bryan Bickell and Duncan Keith had goals in regulation for Chicago, whose winning streak matches the NHL high for this season. Scott Darling made 22 saves, including two stops in the shootout.Jordin Tootoo and Stephen Gionta scored for New Jersey. Steve Bernier added two assists for the Devils, who were trying for back to back wins for the first time in almost a month.Darling made a glove save on Martin Havlat to start the shootout, and Toews easily beat Kinkaid with a backhander. After Darling made a pad save on Jaromir Jagr, Kane skated in on Kinkaid, danced in front of him, and slid the puck into the net for the Blackhawks’ fourth win in four shootouts.“You want to get the win for the team, so it’s a little tough,” Kinkaid said. “I hate the shootout anyway, so they are big points, and we are fortunate to get one.Chicago had tied it with 3:13 left in regulation when defenseman Duncan Keith put the rebound of Marian Hossa’s shot into an open net. The play developed after the Blackhawks kept the puck in the Devils zone, and Toews found Hossa for a good shot in close.“Give him some credit,” Keith said of Kinkaid. “He played big for his first game. We just played a patient game. I don’t think it was our best game, but we hung in there until the end and we were able to do it in the shootout.”It appeared that Gionta’s goal on a baseball swing at 2:31 of the third period was going to be the winner.Defenseman Damon Severson took a shot from the right point that Darling stopped. Blackhawks defenseman Klas Dahlbeck used his glove to swat the rebound away, but Gionta lined it right into the net.Havlat nearly gave the Devils a two-goal lead later in the period but his breakaway drive hit off the post and crossbar with 9:30 left.Kinkaid had stopped Patrick Sharp on a breakaway just about 30 seconds before Gionta’s second goal of the season.Chicago was a little off its game in the first period, but it dominated the second, outshooting New Jersey 17-7. Bickell got the only goal with a shot from the right circle after he carried the puck into the Devils zone leading a 3-on-1 break.Sharp, playing for the first time since Nov. 4 because of a lower-body injury, got the only assist on the play set up by a Devils turnover.New Jersey’s goal also was the result of a turnover. Tootoo scored from the same circle as Bickell after taking a pass from Bernier.(TOM CANAVAN, AP Sports Writer)TweetPinShare0 Shares
Vonn Breaks World Cup Ski Record
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn provisionally won a super-G on Jan. 19 to break Annemarie Moser-Proell’s 35-year-old record of 62 World Cup victories.For win No. 63, the American clocked 1 minute 27.03 seconds down the Olympia delle Tofane course to finish 0.85 ahead of Anna Fenninger of Austria.Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein was third, 0.92 back.Vonn’s boyfriend, Tiger Woods, surprised her in the finish area, where the pair shared an emotional embrace. Vonn exclaimed: “No way!” when she saw him.“I didn’t think this could get any better than yesterday with my entire family here but now with Tiger here this is unbelievable,” Vonn said. “I said, ‘I can’t believe you came.’ And he said, ‘I told you.’”Some lower-ranked skiers were still to race. Vonn got record-tying win No. 62 in a downhill Jan. 18.Moser-Proell, an Austrian great, established her record between 1970 and 1980.Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark holds the men’s record of 86 wins.It was Vonn’s first win in super-G this season and her fourth overall this campaign, showing a return to top form after two knee injuries kept her out of last year’s Sochi Olympics.Perhaps more importantly, the win showed Vonn is dominating again just weeks before her home world championships in Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado.Vonn was on track to shatter Moser-Proell’s record two years ago before a high-speed crash at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria, when she tore two ligaments in her right knee.She attempted to return for Sochi but re-injured her knee in Val d’Isere, France, in December, 2013, requiring a second surgery.The 30-year-old Vonn is planning to compete through the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.It was Vonn’s ninth career win in Cortina, where she had her first podium result in 2004, putting her within one of Austrian Renate Goetschl’s record 10 wins in the resort known as the Queen of the Dolomites.Vonn has won 32 downhills, 21 super-Gs, three giant slaloms, two slaloms and five combined races.Not included in those numbers are Vonn’s gold medal in downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, or her golds in downhill and super-G at the 2009 worlds in Val d’Isere.Moser-Proell won 36 downhills, 16 giant slaloms, three slaloms and seven combined races.The super-G was introduced two years after Moser-Proell retired.This race was originally scheduled for Jan. 18 but was postponed due to heavy snowfall over the weekend, which pushed the program back.(ANDREW DAMPF, AP Sports Writer) TweetPinShare0 Shares
Hurricanes Blow By Islanders, 5-3
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — With both teams completing the second half of back-to-back sets, the visiting Carolina Hurricanes got the best of the New York Islanders.Jay McClement scored twice and Cam Ward made 21 saves as the Hurricanes beat the Islanders 5-3 on Feb. 28 for their third straight win.Carolina topped Washington 3-0 at home on Feb. 27 while the Islanders edged Calgary 2-1 on Long Island. The Hurricanes had the better of play throughout, peppering Islanders backup Chad Johnson with 41 shots and scoring twice on the power play.“We threw a lot of rubber at their net, and by doing that created a lot of opportunities,” Ward said. “I thought our game was solid throughout. We played big and heavy, didn’t give them a lot of time and space.”McClement tied it 1-1 late in the first period and then scored again midway through the second for his sixth goal. Justin Faulk, Brad Malone and Michal Jordan also netted second-period goals for Carolina, which beat the Islanders for the first time in four meetings this season.Michael Grabner opened the scoring for the Islanders at 11:47 of the first with his seventh goal, rifling the puck past Ward from the left circle. Nikolay Kulemin and John Tavares also scored for the Islanders.McClement’s first goal with 2:19 left in the first was scored when the puck deflected off his skate and past goalie Chad Johnson. The goal was upheld on video review ruling McClement hadn’t used a distinct kicking motion.Faulk put Carolina ahead 2-1 at 1:26 of the second with his 12th goal on the power play. Eric Staal and Victor Rask had assists.Malone made it 4-2 with 2:14 left in the second when he tapped a loose puck past Johnson for his sixth goal. Jordan added his second of the season on the power play with 8 seconds remaining in the second to give Carolina a three-goal edge.“We were controlling play for the most part, didn’t give them a whole lot,” McClement said. “We had to skate against them, get in their way, slow them down. We did a better job of that.”Tavares got New York within 5-3 at 9:35 of the third with his team-leading 30th goal. It is the second time the Islanders captain has hit the milestone. Tavares had a career-best 31 goals in the 2011-12 season.“Clearly we weren’t as good as we needed to be,” Tavares said. “They were the more desperate team.”It was only the second loss in 13 home games against Metropolitan Division rivals for the Islanders (41-21-2).This concluded a busy stretch for New York, which played eight games in 13 days, including three back-to-back sets. The Islanders were 4-3-1 in those games, starting with a 6-5 home loss to the Rangers on Feb. 16.“We can’t use the schedule as an excuse,” Islanders forward Matt Martin said. “Every team has a busy schedule.”The Hurricanes (24-30-7) opened with 10 shots before the Islanders had their first, and outshot New York 18-9 in the opening period. They continued the barrage in the second with an 18-10 advantage. They have now won four of five.The Hurricanes traded defenseman Tim Gleason to the Washington Capitals earlier Feb. 28 for Jack Hillen, who arrived an hour before the game and started on defense alongside Jordan.On Feb. 25, the Hurricanes — who are well behind in the Eastern Conference playoff race — also traded forward Jiri Tlusty to Winnipeg, and defenseman Andrej Sekera to Los Angeles.The Islanders, 23-9 at home this season, won six of 10 games there in February. Their next four games are at Dallas, Nashville, Florida and Toronto before they returning home to face the Rangers on March 10.(ALLAN KREDA)TweetPinShare0 Shares
Capitals-Islanders Game 7 Showdown
There’s only been one Game 7 between the Capitals and Islanders, but it has stood the test of time — lots and lots and lots of time — as one of the great games in postseason annals.The Easter Epic in 1987 between Washington and New York lasted long into the night before Pat Lafontaine finally won it for the Islanders in the fourth overtime, giving his team a 3-2 victory in the game and a 4-3 win in the first-round series. New York’s Kelly Hrudey made 73 saves in what is still the longest Game 7 in NHL history.Those two teams will play another Game 7 on April 27 — the first winner-take-all contest of this year’s postseason. The Capitals and Islanders both finished the regular season with 101 points, and they’ve both found time to score 14 goals through the first six games of this series — when they haven’t been busy trying to slam each other into the glass.“It’s been good,” Washington forward Joel Ward said. “A traditional series, regardless of who you’re playing, is going to be like that. You’re going to get some hits, you’re going to get some feistiness, you’re going to get some whacks. That’s what happens when you play the same (team) over and over, you’re going to have a little hatred. It’s coming down to one game, so we’re excited.”The Islanders forced this seventh game with a 3-1 win in Game 6 on Saturday.Lafontaine’s goal was part of a glorious stretch for the Islanders during the 1980s that included four consecutive Stanley Cups earlier that decade.But they’ve advanced past the first round only once since. That was in 1993, when they again eliminated Washington before edging Pittsburgh in another overtime Game 7 to reach the conference finals.The Capitals had never played a Game 7 until that 1987 matchup with the Islanders. Now, the franchise is used to it.April 27 will be Washington’s eighth Game 7 in the last eight years. Only Boston (nine) has played more in that span, according to STATS.The Capitals are 3-9 in Game 7s, and only 2-7 at home. That includes that night 28 years ago when Game 7 turned into Game 8 and then Game 9.(NOAH TRISTER, AP Sports Writer)TweetPinShare0 Shares
Second Gold for Makrodimitris at Dublin
DUBLIN, Ireland – After taking a gold medal in the 50 meter backstroke, Aristeidis Makrodimitris became European champion in the 200 meter freestyle (category S) at the Dublin 2018 World Para Swimming European Championships.A holder of three medals at the Paraolympic Games, his time was 4:53.06. TweetPinShare0 Shares
Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia to Make Joint Bid to Host 2030 World Cup
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The leaders of four Balkan countries say they will make a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.The prime ministers of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania and the president of Serbia say their countries will make an official bid to host the soccer event in stadiums across the four countries.The idea was announced on the sidelines of a regional meeting in the Black Sea resort of Varna.Although the 2030 contest is not officially open, South American soccer leaders are already promoting a three-way centenary bid by Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, which was the original World Cup host in 1930.Also, English soccer officials have launched a feasibility study into bidding in partnership with Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.TweetPinShare0 Shares
Infineon enables open source software stack for TPM 2.0
Infineon Technologies has enabled a new open source software stack. It makes work easier for developers who want to use the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 – a standardized hardware-based security solution for securing industrial, automotive and other applications such as network equipment. This is the first open source TPM middleware that complies with the Software Stack (TSS) Enhanced System API (ESAPI) specification of the Trusted Computing Group (TCG), providing significant value to the open source community.Making the TSS ESAPI layer available to everyone is part of Infineon´s commitment to ease the integration and wide adoption of strong security. This is further supported by security experts and industry leaders of the Infineon Security Partner Network (ISPN). The ISPN offers a wide variety of software libraries meeting the requirements of different applications and target platforms.Infineon funded the development of the ESAPI by Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT, a long-term partner of Infineon in this field. The Infineon-funded ESAPI layer is based on the SAPI layer developed by Intel Corporation. It includes a new layer of API functions to simplify the use and integration of the TPM. It facilitates establishing a connection with the TPM through an application, secured communication between the host CPU and the TPM, and authorization using message authentication codes (HMAC).Based on the ESAPI layer, the stack includes support for OpenSSL. It can use the Infineon OPTIGA TPM to protect device communication secured with SSL/TLS via a standardized interface by deploying TPM 2.0 as a secured key store for OpenSSL. It thus protects the keys from vulnerabilities like the famous Heartbleed bug.The TSS stack and ESAPI layer are published under the permissive 2-clause BSD license, which provides high flexibility and increases adoption. The ESAPI has been designed and validated by a wide community to achieve a high level of quality and stability, as is required in modern embedded and IoT systems. With industrial and automotive customers in mind, the code was developed using industry standards, continuous integration and testing, a thorough two-person review process, and static code analyzers like clang and Coverity. In addition, the stack was tested and evaluated on Infineon OPTIGA TPM SLB 9670 with the latest TPM specifications. Future enhancements will include support for Cryptsetup/LUKS disk encryption and a version featuring ESAPI support for TPM tools.Share this:TwitterFacebookLinkedInMoreRedditTumblrPinterestWhatsAppSkypePocketTelegram Tags: Chips & Components Continue Reading Previous Xilinx FPGAs deployed for AI accelerationNext Vecow: 8th gen Intel Coffee Lake expandable fanless embedded workstation
nVent SCHROFF: small, powerful, and adaptable PXI Express embedded controller
Continue Reading Previous ADLINK partners with Google Cloud to offer IoT ready solutionsNext 10 shields for Arduino designs nVent SCHROFF is expanding its PXI Express product range with the CPe-AA420, a compact and powerful embedded controller for use in PXI Express test and measurement applications. With a compact form factor of 1 slot (4 HP) wide by 3 U high, space problems and complicated alternative solutions involving adapter boards and external IPCs are a thing of the past. Despite its small size, the CPe-AA420 excels with a broadband system connection of up to 6 GB/s and versatile peripheral interfaces.The controller was implemented using the modular COM carrier technology from nVent SCHROFF. It consists of a COM type 6 express module and a COM carrier in EuroBoard format including a front panel. The controller is powered by a 7th-generation Intel Core processor, combined with up to 32 GB DDR4 memory, and its PCIe Gen3 system and DDR4 memory connection also allow it to support high-bandwidth applications.Two Gigabit Ethernet ports are located on the front panel of the controller. The integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics card offers sufficient processing power for data visualization and configuring the controller and can be connected via a DisplayPort on the front panel. Three additional USB3.0 type A interfaces are also provided. The controller is fitted with a m.2 NVMe SSD, connected directly via PCIe Gen3. This allows data transfer rates of up to 15x higher than with typical hard disks. The controller is equipped with a 250 GB hard disk and 16 GB RAM as standard, and can be customized to meet specific application requirements.In addition, the PXI Express CPe-AA420 embedded controller offers fully licensed BIOS access to extensive American Megatrends AMIBIOS 8 functions, enabling you to fully optimize your application and make custom changes at any time.The PXI Express embedded controller from nVent thus combines a small form factor with high performance and individual customization. The customization options do not stop with just the hard disk, the controller is also easy to upgrade by replacing the COM module; there is no need to alter the design. The carrier and its basic functions thus remain the same, and the COM module is swapped for a more up-to-date version, e.g. with newer processors.Share this:TwitterFacebookLinkedInMoreRedditTumblrPinterestWhatsAppSkypePocketTelegram Tags: Boards & Modules 
Advantech unveils 1U desktop system EPC-T2286
Continue Reading Previous Green Hills demonstrates DAL A application running across multiple processor coresNext ARBOR: RISC-based Panel PC for IoV, IIoT applications Advantech has released its latest new 1U THIN barebone system with 8th Gen. Intel Core processors up to 65W TDP – EPC-T2286. This system supports Intel 8th generation Core i7/i5/i3 processors which bring enhanced performance over previous generations with up to six CPU cores and Intel’s 9th generation graphics engine. EPC-T2286 powers up to two independently operated 60 Hz 4K displays via DisplayPort or HDMI and supports Wall/ VESA/ rack mounting for flexible easy installation.The compact 1U height EPC-T2286 is just 250 x 44.2 x 225 mm. It offers the high processing capability of a desktop CPU with up to six CPU cores and Intel 8th Core i7/i5/i3 and Pentium/Celeron processors to deliver high computing power and graphic performance. The Intel H310 Express chipset supports Dual Channel DDR4 2666MHz memory (up to 32GB) in two SODIMM slots. Features include integrated Intel Gen 9 graphics (Display Port, HDMI), triple gigabit Ethernet w/ EtherCAT capability, 6 x serial ports (2x RS-232/422/485 by BOM option), and ESD level 4 protection compliance. All these features make EPCT2286 well suited to kiosk or automation applications needing a compact 1U height chassis.To fulfill space limited kiosk or automation application requirements, the 1U THIN EPC-T2286 offers different mounting kits for installation into various cabinets and spaces. EPC-T2286 has 6 x COM ports, 8 x USB ports, DP, and HDMI which allows it to easily connect to RFID readers, thermal printers, Key PAD, touch screens, 4k displays and so on. SI or tool machine builders can easily integrate the whole system and shorten their time to market. Furthermore, the ESD level 4 (contact 8kv and air 15kv) design offers better ESD protection for automation applications operating in harsh environments.A core advantage of EPC-T2286 is that it comes equipped with Advantech’s WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn software solution designed to simplify IoT application integration. WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn is an IoT device management software platform which includes remote device, monitor, control, event management, system management, and software over-the-air update. WISE-PaaS/DeviceOn not only helps create new web services but also helps to integrate functions and data with its powerful management tools. WISE-PaaS highly enhances connectivity for hardware, software, devices and sensors, and helps customers to transform their business to include IoT cloud services.Share this:TwitterFacebookLinkedInMoreRedditTumblrPinterestWhatsAppSkypePocketTelegram Tags: Boards & Modules 
Halle Open: Roger Federer beats Matthew Ebden to reach semi-finals
World number one Roger Federer was tested once again in Halle but did enough to overpower Australian Matthew Ebden 7-6(2), 7-5 in the quarter-finals on Friday.Nine-time Halle champion Federer, who saved two match points to beat Benoit Paire in the second round, edged a tense opening set against 60th ranked Ebden in the tiebreak with a backhand winner.Ebden was leading 5-3 in the second set against the 36-year-old before the Swiss fought back to secure four consecutive games to set-up a semi-final against American Denis Kudla.Federer extended his grasscourt streak to 19, which includes the Stuttgart title and last year’s triumphs at Wimbledon and Halle.Qualifer Kudla, ranked 109th in the world, eased past Japan’s Yuichi Sugita 6-2, 7-5 earlier in the day.Kudla progressed to only his second semi-final at ATP tour-level when he roared back from a 2-5 deficit in the second set and saved a set point in the process.
River rafting ban: Debate rages between adventure sports cos, environmentalists
By Pawan Kumar Singh New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) When we think of river rafting, Rishikesh strikes our mind instantly as it is the perfect weekend getaway far from the maddening crowd, with rafting being one of the popular activities.River rafting generates adrenaline rush to adventure enthusiasts as they ride down the thundering rapids of the Ganges with inflatable boats, carbon paddles and helmets.The Uttarakhand High Court’s order imposing a ban on river rafting and paragliding across the state has come as a shocker to adventure sports companies and adventure tourists who say a blanket ban is not the solution.The order has, however, been welcomed by the environmentalists who said the high court order was in interest of the environment and ecology.Arvind Bhardwaj of Red Chilli Adventure said the high court order will hit the rafting business very hard as it would render the people jobless.”I am involved in adventure activities in Rishikesh for the last 24 years. I am surprised to hear of this order. The state government had already issued guidelines for rafting.”To put a ban on white river rafting and paragliding across the state is very harsh direction. Our business has come to a standstill. This is the peak season for tourists. Now we will have to cancel all the bookings. Huge loss would be suffered by us. Putting a blanket ban is not the solution. A proper monitoring has to be put in place for effective implementation of laws,” Bhardwaj told PTI.advertisementWhen contacted, environment activist Vikrant Tongad, who had also filed a petition in National Green Tribunal against camping along the river, welcomed the high court decision, saying it was a very good order which would go a long way in protection of the environment and ecology.”The NGT has already ordered a ban on camping activities within 100 metres of the Ganga from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh. The high court order will go a long way in saving the pristine nature of the river. This is a very good order. Now it is for the Uttarakhand government to properly implement the ban,” Tongad said.Kiran Todaria, president of the Indian Association of Professional Rafting Outfitters (IAPRO), said the livelihood of many families will be affected by this order.”I have not seen the high court order yet. But going by the media report, it looks very absurd. I cannot understand how rafting can cause pollution in river. Banning any activity is not the solution. It is an industry that provides jobs to almost 10,000 families,” he said.Gurgaon resident Pradyumna Sisodia, who was planning to go to Rishikesh this weekend for rafting, said he had already booked a camp site but got a cancellation call from the tour operator last night who told him about the high court order.”Our family was too excited for this trip but our bookings were cancelled at the last minute. I don’t have any idea about the high court order but I don’t understand how rafting would cause pollution to the river,” he said.Rishi Sachdeva of Cradle of Life, who runs campsite on the banks of Ganges in Shivpuri, also told PTI that the order will have a very negative impact on the business.”This order will hit local markets as well. Mostly, the youth come to Rishikesh for camping and rafting. In their absence the local livelihood will be affected to a great extent. Since last night we have cancelled 70-80 per cent bookings. Our major income comes in the weekends but due to this order all reservations have been cancelled,” Sachdeva said.Water rafting business in Uttarakhand is estimated to be generating a turnover of Rs 75-80 crore annually and employs nearly 10,000 people including guides, cooks, instructors and drivers.Underlining the need to regulate adventure sports like white river rafting and paragliding, the Uttarakhand High Court’s division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Lokpal Singh in a recent order directed the state government to prepare a transparent policy on adventure sports in the state within two weeks.Till such a policy is framed, no paragliding, white river rafting and other water sports shall be permitted in the state of Uttarakhand, the court said.The high court order came on a PIL filed by Rishikesh-based Hari Om Kashyap. alleging issuance of illegal leases in favour of private parties in Ganga riverbed. PTI PKS RKS ARC ARC
Getting them job-ready
India Today spoke to the heads of some leading private universities on how they are enhancing the employability of studentsG. Viswanathan, Founder and chancellor, VIT University, VelloreExposure to industryWe have industrialists on our Board of Studies and Academic Council giving inputs from the industry perspective. We believe there is a,India Today spoke to the heads of some leading private universities on how they are enhancing the employability of studentsG. Viswanathan, Founder and chancellor, VIT University, VelloreExposure to industryWe have industrialists on our Board of Studies and Academic Council giving inputs from the industry perspective. We believe there is a need for change not only in content and use of new technology, but also in the teaching of soft and life skills. So we have integrated the soft skill training programme in the curriculum itself. Every semester, students take up one credit soft skill course which equips them with the requisite skills for the 2020 job market. Every subject taught at the university has a minimum module of two hours to be necessarily taught by an industrialist. The compulsory industry training, industry visits and Capstone Project in industries in the final year make students understand industry processes and culture.Skill enhancementThe university focuses on improving skills in the following areasdigital, design thinking, cognitive load management skills, virtual collaboration, cross-cultural competency and creating (innovation) skills.Our efforts to synergise academic institutions with industry have not provided expected yields; it needs a policy push from the governmentT.R. Pachamuthu Chancellor, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu Photo: BANDEEP SINGHSkill enhancementIntegrated with the curriculum right from the first semester is a mandatory foreign language, such as Japanese, German, Korean, French and Chinese. Training in professional ethics, soft skills, quantitative aptitude, communication and reasoning skills and verbal aptitude is also provided.advertisementWhat the government should doPlug the gap in industry-academia collaboration. Though a lot has been deliberated upon, not much has been happening to connect academic institutions with industry. In the West, especially in Europe, industry drives academic institutions. Our efforts to synergise academic institutions with industry have not provided expected yields. If at all a policy push is required from the government, I think this is one field it is needed in.Suneel Galgotia Chancellor, Galgotias University, Greater Noida Corporate tie-upsThe university has corporate tie-ups with Wipro Technologies, Infosys, Adobe, Tata Consultancy Services, Accenture, L&T Ltd, Ericsson, Capgemini, Tech Mahindra and Minda Silca.What the government should doEncourage excellence while promoting equity. Ensure one potentially counterproductive form of control over higher education is not replaced by another. Also that public goals in higher education are met through influence rather than direction.Skill enhancementThe university offers a basket of higher-end technology courses such as Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Augmented Reality, Big Data Analytics, Virtual Reality. Further we ensure that all students opt for at least two advanced technology courses in the academic year which can enable them to secure jobs.The government must ensure that one potentially counterproductive form of control over higher education is not replaced by another- Suneel GalgotiaPrashant Bhalla President, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, Faridabad Corporate tie-upsThe university offers multiple courses in collaboration with JBM, Su-Kam, IBM, Xebia, Cygnus Hospitals, Inter-Continental Hotel Group (IHG), Fortis Healthcare and KPMG.Exposure to industryWe have more than 50 collaborations with various universities and institutes internationally for research and academic exchange programmes. We also have tie-ups with the National Skill Development Corporation; the Indian Oil Corporation, R&D Centre, Faridabad; Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad; Council of Scientific & Industrial Research; Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun; and the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi.Centres of excellence have been established in collaboration with reputed companies like Su-Kam, Daikin, Mitsubishi, Honda, SAP, Reliance Jio, Infosys (campus connect), Intel, Dell, Atmel and Sky Tester for enhancing research skills. We also have a centre of excellence in sports science and a Centre for Advanced Water Technology & Research.Dr Mariazeena Johnson Pro-Chancellor, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai Exposure to industryIn order to focus on application-oriented learning, students are encouraged to take up real-time industrial problems as projects and provide solutions. Industrial visits are organised as part of the curriculum to provide an insight into the internal working of companies. Career-based certification courses in Business English, Vedic Mathematics, Journalism and Scientific Sense of Silicon Systems are offered to the students. Besides, there are collaborations with industry giants such as Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, Cognizant, Wipro, Infosys, Virtusa, FLSmidth and Emerson Automation.What the government should doEncourage the participation of higher education institutions in the Skill India Mission. Provide more resources and better incentives to universities to enable them to develop educational infrastructure to meet the challenges of transitioning from a traditional university to a modern one that focuses more on skill training. Make internships and on-the-job training mandatory in curriculums of higher education institutions.advertisement
Mourinho says Man City ‘disrespectful’ in documentary
Manchester, Aug 18 (AP) Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho suggested Premier League rival Manchester City was “disrespectful” and lacking “class” in a behind-the-scenes documentary that was released this week.Amazon’s eight-part documentary of City’s title-winning year in the Premier League last season gave a TV crew almost unlimited access to players and managerial staff, offering insight into Pep Guardiola’s locker room.”I think you can have a fantastic movie, respecting others. You don’t need to be disrespectful to have a fantastic movie,” Mourinho said. “You can be a rich club and buy all the best players in the world, but you cannot buy class.” Speaking in an interview with British broadcaster Sky Sports, Mourinho didn’t refer to any particular passage of the documentary, entitled “All or Nothing: Manchester City.”In one section, midfielder Kevin De Bruyne talked about his struggles when he was at Chelsea under Mourinho.Guardiola does not think the documentary will expose his secrets.”When we accept the cameras to be inside for 24 hours a day, that kind of thing can happen,” Guardiola said. “I think there was nothing special. I think the people are going to see how a football team lives behind the scenes.”The players make the tactics,” he added. “Not my ideas, it’s the players who make the tactics.” (AP) APAAPA
Asia Cup 2018: Pakistan had no plans and they looked rattled, says Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram slammed Pakistan’s negative approach after their eight-wicket defeat to India in their Asia Cup encounter in Dubai on Wednesday. Pakistan had elected to bat after winning the toss but managed only 162 before Rohit Sharma’s 39-ball 52 helped India romp home with 21 overs to spare.Akram said it was always going to be difficult even for Pakistan’s pace attack to defend 163 on a flat pitch.Besides, Akram voices his concerns over the way Pakistan played Kuldeep Yadav and Kedar Jadhav. Shortly before the match began, Akram had said on India Today that Pakistan needed to be watchful against Kuldeep as he would be the biggest threat: the left-arm chinaman bowler took the key wicket of Babar Azam and broke an 82-run stand with Shoaib Malik to put the pressure back on Pakistan who had recovered after Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s double strike.”It was difficult to defend 163 on such a flat pitch. This was supposed to be Pakistan’s home ground. It was all set for them: win the toss, bat and put up the runs. I have been saying this for the last three weeks: Kuldeep Yadav will be the main threat. They did not even see what Kedar Jadhav was trying to bowl.”Sometimes, you have to respect a good bowler and see off his spell. But they had no plans and they were flabbergasted. When you are facing a good bowler and he is bowling well, you need to see him off and look to score off the other bowlers,” Akram told Aaj Tak.advertisementIndia vs Pakistan: Report | Highlights | As it happened | PhotosAkram said the pressure was now back on Pakistan who were high on confidence against India after their Champions Trophy triumph in 2017.Also Read: Sarfraz Ahmed admits Pakistan stumped by Kedar JadhavAfter the crushing defeat, Akram said Pakistan’s players needed to stay off their phones and social media ahead of such high-profile matches.”They should have signed off and kept their phones away but today’s boys cannot breathe without social media. If they had to speak to their families, they could ask them to call in their rooms,” he said.Read – Mohammad Azharuddin critical of Pakistan’s negative approachFormer India captain Mohammad Azharuddin was also baffled by Pakistan’s approach and said he did not understand why their bowlers did not bowl more aggressive lines.Read – Pakistan crumbled under pressure vs India, says Harbhajan Singh”I don’t understand why Pakistan’s bowlers did not go for wickets. They should have bowled a more attacking line… Defending such a small total is really difficult.”India will take a lot of confidence especially after the game against Hong Kong. Pakistan’s approach was negative, and they took too much pressure.”