Kapil Dev undergoes successful angioplasty, now stable

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Kapil Dev undergoes successful angioplasty, now stable

India’s first World Cup-winning cricket captain Kapil Dev has undergone a successful angioplasty at a south Delhi hospital, a senior doctor confirmed on Friday.

The 61-year-old was operated upon on Thursday night, the Fortis-Escorts Hospital doctor said.

“He came to the hospital last night (Thursday) with an acute problem. His angioplasty has been done, and he is stable now. The angioplasty was done under local anesthesia. Normal patients are kept in hospitals for 48 to 72 hours, before being discharged,” a senior doctor who did not want to be identified told IANS.

Angioplasty is a procedure to restore blood flow through the artery.

The doctor also said that the legendary cricketer also has a long-standing sugar problem.

“In diabetic patients, blood vessels have more calcium deposits. So, that is an issue that could happen to patients undergoing angioplasty. But he is stable,” he said.

At one time, the legendary pacer held the world Test record for most wickets (434) and retired from the game in 1994. He held the record for over six years until it was broken by West Indies great Courtney Walsh.

The biggest achievement of Kapil is he lead India to the World Cup triumph in 1983 when India was considered minnows in limited-overs cricket.

Kapil played 131 Tests and 225 One-day Internationals between 1978 and 1994.

Digital protectionism would be harmful: FB warns EU leaders

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Digital protectionism would be harmful: FB warns EU leaders

As the EU is about to produce a slew of new draft regulations, including a Digital Services Act covering everything from misinformation to app stores, Facebook’s head of global affairs Nick Clegg has written an open letter warning policymakers that a shift towards digital protectionism would be self-defeating.

As much of what the EU aims to do is rooted in values like free expression, privacy, transparency, and the rights of individuals, these values must be actively protected as the new rules are written, he said.

“But as the web fragments, Europe faces a fundamental choice: does it design rules to keep the internet open and global; or does it build barriers for the bloc alone?” Clegg, who is a former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, wrote in the open letter first published in the Financial Times this week.

He warned that far from putting Europe at the cutting edge, a shift towards digital protectionism could accelerate the splintering of the Internet, leaving Europe a bystander as the US and Chinese companies dominate.

“European policymakers need to maximize the bloc’s advantages — top-quality talent, a large consumer market, first-class universities — and address its deficiencies — the lack of deep and liquid capital markets, and a patchy commitment to entrepreneurialism and innovation,” Clegg said.

“Sovereignty versus competitiveness is a false choice. The EU can have both, and remove internal barriers without creating new ones for businesses seeking to reach the vast majority of the world’s online population beyond EU borders.”

Bihar polls: Chidambaram mocks BJP on 19 lakh-job promise

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Bihar polls: Chidambaram mocks BJP on 19 lakh-job promise

A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party promised 19 lakh jobs and free Covid vaccine in its manifesto for Bihar polls, the Congress attacked the BJP on Friday for being critical of the 10 lakh-job promise made by the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said in a tweet: “After mocking the RJD for promising to create 10 lakh jobs, the NDA has promised to create 19 lakh jobs in Bihar if elected.

“I did not know that 19 was a smaller number than 10. I think I should go back to primary school,” he mocked the BJP.

Earlier on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi too hit out at the BJP on the free vaccine promise. He said this was an election gimmick and added to the false promises made by the BJP.

“GOI just announced India’s Covid access strategy. Kindly refer to the state-wise election schedule to know when will you get it, along with a hoard of false promises,” Rahul said in his tweet.

The Congress alleged that Bihar has been pushed into backwardness after more than 13 years of rule by the NDA and what they were promising was only a “Jumla”.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday while releasing the BJP manifesto: “As soon as a Covid-19 vaccine is available for production at a mass scale, every person in Bihar will get free vaccination. This is the first promise mentioned in our poll manifesto,” she said.

The party also promised to create as many as 19 lakh jobs for the youth of Bihar.

The saffron party has evolved a five-point formula for the development of the state, which includes a healthy society, self-dependent Bihar, educated Bihar, strong industry, and strong agriculture with financially sound farmers and healthy rural-urban development.

Andhra CM wants drones for comprehensive land survey

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Andhra CM wants drones for comprehensive land survey

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials to use the best technology, including drones in conducting the comprehensive land survey in the state.

Aimed at providing permanent land ownership, it is after a gap of a century that such a survey is going to be held in the state.

During the meeting on Thursday, he instructed the officials to begin the comprehensive survey from January 1, 2021, and complete it by January 2023, making sure there were no errors.

As the survey will be conducted after 100 years, Reddy said more number of survey teams should be deployed, using the best technology like drones and rovers to digitize the land records.

The Chief Minister said land registration services should be provided in all village secretariats.

For tamperproof digitization, he directed that the surveyors must be trained in the latest technology.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that the comprehensive survey will be executed in three phases, even as arrangements are in progress.

As part of the survey, all the details will be updated online on a regular basis directly from drones and rover, along with a picture and a GIS tag.

The survey will span 1.22 lakh sq km and 4,500 teams will carry out the survey simultaneously. A pilot project is underway at Takkellapadu village in Krishna district’s Jaggayyapeta Mandal.

According to officials, 70 base stations are required for the survey.

Meanwhile, mobile courts in villages are striving to solve pending land disputes.

Airtel Africa’s Jul-Sep net profit down 8.8%

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Airtel Africa’s Jul-Sep net profit down 8.8%

Airtel Africa on Friday reported a fall of 8.8 percent in its net profit on a year on year (YoY) basis at $88 million for the quarter ended September.

The company’s revenue for the period under review was $965 million compared with $844 million earned during the July-September quarter of the last financial year.

In a statement, the company said that its customer base grew by 12.0 percent to $116.4 million during the quarter.

Raghunath Mandava, CEO of Airtel Africa, said: “The first half of our fiscal year included the peak impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the countries where we operate in, as lockdown measures were swiftly implemented to stem the initial spread of the contagion.”

He noted that in these unprecedented times, the telecom industry has emerged as a key and essential service for these economies, allowing customers to work remotely, reduce their travels, keep them connected, and allow access to affordable entertainment.

“In these exceptional circumstances, in the first half, we delivered a strong set of results and as lockdown restrictions eased during Q2 our performance continued to improve with constant currency revenue growth of 19.6 percent, up 6.6 percent from the prior quarter,” the CEO said.

Study finds molecular link between meat diet, cancer risk

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Study finds molecular link between meat diet, cancer risk

An international team of researchers has identified a direct molecular link between meat and dairy diets and the development of antibodies in the blood that increase the chances of developing cancer.

This connection may explain the high incidence of cancer among those who consume large amounts of dairy products and red meat, similar to the link between high cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease.

According to the study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, Neu5Gc is a sugar molecule found in the tissues of mammals but not in poultry or fish.

Humans develop antibodies to Neu5Gc in infancy, when they are first exposed to dairy and meat products.

While it is known that these antibodies increase the risk of cancer, especially colorectal cancer, no direct link had been found between the antibodies and meat and dairy consumption.

“We found a significant correlation between high consumption of Neu5Gc from red meat and cheeses and increased development of those antibodies that heighten the risk of cancer,” said study author Vered Paddler-Karavani from the Tel Aviv University in Israel.

For the study, the researchers used samples from NutriNet-Sante, an extensive national nutritional survey conducted in France.

The research team members measured the amount of Neu5Gc sugar in a variety of dairy and meat foods common in the French diet and calculated the daily Neu5Gc intake of 19,621 adults aged 18 and over, who reported all of their food intakes online over a period of several days.

The research team then took a representative sample of 120 participants and tested the levels of the anti-Neu5Gc antibodies in their blood.

Based on these findings and the quantification of Neu5Gc sugar in various food products from France, the team created an index called the Glycemic index.

This index ranks foods whose excessive consumption can lead to an increase in the antibodies – and possibly to an increase in the risk of cancer.

They found a significant correlation between high consumption of Neu5Gc from red meat and cheeses and increased development of those antibodies that heighten the risk of cancer.

“We were able to find a molecular link thanks to the accuracy of the methods used to measure the antibodies in the blood and the detailed data from the French diet questionnaires,” the study authors noted.

Modi compares 15-yr ‘lawless rule’ with NDA’s development era

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Modi compares 15-yr ‘lawless rule’ with NDA’s development era

Five days ahead of the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the state’s people cannot forget the “lawlessness” seen during the 15-year rule of the opposition (Rashtriya Janata Dal).

“People of Bihar know what the situation was at that time. People were killed in broad daylight, kidnappings took place, and criminals were protected by leaders of the ruling party. Massacres happened in large numbers. People of Bihar stayed inside homes after sunset. No one can forget that,” Modi said while addressing a public gathering in Shahpur in Sasaram block of Rohtas district.

“The situation changed after the change of regime in Bihar. Such lawlessness had forced the people of Bihar to change the government. After the NDA came to power under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, the atmosphere of fear changed. Now, parents are not scared when their daughters step out of the house. What was the situation then? Parents virtually had their hearts in their mouths till their daughters did not return home safely,” Modi said.

“Now, a new generation has come into politics of Bihar but its ideology is the same. The people of Bihar will not fall for their bluff. People will give votes to the NDA.

“They (Opposition leaders) are experts in spreading aberration. People of Bihar knew how they extort lakhs of rupees for giving one government job. They are offering the same this time too to get votes. They are looking at you with a tempting offer. They are luring voters of Bihar through job offers,” Modi said.

“When the RJD lost the Assembly elections in Bihar in 2005, they were still part of the UPA in the Centre. They deliberately did not allow the economic packages to be sanctioned to the state from the Centre.”

The Prime Minister added: “Nitish Kumar was the CM of Bihar and I was Gujarat CM when the UPA ruled at the Centre. In every CMs’ meeting in Delhi, Nitish Kumar used to urge the then Manmohan Singh government for special packages for Bihar but the Congress alliance partner (RJD) would not let it sanction any package. In the last four years, we have a double engine government in Bihar and we are working together.”

“The leaders on the other side (UPA) are on a destructive path to sabotage the nation. We abolished Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir last year and their leaders said they will restore it once they came to power,” Modi said.

“Bihar is a place that produces brave soldiers. They were martyred while fighting in Galway Valley. They were also martyred in the Pulwama attack. I want to pay respects and homage to them and their family,” Modi said.

“Our double engine government is working on every aspect to develop Bihar through road infrastructure, power supply, irrigation connectivity to every agricultural land, construction of a large number of bridges on the rivers. I want to point out that the construction of the four-lane bridge is in the last phase at Koilwar in Bhojpur district, a bridge is also coming on the river Son to connect Bihar with Jharkhand. Construction of new roads, widening of roads from two lanes to four lanes are being done on a large-scale power plant in Chausa in Buxar district at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore is also coming up,” Modi added.

“Such infrastructure will help create a new food park as areas surrounding Rohtas, Kaimur and Bhojpur are known as ‘Dhan Ka Katora’,” Modi said.

Modi said that he had decided to conduct one common entrance examination in the country for different jobs. “Besides, we will soon implement ‘education in mother tongue’, including in higher education fields like medical and engineering,” he said.

He claimed that the opposition was against new agricultural laws to save middlemen. “The farmers will directly sell their products to anyone and anywhere. I want to assure you that the new laws will help the farmers,” he said.

Modi started his one-hour speech in Bhojpuri and paid homage to Bihar’s leaders Ram Vilas Paswan and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh who died recently.

He also said that people from Scheduled Castes and Tribes as well as Backward Classes were getting the benefit of reservation. Besides, a 10 percent reservation was also given to the economically weaker sections among the upper castes, he added.

Earlier, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said: “We have connected every village with roads in the state. With the help of the Centre, free LPG was given to 85 lakh poor during the coronavirus pandemic. We arranged trains to bring back our migrant laborers. Two Covid hospitals are coming up in Bihta in Patna district and Patahi in Muzaffarpur district,” Kumar said.

“When we came to power, electricity consumption in Bihar was 700 megawatt but now it’s 6,000 megawatts. In 2005, the Bihar budget was Rs 24,000 crore but Rs 2.11 lakh crore now. We believe in development and it will continue if you vote for the NDA in this election,” Kumar said.

You will need Microsoft account to play Minecraft next year

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You will need Microsoft account to play Minecraft next year

Mojang Studios, the game development studio behind Minecraft, has announced that starting early next year, all users of the game will have to get a Microsoft account in order to play.

“Change can also pave the way for a better future. That is why we have decided that moving forward, all of our games will require a Microsoft account to play – including Minecraft Java Edition,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.

By adopting Microsoft accounts exclusively, Mojang said it can secure all player accounts using two-factor authentication.

It also means there can be a robust chat and invitation blocking system, improved parental controls to keep children safe, and as there are multiple Minecraft games to play (for example Minecraft and Minecraft Dungeons), they can all be managed and connected with a single login.

“Migrating from Mojang to Microsoft accounts is mandatory. If you don’t make the move, in several months you won’t be able to log in anymore – which means you won’t be able to play either. No need to worry because we’ll give you detailed and clear instructions on how to do so,” the company stated.

Players who own the original version of the game and do not switch to a Microsoft account will be unable to play.

The transition will be done in batches as the game reaches out to Java edition players in phases. Players will get an email that will include instructions on how to move their accounts.

The popular game Minecraft has topped 200 million sales, with more than 126 million people playing the game monthly, it was reported recently.

The game has seen a huge increase in use since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

70% success rate in Goa with Remdesivir, plasma steroid treatment

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70% success rate in Goa with Remdesivir, plasma steroid treatment

Health authorities in Goa have achieved a 70 percent success rate with the combination of antiviral Remdesivir, plasma, and steroid treatment for Covid-19 patients, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Friday and added that the state government would continue the successful treatment protocol.

Rane also said that the state would beef up its testing apparatus to conduct between 2,000 to 2,500 tests a day, to get a comprehensive picture of the pandemic status, which has claimed 564 lives in the coastal state so far.

“Remdesivir has been approved by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), as one of the drugs for Covid-19. In Goa, we have also found that plasma in a combination with Remdesivir and maybe in a certain proportion with steroids, has given us excellent results. So, we are going ahead with this protocol as far as Goa is concerned,” Rane told a press conference in Panaji.

The Health Minister said that Remdesivir should be administered to patients immediately after admission for the best results.

“Remdevisir should be given immediately when the patient is admitted within a specific period of time and if during that period of time if the plasma is administered it helps in raising the saturation level and prevents further damage to the lungs…” he also said.

The Health Minister also said that the government was evolving a new system of monitoring and treating post-Covid-19 complications with a holistic approach and proper follow-ups.

“A lot of people come with post-Covid complications. They need to be monitored, not just for a few days… Counselors are also being put in the field in order to counsel the patients undergoing home isolation because it will also include safety of elderly patients in the house,” Rane said, adding that treated Covid-19 patients, post-treatment, were developing fibrosis, which needed medical attention.

The Health Minister said that the treatment protocol for Covid-19 had evolved over time and the state government was now working on shifting patients who have been under home isolation for a prolonged period of time, directly to government health facilities, to reduce fatalities.

“Instructions have been given, that in case after 10 days or 12 days, they find that the patient still has symptoms, they should not waste time, they should shift the home isolation patient to a medical facility. This will help save more lives so that he does not come in a state of breathlessness,” Rane said.

The Health Minister also said that there was little merit in testing entire villages for Covid-19 in case a positive case was found in the vicinity and added that testing needs to be more focussed.

“We want to keep testing at a minimum of 2,000-2,500 per day,” Rane said.

ISL: Mumbai City FC sign goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa

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ISL: Mumbai City FC sign goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa

Mumbai City FC on Friday announced the signing of goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa ahead of the 2020-21 season of the Indian Super League (ISL). The 22-year-old joins the Islanders on a contract that will keep him at the club until 2024.

A graduate of the Shillong Lajong FC Academy, Lachenpa signed a professional contract with the Meghalaya-based club in 2015. The Sikkimese shot-stopper made 24 appearances during his four seasons there, before signing for fellow I-League club Real Kashmir in 2019.

“It’s a proud moment for me, taking the next step of my career and committing my future to a club of Mumbai City’s stature. I’ve enjoyed my football and my journey so far but I’m only getting started,” Lachenpa said in a statement.

“I know I have to work harder and I am really looking forward to working with and learning from my teammates. It’s a huge challenge and an even bigger opportunity for me and I am ready to give it my all,” he added.

A regular starter in Real Kashmir’s fourth-place finish last season in the I-League, Lachenpa impressed as he kept 8 clean sheets in 19 appearances across all competitions, conceding only 17 goals in the process. The youngster will join goalkeeper Amrinder Singh in the goalkeeping contingent at Mumbai City.

Head coach Sergio Lobera said, “Phurba was one of, if not the best goalkeeper in the I-League last season, and we are delighted to have him here at Mumbai City. He is young and has tremendous potential to improve a lot in the future. Phurba’s reflexes and command during the games is something that caught our eye, and we are hoping he can continue his development here at Mumbai City, and play a huge role in the club’s successes for years to come.”

Loss against Kings XI not a wake-up call for DC, says Rabada

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Loss against Kings XI not a wake-up call for DC, says Rabada

One of Delhi Capitals’ top performers this IPL season, pacer Kagiso Rabada believes their five-wicket defeat against Kings XI Punjab was not a “wake-up call” for the team.

“I don’t know if I would call the loss against KXIP a wake-up call, it’s just a loss and losses do happen. So it’s not about panicking and trying to reinvent the wheel,” said Rabada on Thursday while addressing the media over a virtual press conference.

“We need to assess where we felt we went wrong, which we have done already. We’ve talked about the game and where we can improve. Bearing that in mind, we need to realize what good came out of that game as well,” he added.

After suffering their third loss of the tournament, Delhi Capitals will look to bounce back when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders in their next encounter.

“Losses can happen so it’s just about getting back up and getting ready for the next game. Having identified what we have done wrong and have done right, we just need to make some minor adjustments,” said Rabada who is hoping for his team to be “third-time lucky at Abu Dhabi” in Saturday’s afternoon match.

The South African pacer, who holds the Purple Cap with 21 wickets in 10 games, was asked whether he thinks his bowling can help the team lift the trophy this season, to which he replied, “I think it’s going to have to be a team collective. Look, we have had seven different Man of the Match awardees in the games that we have played. There are so many match-winners in our team, so it shows that all of us are hungry to win.”

“I am the one who’s lucky to get the wickets, but everyone has been contributing to the side. All the bowlers, batsmen, and even fielders have contributed to our good performances. You’ve got guys who have put their hand up, and it’s always been a team effort,” added Rabada.

Commenting on his bowling partnership with countryman Anrich Nortje, the 25-year-old said he enjoys bowling with his compatriot. “It’s awesome bowling with him, I mean he has done really well, he has got a lot of paces, he’s always willing to learn and always open to new ideas, and I think that’s a great trait to have,” said Rabada.

“He always gives his best for the team and at the end of the day we have a job to do, and I think we have done well so far. Hopefully, we qualify (for the playoffs), we are one win away, and then hopefully we can do it when it matters the most – in the knockout stages also,” added the pacer.

The Shreyas Iyer-led side has 14 points from 10 games and needs just one win to seal a berth in the playoffs.

Was under pressure in 2010 Asiad to defend my Doha gold, says Advani

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Was under pressure in 2010 Asiad to defend my Doha gold, says Advani

What makes an athlete special, the ability to lift one’s game to a different level altogether when he or she is competing at the highest level. Ace cueist Pankaj Advani has revealed that he was under a lot of pressure to defend his gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.

Advani had won the gold medal in billiards in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha and was entering Guangzhou as the defending champions.

“When I was 21, I felt like the Asian Games was a different platform. There was loads of pressure because not only people from your fraternity are watching you, but the entire sporting world, especially the continent, the Indian officials, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), everybody has their eyes on you and the game because they want every game to get as many medals as they can,” said Advani while speaking on the show ‘The A-Game’.

He, however, stepped up when India was struggling to put medals on the board in the 2010 Asian Games and in fact, won the country its first gold in that tournament.

“I knew that we had won a lot of bronzes and silvers, but I didn’t know that this was going to be the first gold medal for India (in the competition). So that pressure was not on me luckily, but the pressure of winning gold and defending my gold medal at the Asian Games, because I had won the gold in the 2006 Asian Games, was definitely weighing heavily on me,” said the 35-year-old who is a winner of 23 world titles in billiards and snooker.

“When I was at 62 points and I needed 38 more points, I made a very simple mistake and I felt maybe this could be very costly. And then I had the final blow and this time I wanted to compose myself and take a little time and sure enough, I crossed the finish line,” he added.

WeWork India strengthens leadership to boost growth

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WeWork India strengthens leadership to boost growth

As workers continue to return to offices after lockdown, co-working major WeWork on Friday announced to strengthen its vision of attaining profitable and sustainable growth across all spaces through some key appointments in India.

The development comes after WeWork India in June said it had raised $100 million funding from WeWork Global for sustainable growth of its business.

The new appointments include Clifford Lobo who has been named the new Chief Financial Officer at WeWork India.

In his new role, Lobo will be responsible for working through partnerships and mergers and acquisitions to drive business growth and profitability for the business.

His experience with industry expertise ranges across fields such as IT/IT-enabled Services (ITeS), consulting and mentoring, digital media and publishing, digital video and content publishing, sports media, software development, and telecom.

Before joining WeWork India, Lobo also played an operations role at ESPN India managing commercial and product innovation aside from finance, controllers, tax, and administrative responsibilities.

Among other appointments, Hiranmai Rallabandi joined as the General Counsel of WeWork India, while Santosh Martin has been elevated to Head of Sales for WeWork India.

“The flexible workspace industry in India has displayed resilience and growth even during challenging times,” Karan Virwani, CEO of WeWork India, said in a statement.

“In this time, we have seen a new opportunity that suits our members’ evolving needs driven by an acceleration towards variable real estate costs, the confidence of safe and well-managed workspaces for their employees, and the growth opportunities that are intrinsic to the WeWork community,” Virwani said.

The Covid-19 crisis badly impacted the co-working space which saw rapid growth in the past few years.

WeWork India in May said that it decided to lay off around 20 percent of its staff.

Virwani then said that the company optimized and planned its team strength based on the core business, and continues to execute its long-term business strategy in India, and aim to be profitable by early 2021.

SRH batting hero Manish Pandey blossoms on return to No.3

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SRH batting hero Manish Pandey blossoms on return to No.3

Manish Pandey on Thursday returned to the number three position in the SunRisers Hyderabad’s batting line-up against Rajasthan Royals after being tried at number five in the previous IPL 2020 match without success.

He hammered a 47-ball unbeaten 83 against the Steve Smith-led side to take his team to an eight-wicket win and keep alive their chances of entering the play-offs in the ongoing tournament.

The India batsman has scored all his half-centuries in IPL 2020 batting at the No. 3 position. In fact, all his double-figure knocks this season have come batting at his preferred slot.

But to accommodate Kane Williamson at the top and in a bid to strengthen the middle-order as SRH had been losing previous games, Pandey was pushed down to No. 5. But he failed, scoring six in his appearance against Kolkata Knight Riders.

“There were enough talks around our middle order. It is high time for us to perform. I just wanted to stay on the wicket and play my shots. I am really happy that it came off today. I was hitting it well,” said Pandey who was the first Indian batsman to score a century in the Indian Premier League back in 2009.

That remains his only century in the lucrative league, although he has 18 half-centuries in the league, including three this year. The stroke-playing batsman averages 29.6 and experts say that his performance over the years has been a bit below par and inconsistent.

Pandey has, in the past, expressed disappointment over tinkering with his batting position even in the Indian team. Back in 2018, while with the India team, he had said he would like to bat up the order.

“Sometimes I feel that because I bat at No. 5,” Pandey had said over two years ago on being asked why he doesn’t score big. “But most of the time I got chances at No. 4, I delivered.”

Thankfully, SRH did not tinker with his batting position for long and he now seems to perform at his favorite spot.

Shun lantern, even poor now have electricity, says Modi

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Shun lantern, even poor now have electricity, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that law and order were very poor in Bihar from the 1990s till 2005 and the state’s present-day problems stemmed from those days, appealing to the voters to shun ‘lantern’ since electricity had reached every poor household in the state.

Addressing a public rally in Gaya, his second in the poll-bound state, Modi brought up the issues of the bad condition of roads, alleged sheer lawlessness, and people afraid of buying new cars for ‘fear of a particular party getting wind’ of it and grabbing the vehicles.

“There was a time in Bihar when electricity was supplied to the homes of the rich. The need for lanterns (RJD poll symbol) in today’s Bihar is over. Today, every poor household in Bihar has an electricity connection; there is light.”

“Back then, in Bihar, people did not buy cars so that the workers of a political party did not get to know of their earnings. It was a time when going from one city to another, people were not sure whether they would reach their destination or be kidnapped midway,” the Prime Minister said at the Gandhi Maidan here.

He claimed that in the 90s, Bihar was pushed into a quagmire of chaos and disorder. Even today, the roots of many problems of present-day Bihar lie in the chaos of the misrule in the 90s, he alleged.

Raising the issue of Naxalism that once plagued this belt in Bihar, Modi said that much effort was put in and strict action taken in the last few years to curb such activities in the country. Naxal presence has now been restricted to few areas, he said.

The Centre made efforts to bring Maoist-hit areas out of violence and introduced development. But he also warned that “preparation is afoot to take Bihar back to that age of darkness”.

Flaying the Mahagathbandhan, he alleged that those who give Naxals a “freehand” in the past are now standing against the National Democratic Alliance.

“When action is taken against those advocating to break or divide the country, these people (opposition) stand with them. The model of these people has been to make Bihar sick and helpless,” Modi alleged and appealed for the vote for the NDA in the Assembly polls to “fulfill the hopes and expectations” with which they put it in power at the Centre.

No interim bail extension for 2,318 undertrials involved in heinous crimes

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No interim bail extension for 2,318 undertrials involved in heinous crimes

The Delhi High Court has recently ordered that there shall be no further extension of the interim bails granted to the 2,318 undertrial prisoners who were involved in heinous crimes.

“As far as the first category of 2,318 undertrials involved in heinous crimes, who were granted interim bail by the District Courts, there shall be no further extension of interim bails under the orders of this Court,” said a three-judge bench of the high court presided by Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh.

“However, to facilitate their surrender before jail authorities and to avoid any inconvenience being caused to the jail authorities during the surrender of a large number of undertrials, it is ordered that the surrender shall take place in a phased manner,” he said further.

The court, however, directed that the said 2,318 prisoners are at liberty to move the respective courts for extension of their interim bails and the concerned courts shall consider the said applications for extension of interim bails on its own merits and make a decision accordingly without being influenced by any order passed by the Court in the past.

The court has asked the jail authorities make appropriate arrangements to ensure the surrender of the prisoners as detailed above and take all required steps in view of the guidelines issued by the Government Authorities from time to time to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The Delhi High Court on March 25, 2020, took suo moto notice of outbreak of Covid-19 and ordered that all matters pending before the court and courts subordinate to the high court, wherein such interim orders issued were subsisting as of March 16, 2020, and expired or will expire thereafter, the same shall stand automatically extended till May 15 or until further orders.

Since the lockdown was extended from time to time by the Government with few relaxations and the restrictive functioning of the Courts continued, so the order dated 25th March 2020 was extended from time to time on 15th May 2020, 15th June 2020, 13th July 2020, 31st August 2020 and lastly vide order dated 24th August 2020, the interim orders were extended till 31st October 2020.

In its latest order, the bench directed the High Power Committee to take a decision in respect of 2,907 prisoners, who have been granted bail on the Committee’s recommendation, within ten days.

With regard to interim orders in civil matters, the court said that all such interim orders shall cease to have an effect on the next date of hearing in the said matters.

“However, the parties in the said matters are at liberty to move the concerned courts for extension of the interim orders and the said courts shall consider the extension of the interim orders on merit without being influenced by any orders passed by this Court in this matter,” the bench said.

Data protection: Parliament’s joint panel summons FB, Twitter

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Data protection: Parliament’s joint panel summons FB, Twitter

A joint committee of Parliament on Friday issued summons to Facebook in order to seek its “oral evidence” on the issues of data protection and privacy. Twitter too is said to have been directed for an appearance next week.

The joint committee led by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi has 20 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha.

The agenda of Friday’s meeting read: “Oral evidence by the representatives of Facebook India Online Services Pvt Ltd on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019.”

However, the summon to Facebook and Twitter is strictly pertaining to the issue of citizen’s personal data protection.

The summons to Twitter assumes significance as these come close to the Centre’s letter to the microblogging site’s chief Jack Dorsey.

Taking a strong exception to the “misrepresentation” of India’s map, the government wrote a stern letter to the Twitter CEO, saying that any attempt by the platform to disrespect the sovereignty and integrity of India, which is also reflected by the maps, was totally unacceptable.

Last month, amid severe criticism of Facebook and the Union government over the alleged collusion of Facebook India executive Ankhi Das and the BJP, Union Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote a hard-hitting letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, blaming the Facebook India management for alleged bias against people supporting the right-of-center ideology.

Huawei announces new FreeBuds Studio headphones

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Huawei announces new FreeBuds Studio headphones

Huawei on Friday announced its first over-ear wireless headphones FreeBuds Studio.

The wireless headphones have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), touch controls, and a long battery for 299 euros.

“Inspired by geometrics and simplicity, FreeBuds Studio offers a stylish look and comfortable fit. It is not only a headphone but also a smart assistant that allows consumers to experience a better digital audio world,” the company said in a statement.

The premium wireless headphones from Huawei have a 40mm dynamic driver unit.

The headphones automatically choose between three modes based on the environment — Ultra Mode, Cozy Mode, and General Mode.

The FreeBuds Studio offers dynamic ANC technology with 8 mics and up to 40dB noise reduction.

The headphones offer a 40mm driver with a 4-layer Polymer diaphragm. The company claims that it can reproduce frequencies as high as 48KHz and can go down to 4Hz.

Modi raises Galwan, Art 370 issues in first Bihar rally

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Modi raises Galwan, Art 370 issues in first Bihar rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday raised the issue of the deadly Galwan Valley clash between India and China troops, scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir state’s special status, and even the Pulwama attack in order to woo Bihar voters ahead of the Assembly elections.

Addressing his first-ever rally in Sasaram’s Biada Maidan ahead of the elections, Modi said: “The sons of Bihar lost their lives in the Galway Valley for the sake of the Tricolour and ensured that Mother India’s head is held high. Bihar’s jawans were also martyred in the Pulwama attack (in February 2019). I bow my head at their feet and pay my respects.”

Many Bihar Regiment jawans had bravely fought and laid down their lives in Galway Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15.

He then referred to Congress leaders’ recent statement that it will bring back Article 370 in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, which his government had scrapped on August 5 last year.

“After saying this, they dare to seek votes from Bihar. Is it not an insult to Bihar? The state that sends its sons and daughters to the borders in order to protect the country.”

Earlier, Modi began his speech by paying respects to two Bihar leaders who recently passed away — Ram Vilas Paswan and RJD’s Raghuvansh Prasad Singh. The latter had resigned from the party before his death.

Taking a potshot at the Rashtriya Janata Dal without naming them, he said that those who once ruled Bihar are now again looking at the “developing state with their greedy eyes”.

But Bihar, he added, would not forget who pushed them back. He brought up the issue of Bihar’s worsening law and order and corruption in the past, in a seeming reference to Lalu Prasad’s rule and the fodder scam.

Asserting that Bihar was well on its way to development, he said that the era of ‘Lantern’, the electoral symbol of the RJD, was over.

He also pointed to the opposition to the three central agricultural laws and alleged that the same stemmed from efforts to “protect the middlemen” just like the opposition “was speaking their language” during the Rafale controversy.

Attacking the RJD and the Congress, he said that as the Gujarat Chief Minister, he witnessed how the Centre then “wasted” 10 years of Bihar after their defeat. He added that to make India self-reliant, Bihar needs to vote for the National Democratic Alliance.

Modi praised the steps taken by the Bihar government to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, also present on the occasion, was full of praise for Modi’s “leadership”. Kumar said that if his government returned to power in Bihar, it would focus on the availability of irrigation facilities and the benefits of the latest technology in every village.

Multiple stages are set up during Bihar’s electoral rallies by the NDA to ensure physical distancing, with efforts to arrange chairs on the podiums at a distance for the crowd. Those who thronged the rally maintained social distance norms and wore masks. The Prime Minister’s first rally in this Bihar poll season witnessed an enthusiastic crowd that cheered continuously.

Qlik acquires Blendr.io to help customers automate operations

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Qlik acquires Blendr.io to help customers automate operations

Data analytics and business intelligence platform Qlik on Friday acquired Blendr.io, a scalable and secure embedded integration and automation platform (iPaaS), for an undisclosed sum.

Blendr.io’s technology will enable Qlik to expand the existing data integration and data analytics offerings to also include automation to trigger actions and enhance augmented analytics capabilities.

Qlik said it will expand existing Blendr.io iPaaS use cases to include the ability for customers to explore new analytics use cases through timely access to even more analytics-ready relevant data from over 500 SaaS (software-as-a-service) applications.

“Blendr.io’s extensive iPaaS solution will further expand the ability of Qlik’s end-to-end platform to help customers more easily and seamlessly integrate data and automate processes across every decision throughout the organization,” said Mike Capone, CEO at Qlik.

Qlik does business in more than 100 countries and serves over 50,000 customers while Blendr.io serves more than 1,500 end-user clients through over 100 customer accounts.

With the acceleration of cloud-based SaaS applications, modern data and analytics platforms must enable real-time data access, ingestion, transformation, and insight discovery to trigger action at the point of decision.

“We’re heading into an era in which integration and automation capabilities will be blended with business processes and analytics,” said Doug Henschen, vice president, and principal analyst at Constellation Research.

“This blending will help companies evolve from just managing data and publishing dashboards to automating actions and delivering concise, contextually relevant insights at key decision points.”

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