slots demo play A strict vegetarian diet, alcohol abstinence and behavioural training are among the steps the Uttar Pradesh Police is taking to ensure its personnel act as "servants of faith" and create a pleasant experience for the devotees gathering in this holy city for the Maha Kumbh. The Maha Kumbh will commence on 13 January on the occasion of Paush Purnima and conclude on 26 February on Mahashivratri. Senior superintendent of police (Kumbh) Rajesh Dwivedi emphasised that the primary focus of the police, alongside maintaining security, would be to foster a welcoming environment for the pilgrims. He said, "Our aim is to ensure that the devotees have a pleasant experience, and the police behave with warmth -- not just as enforcers of the law but as servants of faith." Police personnel to be deployed for the Maha Kumbh are undergoing behaviour-focused training at a designated facility within the mela area. External trainers are also being invited to impart lessons in etiquette and public service. So far, 1,500 police personnel have completed the training. By the time the mela commences, 40,000 personnel will have completed the exercise. Atul Kumar Singh, the training programme in-charge, said 700 police personnel were receiving training at a time, following a 21-day module. The duration will gradually come down to 14 days as the mela draws closer, he added. Also Read: Ensure minimum sewage discharge in Ganga, Yamuna before Kumbh Mela: NGT tells UP Personnel such as Satish Kumar Yadav, a head constable from Mathura who will be deployed during the mela, expressed appreciation for the training. "I have learned the importance of courteous behaviour and how to assist the devotees during times of distress. The training also covered topics such as cybercrime prevention," he said. The force is also receiving expert instruction from the National Police Academy. Personnel trained there are now preparing trainers who, in turn, are equipping the larger police contingent for their role at the mela. In addition to behavioural training, the police are also being instructed to maintain the Maha Kumbh's sanctity. District police chief Dwivedi reaffirmed the Maha Kumbh's strict policies regarding food and drink and said non-vegetarian food or alcohol would not be permitted in the mela ground. "The food in the police mess is entirely vegetarian and we have instructed all personnel to act in a manner that respects the devotees' faith," he said. New technologies will also be deployed at the Maha Kumbh this time. An AI chatbot -- Kumbh Sahayak -- is being developed to assist the devotees with information in more than 10 languages via the Bhashini app. This initiative is designed to bridge language barriers and provide instant support to the vast number of devotees. The police will also deploy bilingual personnel and translators to assist non-Hindi speaking devotees. Mounted police on 160-170 horses will assist in crowd control, ensuring safety while maintaining a harmonious atmosphere. With cybercrime on the rise, the personnel were also briefed by domain expert Pawan Kumar. Security measures, including the use of cutting-edge technologies, are being incorporated to ensure both safety and a positive experience for the devotees. In preparing for the Maha Kumbh, the authorities are combining tradition with modern technology, ensuring that this once-in-a-lifetime gathering will be as safe, respectful and efficient as possible. Follow us on: Facebook , Twitter , Google News , Instagram Join our official telegram channel ( @nationalherald ) and stay updated with the latest headlinesFormer first round pick Emmanuel Forbes is out of the picture after less than two full seasons with the Washington Commanders . Per the Commanders themselves, they waived the 16th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft on Saturday. Forbes never got close to living up to his first round draft billing and with the rise of rookie Mike Sainristil and the trade for Marshon Lattimore, it became more and more clear that Forbes was on borrowed time. #Commanders waive former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes. https://t.co/jlkBkUOdrs However, to see him waived at this point in the season is quite the surprise when considering the overall makeup of the Commanders cornerback group. Even if defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. recently said they've been pleased with the play of veteran Michael Davis. Forbes appeared in 20 games over the last two seasons and racked up two interceptions and 12 pass breakups. His size was a big question coming into the league and it became an even bigger question when Dan Quinn came to town. Primarily because he, along with Whitt Jr., prefers bigger corners that can hold up in press man coverage - something Forbes struggles with. Commanders also place veteran running back Austin Ekeler on IR Ekeler suffered his second concussion of the season after he took a scary hit at the end of the Cowboys loss. It was scary enough to the point where he was sent to the hospital as a precaution, so it makes sense for the team to play it very safe with him, moving forward. Ekeler will now miss the next four games, not the next four weeks. Therefore, he could return for the season finale against the Cowboys in Week 18 as long as he passes through the league's protocol. He was already ruled out ahead of the Titans matchup, but it's a big blow for the offense moving forward. Ekeler has played a very effective role in 2024 on both offense and special teams. He's been a great change of pace to leading rusher Brian Robinson Jr. Now, it'll be up to Jeremy McNichols to step in when Robinson Jr. needs a break. Coming into Week 13, Ekeler ran for 355 yards and four touchdowns on 74 carries and he also caught 33 balls for 346 yards. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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The Twins have signed right-hander Alex Speas , as initially announced by Speas’ agency, Munger English Sports Management ( X link ). Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune confirmed that it is a minor league deal, and it isn’t known if the contract contains an invitation to the Twins’ big league Spring Training camp. Minnesota becomes Speas’ sixth different MLB organization within the last 14 months. A second-round pick for the Rangers in the 2016 draft, Speas spent his entire pro career with Texas until October 2023, when the White Sox claimed the righty off waivers. The A’s traded for Speas last April, and he subsequently went to the Astros and then the Red Sox on other waiver claims after being designated for assignment. Boston DFA’ed Speas as well and outrighted him off their 40-man roster in August, and Speas finished out the season pitching with Triple-A Worcester. Speas’ transactional whirlwind resulted in just a single game at the Major League level, as he tossed two relief innings for the Astros on May 31 (in a 6-1 loss to his new team, the Twins). Speas’ overall MLB resume consists of four games, as he first reached the Show with three appearances for Texas during the 2023 season. Speas has a 9.00 ERA in that small sample size as a big leaguer, and an 8.69 ERA in 58 career innings at the Triple-A level. Those struggles can be directly traced to a garish 23.05% walk rate, as Speas’ inability to find the plate has left him unable to claim any sort of foothold in the majors. Since Speas has a 28.13% strikeout rate at Triple-A and a fastball in the 100mph range, it is easy to see why teams keep taking chances on Speas, and the Twins will become the latest club to see if it can harness Speas’ control and turn him into a useful relief pitcher. Speas turns 27 in March, so it isn’t too late for him to break out if he can deliver even a passable walk rate. This article first appeared on MLB Trade Rumors and was syndicated with permission.

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