Omicron scare: Hotels in Delhi see less bookings for 2nd consecutive year

 The hotels in New Delhi that were hoping to recover after the second COVID-19 wave in the country, have reported less number of bookings in this festive season as compared to the pre-pandemic era

The hotels in New Delhi that were hoping to recover after the second COVID-19 wave in the country, have reported less number of bookings in this festive season as compared to the pre-pandemic era due to the fear of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. However, the cancellation of the existing bookings has not taken place.

Speaking to ANI, front office manager at Hotel Lohias, Sanjeev said, “We are not seeing any cancellation of bookings till now. Things are going normally. For the past 3-4 days, we are seeing fewer customers at the hotel. Before that, after the second wave, the situation improved and it was the same as it was before Covid. We can’t say what could be the reason for fewer guests coming to the hotel, but yes less number of guests are coming to the hotel.”

The front office manager further informed that the hotel is adhering to all COVID protocols. “We are using the same precautionary measures as we used to take during Covid. The whole staff wear masks, rooms are sanitised from time to time and guests are told to wear masks before entering the hotel. We sanitise the guests and their luggage too,” Sanjeev added….Read More

World could be entering worst part of pandemic: Bill Gates on Omicron surge

 Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned against the rising Omicron cases around the world, saying that the world could be entering the worst part of the pandemic

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned against the rising Omicron cases around the world, saying that the world could be entering the worst part of the pandemic as the variant will result in the “worst surge” the world has seen so far.

In a series of tweets, Bill Gates said he has cancelled most of his holiday plans after his close friends have been infected with the Omicron variant. “Omicron is spreading faster than any virus in history. It will soon be in every country in the world,” he said. Noting that the “big unknown” is how lethal the variant is, Gates claimed: “Even if it’s only half as severe as delta, it will be the worst surge we have seen so far because it’s so infectious.”

He advised people to take booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, saying it gives the best protection. “In the meantime, we all have to look out for each other, especially the most vulnerable, whether they live down the street or in another country. That means wearing masks, avoiding big indoor gatherings, and getting vaccinated. Getting a booster gives the best protection,” he tweeted….

Sony Pictures Networks India, Zee Entertainment sign merger agreement

 The agreements follow the conclusion of an exclusive negotiation period during which ZEEL and SPNI conducted mutual due diligence.

Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited (SPNI) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) on Wednesday announced that they have signed definitive agreements to merge ZEEL with and into SPNI and combine their linear networks, digital assets, production operations and program libraries. The agreements follow the conclusion of an exclusive negotiation period during which ZEEL and SPNI conducted mutual due diligence. After closing, the new combined company will be publicly listed in India. The closing of the transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including regulatory, shareholder, and third party approvals.

Under the terms of the definitive agreements, SPNI will have cash balance of $1.5 bn at closing, including through infusion by the current shareholders of SPNI and the promoters (founders) of ZEEL, to enable the combined company to drive sharper content creation across platforms, strengthen its footprint in the rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, bid for media rights in the fast-growing sports landscape and pursue other growth opportunities…

Unnao rape victim road accident: Kuldeep Singh Sengar, 5 others discharged

 Expelled Uttar Pradesh BJP legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar, along with five others, was on Monday discharged in the Unnao rape survivor’s rape accident case for want of proof

Expelled Uttar Pradesh BJP legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar, along with five others, was on Monday discharged in the Unnao rape survivor’s rape accident case after a Delhi court found no evidence against him. “No prima facie evidence on record to charge Kuldeep Singh Singer regarding a criminal conspiracy to extend threat to kill the victim or her members. No charges can be framed against him,” said Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey in the order.

Apart from Sengar, his aides Gyanendra Singh, Komal Singh, Arun Singh, Rinku Singh, and Awdesh Singh were also discharged in the case. However, accused Ashish Kumar Pal, Vinod Mishra, Haripal Singh and Naveen Singh were charged under Sections 506(ii) of IPC read with 34 of IPC. The case pertains to an accident on July 28, 2019, when a truck had rammed into the vehicle in which the rape survivor, her lawyer, and two relatives were travelling to Rae Bareli. The rape survivor and the advocate sustained grievous injuries while the two others were killed on the spot…

Didn't underestimate spending provisions in Budget: FM Sitharaman

 Lok Sabha gives assent to additional net spending of Rs 2.99 trn

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the additional expenditure consent sought by the Centre from Parliament through Supplementary Demand for Grants this year was around 9.6 per cent of the Budget 2021-22 size of Rs 34.8 trillion. This compares to 8.6 per cent during the time of the Manmohan Singh government in 2011-12, she said, adding that the Centre did not under-provision in the Budget.

Replying to the debate on the second Supplementary Demand for Grants and the Appropriation Bill in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said the Centre was seeking legislative nod to spend Rs 2.99 trillion extra because of issues such as the Air India sale and the rise in global fertiliser prices, which led to a sharp increase in fertiliser subsidy burden this year.

“Many members have asked if the demand this time is so high because we underestimated in Budget 2022 Estimates (BE)? The big-ticket expenditure items include Air India. Also, at a time when we are very sensitive to farmers and their concerns, we have to ensure that they don’t suffer because of the rise in global commodity prices. And therefore, an increase in the subsidy for fertiliser has been provided, which itself is accounting for Rs 58,430 crore,” Sitharaman said…

Govt bans 20 YouTube channels, two websites under new IT rules

 The Youtube channels and the websites were allegedly running anti-India content from Pakistan.

20 YouTube channels and two websites on Monday were taken down by India after the Union government, for the first time, invoked the emergency powers under the intermediary guidelines and digital media ethics code in the IT Act that was notified recently, according to a news report in Economic Times. The YouTube channels and the websites were allegedly running anti-India content from Pakistan.

According to the newspaper, I&B secretary Apurva Chandra directed YouTube and the Department of Telecom to ban the content as it infringes upon the sovereignty and integrity of India.

I&B officials said that the ‘anti-India content’ was being run by Pakistan with the help of Inter-Services Intelligence. One of the groups identified on YouTube was ‘Naya Pakistan‘ that had more than 2 million subscribers and was running ‘false news’ on various issues such as Kashmir, farmers protests in India, Article 370, and Ayodhya. The total subscriber base of these YouTube channels is estimated to be more than 3.5 million and have a total viewership of 500 million, according to the officials.

Covid-19: WHO sounds warning over fast-spreading Omicron variant

 Says Omicron is evading some immune responses; China must share more data on virus origins

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan added it would be “unwise” to conclude from early evidence that Omicron was a milder variant that previous ones.

“… with the numbers going up, all health systems are going to be under strain,” Soumya Swaminathan told Geneva-based journalists. The variant is successfully evading some immune responses, she said, meaning that the booster programmes being rolled out in many countries ought to be targeted towards people with weaker immune systems.

“There is now consistent evidence that Omicron is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the briefing. “And it is more likely people vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 could be infected or re-infected,” Tedros said.

Heroin worth Rs 400 cr seized from Pak boat off Gujarat coast; 6 held

 A Pakistani fishing boat with six crew members and carrying 77 kg of heroin worth around Rs 400 crore was apprehended in the Indian waters off the Gujarat coast, officials said on Monday.

A Pakistani fishing boat with six crew members and carrying 77 kg of heroin worth around Rs 400 crore was apprehended in the Indian waters off the Gujarat coast, officials said on Monday. The drug seizure was made on Sunday night in a joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), they said. Gujarat’s defence PRO in a tweet said the Coast Guard in a joint operation with the state ATS apprehended the Pakistani fishing boat ‘Al Huseini’ with six crew members on board in the Indian waters.

They seized “77 kg of heroin worth approximately Rs 400 crore,” the tweet said. The boat was brought to the Jakhau coast in Kutch district of Gujarat for further investigation, it stated. In April this year, the Coast Guard and the ATS had carried out a similar operation and apprehended a boat with eight Pakistani nationals and carrying 30 kg of heroin worth about Rs 150 crore, from the Indian waters near the Jakhau coast in Kutch.

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 12 more Indian fishermen for alleged poaching

 The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 12 more Indian fishermen and seized two fishing trawlers for allegedly poaching in the country’s territorial waters

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 12 more Indian fishermen and seized two fishing trawlers for allegedly poaching in the country’s territorial waters, taking the number of Indians apprehended in the last two days to 55, an official statement said on Monday. The arrests were made in seas South of Mannar in the Sri Lankan waters on Sunday. It comes a day after the Navy arrested 43 Indian fishermen and seized six fishing trawlers in seas Southeast of the Delft Island in Jaffna.

As part of the Navy’s effort to prevent poaching by Indian fishing trawlers in Sri Lankan territorial waters, the Navy managed to take hold of 8 Indian fishing trawlers and 55 Indian fishermen during operations conducted by the Northern and North Central Naval Commands on 18th and 19th December, the Navy said in a statement…Read More

Tesla's Elon Musk says he'll pay over $11 billion in taxes this year

 The billionaire may face a tax bill of more than $10 billion for 2021 if he exercises all his options due to expire next year, calculations last week by Bloomberg News showed.

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., said on Twitter that he’ll pay more than $11 billion in taxes this year, an amount that could constitute a record payment to the U. S. Internal Revenue Service. The billionaire may face a tax bill of more than $10 billion for 2021 if he exercises all his options due to expire next year, calculations last week by Bloomberg News showed.

The unusually high levy comes after Elon Musk Musk exercised almost 15 million options and sold millions of shares to cover the taxes related to those transactions. That was following a Twitter poll last month when he asked followers whether he should sell 10% of his stake in the electric carmaker, whose shares have rocketed more than 2,300% over the past five years.

Crypto attracts more money in 2021 than all previous years combined

 That’s almost quadruple the previous high of around $8 billion in 2018

Venture capital funds have poured about $30 billion into crypto, or more than in all previous years combined for the little more than a decade-old technology. That’s almost quadruple the previous high of around $8 billion in 2018, or the year following Bitcoin’s more than 1,300 per cent breakthrough gain, according to transaction data compiled by PitchBook Data.

“We’ve moved beyond just digital gold. We’ve got financial services, art, gaming as a subcategory of NFTs, Web 3.0, decentralised social media, play-to-earn — all of that made investors think ‘we don’t have enough exposure,’“ said Spencer Bogart, general partner at San Francisco-based Blockchain Capital, one the largest investors in the industry after financing more than 120 companies since its inception in 2013….

Taliban won’t agree to ceasefire unless reason behind war is discussed

The Taliban will not agree to a ceasefire unless peace negotiators discuss the main reason behind the war, said their spokesperson Mohommed Naeem

The Taliban will not agree to a ceasefire unless peace negotiators discuss the main reason behind the war, said their spokesperson Mohommed Naeem. The spokesperson claimed that the terrorist group reduced violence levels with the beginning of the preliminary round of talks but the government has not halted its “offensive operations, according to Tolo News. “It does not make sense to end 20 years of war in one hour. In our perspective, it will be logical to discuss the main aspects of the problems and the war and then finalise a ceasefire so that the problem is resolved permanently,” Mohammad Naeem told TOLOnews.

“Suppose, if we announce a ceasefire today, but then we fail to reach an agreement at the negotiating table tomorrow, do we go toward the war again? What does this mean?” he added. Naeem further said that the Taliban wants an Islamic system “that is answerable to the public and the nation”. “One of our objectives was to end the invasion of Afghanistan. The other one was that there is a true Islamic system that is answerable to the public and the nation,” Tolo News reported quoting the spokesperson.

Naeem said that despite the possibility of ups and downs in the negotiations, he is optimistic about the outcome of the talks between the two. “We have entered the peace process with a strong will and determination. We want this problem finally to be resolved. The process is complicated and it has its own complexities, but we are hopeful that the problems come to an end,” added Naeem…Read More

Anti-Corruption Bureau files Disproportionate Assets case against official

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed a case of Disproportionate Assets to the lawful sources of income against Samudrala Krishna Reddy, Assistant Director of Agriculture in Peddapalli

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed a case of Disproportionate Assets to the lawful sources of income against Samudrala Krishna Reddy, Assistant Director of Agriculture in Peddapalli. The case filed on September 15, was in continuation of a case registered against him by ACB in 2019. The simultaneous searches conducted at his residence as well as of his relatives revealed that the accused amassed assets disproportionate to his lawful sources of income worth Rs 2,07,72,953, which include houses, residential plots, cash, and fixed deposits. Reddy was earlier arrested in the case and was released on bail. The case is under investigation.

Trump wants a vaccine by end of this year but the barriers are too high

But the administration has also offered timelines for a vaccine that fly in the face of almost every experience in pharmaceutical history

Every effort to develop a new medicine is like launching a ship across the ocean to hunt for riches. Over the years, we’ve improved the hulls and masts, the maps are better, the sailors more experienced. But even so, vessels get turned back or new lands are barren. And, sometimes, a squall takes down the boat and all her crew.

The Trump administration has set sail on one of the most ambitious vaccine development efforts in history. Operation Warp Speed is likely to deliver a Covid-19 inoculation in a fraction of the years it would usually take. If it does so, it could save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and economies around the world.

But the administration has also offered timelines for a corona vaccine that fly in the face of almost every experience in pharmaceutical history. On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump said a shot could be ready in three or four weeks. Then, on Wednesday, Paul Mango, deputy chief of staff for policy at the Department of Health and Human Services and one of the senior leaders of the Warp Speed program, said every American could be vaccinated by the end of March.

Mango said that there are enough doses in production and that trials are moving at a speed so that “the combination of those two will permit us to vaccinate every American before the end of first quarter 2021.” A few hours later, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that “we do believe that it will be widely available by the end of” this year, though also referred to doses of the vaccine being production by then, as opposed to actually distributed.

Supreme Court to begin hearing SBI’s plea against Anil Ambani today

A banker said Ambani has objected to the SBI invoking personal guarantees under the Corporate Debtors Regulations, 2019

Indian lenders are keenly watching the outcome of a petition filed by State Bank of India (SBI) in the Supreme Court, which invoked the personal guarantees of Anil Ambani. The SC will hear the petition from Thursday. A banker said Ambani has objected to the SBI invoking personal guarantees under the Corporate Debtors Regulations, 2019. Till November, the IBC only covered Indian companies and not promoters. The new rules are applicable against the personal guarantors given to loans above Rs 1,000 crore or more by promoters.

“As Ambani’s will be the first case where personal guarantees have been invoked and is now in SC, it will decide the fate of 40 other top defaulters who were sent to NCLT since IBC law came into effect in 2017,” said a banker. In its petition to the SC, SBI said several promoters have moved the Delhi High Court after their personal guarantees have been invoked. The fate of dues worth Rs 45,000 crore, including to the Chinese banks, will be decided by the NCLT where the matter is still pending, and the personal guarantee matter will be heard by the top court.

On September 7, the SBI also invoked the personal guarantees of Sanjay Singal, promoter of Bhushan Power & Steel, as the company defaulted to loans worth Rs 48,000 crore. The debt resolution of the company is almost ready in the NCLT, with JSW Steel declared the highest bidder with a Rs 19,700-crore offer. The matter is currently pending in the SC after JSW Steel sought its intervention on not holding the firm liable for any criminal acts of the previous promoter. The SC will come out with its verdict on this issue this month.

Curriculum framework for teachers’ education to be developed under NEP 2020

Under the NEP, a new National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) will be formulated in the country, said Union Minister for Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank

Under the National Education Policy (NEP), a new National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) will be formulated in the country, said Union Minister for Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Wednesday. The new and comprehensive NCFTE will be formulated by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) in consultation with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), according to the Ministry of Education.

Earlier, Nishank had said that the government is taking multiple initiatives and actions for implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. “The NEP 2020 has been finalised after a detailed consultation process with all stakeholders including State/UT Governments. As per National Education Policy 2020, implementation of the Policy requires multiple initiatives and actions, which will have to be taken by multiple bodies in a synchronized and systematic manner,” Pokhriyal said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

“Accordingly, this Ministry has communicated to all States/UT Governments for implementation of NEP 2020 in letter and spirit. Ministry of Education is also organising ‘ShikshakParv’ from September 8 to September 25, 2020, to deliberate on various themes and implementation of NEP 2020 aimed at eliciting suggestions,” he said.

Serum Institute gets DCGI nod to resume clinical trial of Oxford vaccine

DCGI gave permission to Serum Institute to resume clinical trial of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine candidate in the country

Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr V G Somani on Tuesday gave permission to Serum Institute of India to resume clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country while revoking its earlier order of suspending any new recruitment for phase two and three trial.

The DCGI, however, put certain conditions like taking extra care during screening, providing additional information in informed consent and close monitoring for adverse events during follow-up of the study which have to be “scrupulously” followed by Serum Institute of India (SII). SII has also been asked to submit to the DCGI’s office details of medication used in accordance with the protocol for management of adverse events.

The DCGI had on September 11 directed Serum Institute of India to suspend any new recruitment in the phase two and three clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate till further orders in the backdrop of pharma giant AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials in other countries because of ”an unexplained illness” in a participant in the study. On Saturday, British-Swedish biopharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford said clinical trials for their coronavirus vaccine have resumed in the UK after the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority’s (MHRA) confirmed that the trials were safe…

India slams Pakistan for persecuting Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities

India described Pakistan as an epicenter of terrorism and said no one deserves unsolicited lecture on human rights from Islamabad

India on Tuesday described Pakistan as an epicenter of terrorism and said no one deserves unsolicited lecture on human rights from Islamabad that has consistently persecuted its ethnic and religious minorities including Hindus, Sikhs and Christians Exercising the Right of Reply to the statements made by Pakistan at the 45th session of Human Rights Council (HRC) here, the Indian representative said that it has become habitual for Pakistan to malign India with false and fabricated narratives for its self-serving malicious purposes.

“Neither India nor others deserve this unsolicited lecture on human rights from a country that has consistently persecuted its ethnic and religious minorities, is an epicenter of terrorism, has the distinction of providing pensions to individuals on UN Sanctions list and has a Prime Minister who proudly admits training tens of thousands of terrorists to fight in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian diplomat said.

The diplomat said that it was not surprising that other relevant multilateral institutions have been raising serious concerns on Pakistan’s failure to stop terror financing and lack of effective actions against all terror entities in Pakistan. Highlighting the nefarious designs of Pakistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the diplomat said, “the mass influx of outsiders has whittled down the number of Kashmiris to an insignificant number in Pakistan occupied parts of Indian Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Laddakh…

US violated international trade rules with tariffs on China, says WTO

A panel of three WTO trade experts on Tuesday said the US broke international rules when it imposed tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018

The World Trade Organization undercut the main justification for US President Donald Trump’s trade war against China, saying that American tariffs on Chinese goods violate international rules. A panel of three WTO trade experts on Tuesday said the US broke international rules when it imposed tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018. Washington has imposed levies on more than $550 billion in Chinese exports.

The panel said in its report “that the United States had not met its burden of demonstrating that the measures are provisionally justified.” While the ruling bolsters Beijing’s claims, Washington can effectively veto the decision by lodging an appeal at any point in the next 60 days. That’s because the Trump administration has already paralyzed the WTO’s appellate body, a tactic that has rendered toothless the world’s foremost arbiter of trade.

Section 301

The dispute centers on the Donald Trump administration’s use of a 1970s-era US trade law to unilaterally launch its commercial conflict against China in 2018. China claimed the tariffs violated the WTO’s most-favored treatment provision because the measures failed to provide the same treatment to all WTO members. China also alleged the duties broke a key dispute-settlement rule that requires countries to first seek recourse from the WTO before imposing retaliatory measures against another country.

The US tariffs against China were authorised under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which empowers the president to levy tariffs and other import restrictions whenever a foreign country imposes unfair trade practices that affect US commerce. The Trump administration has claimed the tariffs were necessary to confront China’s widespread violations of intellectual property rights and forced technology transfer policies…

Japan’s Yoshihide Suga wins ruling party race to replace premier Shinzo Abe

The party, which has ruled mostly uninterrupted since 1955, was set to use its parliamentary majority to install Suga as prime minister in a separate vote Wednesday

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga was elected leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party by an overwhelming majority, ushering in the country’s first change of prime minister in almost eight years. The party, which has ruled mostly uninterrupted since 1955, was set to use its parliamentary majority to install Suga as prime minister in a separate vote Wednesday.

Suga’s appointment will bring to an end the record run of his ailing boss, Shinzo Abe, who has served since 2012 and forged an identity on the global stage that the world’s third-largest economy had often lacked. “Amid the national crisis of the spreading coronavirus, we must not allow a political vacuum,” Suga told party lawmakers after the announcement, pledging to maintain Shinzo Abe’s key policies and bring reform to areas where it’s needed. “To make sure everyone in the country can feel reassured and live a stable life, we need to continue with Prime Minister Abe’s efforts.”

Suga inherits an economy in a grim state as Covid-19 reverses many of the gains of the past few years, effectively closing down what had been a growing inbound tourism industry. He has pledged to fight the virus while helping businesses stay afloat.

Suga has said he will continue the ultra-easy “Abenomics” monetary policy. He has said that more should be done on monetary and fiscal policy, if needed, to protect jobs and companies during the virus crisis. Suga has said reviving the economy should be prioritized over tackling debt at this point. Any sign of a departure from the path of Abenomics could send the yen surging and stocks sliding, triggering a re-evaluation of the outlook for the nation.

India says it provided medicine amid Covid while China, Pak took advantage

The Fund, established in 2017, has so far supported 59 projects in 48 countries, through USD 47.8 million in contributions from a USD 150 million multi-year pledge by the Indian govt

In a thinly-veiled reference to Pakistan and China, India on Monday said that when some countries are busy taking undue advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing their support to terrorism or to adopt aggressive policies, New Delhi has focussed on immediately extending medical assistance and supporting countries vulnerable to the pandemic.

The remarks by India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti came while addressing the 3rd anniversary of the India-UN Development Partnership Fund at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN. The Fund, established in 2017, has so far supported 59 projects in 48 countries, through USD 47.8 million in contributions from a USD 150 million multi-year pledge by the Government of India.

“At a time when some countries are busy taking undue advantage of COVID-19 to spread divisive disinformation or to enhance even more their support to terrorism or to adopt aggressive policies, India’s answer has been to immediately come to the support of countries vulnerable to the pandemic, rush urgently needed medical supplies, strengthen national health capacities and mitigate the diverse socio-economic impact of this crisis, Tirumurti said…

Fresh floods in four districts of Assam hit 34,000 people, one killed

After over a month, fresh floods in four Assam districts have affected 34,000 people besides killing one person, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said on Monday.

After over a month, fresh floods in four Assam districts have affected 34,000 people besides killing one person, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said on Monday. A man drowned in Jia Bharali river in Biswanath district. The ASDMA officials said that as many as 34,000 people from 109 villages in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath and Chirang districts in eastern Assam have been affected. The floods, caused by incessant rain in the past few days, also inundated 4,200 hectares of crop land besides submerging the low lying areas.

Like previous years, Assam until the first week of August witnessed devastating floods that killed 113 people in 22 districts, while 26 others were killed in landslides since May 22. With a respite in monsoon rains, the situation significantly improved in the first week of August even as 57 lakh people were affected in 5,378 villages in 30 of the state’s 33 districts.

A six-member Central team led by Sandeep Poundrik, Joint Secretary (Mitigation), National Disaster Management Authority, had visited Assam last month to assess the damage caused by the floods, which also killed domestic and wild animals in various sanctuaries and national parks, including the world-famous Kaziranga National Park, where 18 rhinos and 135 wild animals died due to the deluge…

China laying cables to bolster communications at border flashpoint: India

Such cables, which would provide forward troops with secure lines of communication to bases in the rear, have recently been spotted to the south of Pangong Tso lake

Two Indian officials said Chinese troops were laying a network of optical fibre cables at a western Himalayan flashpoint with India, suggesting they were digging in for the long haul despite high-level talks aimed at resolving a standoff there. Such cables, which would provide forward troops with secure lines of communication to bases in the rear, have recently been spotted to the south of Pangong Tso lake in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, a senior government official said.

China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to questions on the matter from Reuters, while defence officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Thousands of Indian and Chinese troops backed by tanks and aircraft are locked in an uneasy stalemate along a 70 km-long front to the south of the lake. Each country has accused the other of escalating the standoff. A third Indian official said on Monday that there had been no significant withdrawals or reinforcements on either side since the foreign ministers of the two countries met last week. “It is as tense as earlier,” he said.

Above Leh, Ladakh’s main city, Indian fighter planes flew throughout the morning, their engines booming and echoing across the valley surrounded by brown, barren mountains. “Our biggest worry is that they have laid optical fibre cables for high-speed communications,” the first official said, referring to the lake’s southern bank, where Indian and Chinese troops are only a few hundred metres apart at some points…Read More

Ex-JNU student leader Umar Khalid arrested in connection with Delhi riots

He was questioned by the Delhi Police Crime Branch for a couple of hours on September 2 in connection with the riots

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid was arrested late on Sunday night for his alleged role in the northeast Delhi riots, sources said on Sunday. He was questioned by the Delhi Police Crime Branch for a couple of hours on September 2 in connection with the riots.

Khalid was earlier booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in another case related to the riots. He was also quizzed by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police earlier regarding an alleged conspiracy behind the riots.

His mobile phone was also seized by the police. Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between supporters of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and those against the legislation spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured….

Samsung to launch Galaxy S20 Fan edition at Galaxy Unpacked event on Sep 23

The Galaxy S20 Fan edition is expected to be a new variant in the company’s Galaxy S20-series

Samsung is hosting another Galaxy Unpacked event on September 23 where the South Korean electronics maker is likely to launch the Galaxy S20 Fan edition smartphone. Titled ‘Galaxy Unpacked for Every Fan’, the virtual event will livestream on company’s web portal.

The Galaxy S20 Fan edition is expected to be a new variant in the company’s Galaxy S20-series. The phone is expected to features a 6.5-inch super AMOLED screen of fullHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Like other Samsung premium smartphones, the Galaxy S20 Fan edition would be based on two different mobile platforms — Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 system-on-chip and Exynos 990. The model with Qualcomm chip is expected to feature 5G connectivity, whereas, the Exynos 990 model would be targeted to International markets like India where 5G is still work in progress.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus review: Wholesome package justifies premium pricing

The Galaxy S20 Fan edition would come in 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. Unlike the exisiting Galaxy S20-series, the Fan edition would use LPDDR4 RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. As for the optics, the smartphone would feature a triple-camera set-up on the back with 12-megapixel wide, ultra-wide and telephoto sensors. On the front, the phone is expected to feature a 32MP sensor in a punch-hole format screen.

Oracle to take charge of TikTok’s US biz; may help ByteDance avoid ban

Microsoft announced Sunday that its bid to buy TikTok has been rejected

The owner of TikTok has chosen Oracle over Microsoft as its preferred suitor to buy the popular video-sharing app, according to a source familiar with the deal.Under the proposed deal, Oracle will be ByteDance’s technology partner and will assume management of TikTok’s U. S. user data, the sources said. Oracle is also negotiating taking a stake in TikTok’s U. S. operations, the sources added. Some of ByteDance’s top backers, including investment firms General Atlantic and Sequoia, will also be given minority stakes in TikTok’s U. S. operations under the proposed deal, one of the sources said.Microsoft announced Sunday that its bid to buy TikTok has been rejected, removing a leading suitor for the Chinese-owned app a week before President Donald Trump promises to follow through with a plan to ban it in the US.

Microsoft said in a Sunday statement that TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, let us know today they would not be selling TikTok’s US operations to Microsoft. The Trump administration has threatened to ban TikTok by mid-September and ordered ByteDance to sell its US business, claiming national-security risks due to its Chinese ownership. The government worries about user data being funneled to Chinese authorities. TikTok denies it is a national-security risk and is suing to stop the administration from the threatened ban….