Google Assistant can now wait on hold phone call for you

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Google Assistant can now wait on hold phone call for you

Next time when someone puts you on hold during a call, relax as Google Assistant will listen closely to hold music and repetitive messages for you. Google has launched a new feature called Hold for Me in its Phone app that will help users get their time back.

Starting with an early preview on newly-launched Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) smartphones in the US, when you call a toll-free number and a business puts you on hold, Google Assistant can wait on the line for you.

“You can go back to your day, and Google Assistant will notify you with sound, vibration and a prompt on your screen once someone is on the line and ready to talk,: the company said on Wednesday.

The ‘Hold for Me’ feature is powered by Google’s Duplex technology, which not only recognises hold music but also understands the difference between a recorded message and a representative on the line.

Once a representative is identified, Google Assistant will notify you that someone’s ready to talk and ask the representative to hold for a moment while you return to the call.

“We gathered feedback from a number of companies, including Dell and United, as well as from studies with customer support representatives, to help us design these interactions and make the feature as helpful as possible to the people on both sides of the call,” the company said.

While Google Assistant waits on hold for you, Google’s natural language understanding also keeps the users informed.

“Your call will be muted to let you focus on something else, but at any time, you can check real-time captions on your screen to know what’s happening on the call”.

The ‘Hold for Me’ tool is an optional feature one can enable in settings and choose to activate during each call to a toll-free number.

To determine when a representative is on the line, audio is processed entirely on the device and does not require a Wi-Fi or data connection.

The company said that no audio from the call will be shared with Google or saved to your Google account unless you explicitly decide to share it and help improve the feature.

“When you return to the call after Google Assistant was on hold for you, audio stops being processed altogether,” the company said.

Last year, Google introduced an update to Call Screen that helps users avoid interruptions from spam calls once and for all.

Last month, the company launched Verified Calls to help people know why a business is calling before they answer.

Google launches Nest Audio smart speaker, in India from Oct 5

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Google launches Nest Audio smart speaker, in India from Oct 5

Google has unveiled a new smart speaker Nest Audio with a list of new upgrades for a better music listening experience along with a slimmer profile.

The Google Nest Audio has been priced at $99.99 and will go on sale in the US, Canada and India, starting October 5.

“Typically, a bigger speaker equals bigger sound, but Nest Audio has a really slim profile — so it fits anywhere in the home. In order to maximize audio output, we custom-designed quality drivers and housed them in an enclosure that helps it squeeze out every bit of sound possible,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

The smart speaker aims to produce 50 per cent more bass and 75 per cent more volume as compared to the Google Home.

It comes with support for Google Assistant. The smart speaker supports room-filling sounds and two Nest Audios can be paired for stereo sounds.

Google Nest Audio comes with touch controls for playing or pausing music, adjusting volume, and more.

It has a 75mm woofer and a 19mm tweeter along with three far-field microphones and 2-stage mic mute switch.

The speaker is powered by a quad-core A53 processor clocked at 1.8GHz. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi and its power rating is 30W.

The new Google smart speaker comes with a price tag of $99 and has five colour options, namely, Charcoal, Chalk, Sand, Sage, and Sky.

In addition to this, Google has also unveiled a bunch of other hardware at the event, including Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, and new Google Chromecast with Google TV. The search giant already launched the Pixel 4a last month, which is now its only budget smartphone after replacing the Pixel 3a.

Important for team to first return to old form & fitness, feels Ramandeep

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Important for team to first return to old form & fitness, feels Ramandeep

Experienced hockey forward Ramandeep Singh has said he isn’t too worried about not having international competitions this year.

The Indian men’s team last played in the FIH Pro League in January-February while the women’s team has not played a match since the tour of New Zealand in January.

“I don’t think I am too worried about not playing international matches this year. It is important we first return to our old form and fitness and once we reach that level, we can play internal matches,” said Ramandeep, who was part of the Indian team during the Pro League.

“We are a group of 33 players who are all extremely competitive and our assessment will be based on how we are doing in the national camp. This automatically will motivate each one to bring out our best,” he added.

The forward also expressed excitement about hockey activities resuming across India and he encouraged young players to ensure they follow all the norms and SOPs provided by Hockey India.

“It is great to see activities resume at the local level after so many months. Many young players send me messages sharing their excitement and also ask me about the things they need to keep in mind when they restart playing hockey after so long. The first and foremost thing everyone must ensure is that they are following the SOPs provided by Hockey India and state governments,” expressed Ramandeep who is part of the ongoing national coaching camp at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility.

Ramandeep further stated that at the moment, the team is carrying out basic activities without stressing themselves. “…but starting October, our intensity will increase and I am confident we can hit max fitness soon.”

The team is scheduled to restart it’s Pro League campaign on April 10 and 11, 2021 with a tie against Argentina away from home. They will then play Great Britain away from home on May 8 and 9 before travelling to Spain where they play on May 12 and 13. After that, they will face Germany away on May 18 and 19 and will finally play a home tie on May 29 and 30 against New Zealand.

Covid-19: Telangana crosses 30 lakh test mark

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Covid-19: Telangana crosses 30 lakh test mark

Telangana on Thursday crossed 30 lakh mark in Covid-19 testing while the state continued to see more recoveries than new positive cases.

With 54,443 tests during the last 24 hours, the state has so far conducted 30,50,444 tests. However, the health authorities provided no details as to how many of these are RT PCR and Rapid Antigen tests, health officials said on Thursday.

Telangana, which had come under criticism from different quarters for poor testing rate, ramped up the same over the last two months by expanding the testing infrastructure.

Currently, 17 government-run laboratories, 43 private laboratories and 1,076 rapid antigen test centres are conducting 50,000 to 60,000 tests every day.

According to a media bulletin from the office of the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, out of 54,443 samples tested during last 24 hours, 23,955 were primary and 6,533 were secondary.

Samples tested per million population improved further to 81,957. The daily testing target for the state is 5,600 per day as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) benchmark of 140 per million per day.

The state reported 2,214 new Covid cases, pushing the tally to 1,93,600. The 24-hour period ending 8 p.m. Wednesday also saw eight more deaths, taking the death toll to 1,135.

The fatality rate in the state stands at 0.58 per cent against the national average of 1.56A per cent.

Meanwhile, the state continued to see more recoveries than new cases. As many as 2,474 more people recovered from the virus, taking the cumulative numbers to 1,63,407.

With this the state’s recovery rate mounted to 84.40 per cent against the national average of 83.51 per cent.

The state now has 29,058 active cases including 23,702 who are in home/institutional isolation.

Of the fresh cases, 305 were recorded in Greater Hyderabad. Rangareddy district recorded second highest number of cases at 191 followed by Medchal Malkajgiri (153), Nalgonda (149), Warangal Urban (131), Karimnagar (106), Bhadradri Kothagudem (99), Khammam (99) and Siddipet (80).

Out of 1,93,600 total positive cases so far, 70 per cent (1,35,520) were asymptomatic while remaining 30 per cent (58,080) are symptomatic.

The data also shows that 64.13 per cent of those tested positive are in the age group of 21-50 years while 22.76 are above 51 years of age. Those below 20 years are 13.13 per cent.

Officials said 64.28 per cent of those tested positive were males while the remaining 38.72 per cent were females.

Yogi wraps up review of works in 75 UP districts

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Yogi wraps up review of works in 75 UP districts

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has completed a review of the developmental projects in all 75 districts of the state.

The meetings, which had been happening for the past 27 days wrapped up on Wednesday night with the review of the Jhansi division. The Chief Minister carried out a review of the work done in all the divisions through virtual meetings during the pandemic.

Yogi Adityanath, while addressing the meetings, said that Uttar Pradesh was ready to write a new chapter in growth, progress, development and prosperity.

He said that the Purvanchal Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway and the Defence Corridor would bring new opportunities for the jobless and the entrepreneurs.

He said that there are 22 mega-projects with a cost of over Rs 50 crore each in the divisions.

Yogi Adityanath directed officials to make ventilators in Jalaun district functional and train the technicians in this regard. He also asked to appoint two anesthetists in the district.

He said the mining work, commencing on October 1, requires some transparency in terms of decision making and functioning.

The Chief Minister underlined the need for following all Covid protocols as the protection against the Covid infection was important.

“Let us all understand it well that protection is the only option before us till some medicine or vaccine comes in the market. Effective surveillance system and contact tracing can save many lives from Covid besides spreading mass awareness at every level,” he stated.

Putting emphasis on maintaining the timeline of all the projects, he pointed out that the utilization certificate should be furnished only after physical verification of the project. He said that the focus should be on timely completion of the projects but at the same time there should not be any compromise with the quality of work.

The Chief Minister asserted that the money meant for development should not be used elsewhere otherwise it will invite stringent action from the government.

“Generate jobs under MGNREGS work and accommodate as many migrant labourers as possible,” he said.

The Chief Minister further directed conservation of water in every possible way and said that there is an urgent need to revive and conserve natural water bodies, ponds and wells.

He said that the repair of roads should be undertaken at a war-footing after the rains are over.

He also directed officials to facilitate loaning to the entrepreneurs to set up MSME units and asked the districts to showcase, develop and market the products under ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) in an organized manner.

Divij Sharan exits French Open in opening round

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Divij Sharan exits French Open in opening round

India’s Divij Sharan and his South Korean partner Kwon Soon-woo bowed out of the ongoing French Open after suffering a hard-fought defeat in the opening round of the men’s doubles event.

On Wednesday, the unseeded pair of Sharan and Soon-woo lost 2-6, 6-4, 4-6 to the 16th seeded Croatian-American duo of Franko Skugor and Austin Krajicek to crash out of the clay court grand slam.

Last month at the US Open, Sharad had suffered a first-round exit when he, along with his Serbian men’s doubles partner Nikola Cacic, suffered a 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 defeat against Nikola Mektic and Wesley Koolhof.

Rohan Bopanna is now the only Indian left at the Roland Garros and along with his Canadian partner Denis Shapovalov, he is slated to begin his men’s doubles campaign against Jack Sock and Vasek Pospisil on Thursday.

India’s Covid tally over 63L, recoveries nearly 53L

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India’s Covid tally over 63L, recoveries nearly 53L

With a spike of 86,821 coronavirus cases and 1,181 deaths in 24 hours, India’s tally on Thursday mounted to 63,12,584 cases.

Out of the total cases, 9,40,705 are currently active, 52,73,201 have been discharged, while 98,678 lost the battle against the viral disease.

While the recovery rate stands at a whooping high of 83.53 per cent, the fatality rate has come down to 1.56 per cent, the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit with a total of 13,84,446 cases, including 36,662 deaths; followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

According to the data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India conducted 14,23,052 sample tests in a single day on Wednesday, taking the total number of samples tested so far to 7,56,19,781.

Rasika Dugal on ‘Delhi Crimes’ making International Emmys cut

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Rasika Dugal on ‘Delhi Crimes’ making International Emmys cut

The web series Delhi Crime has been nominated for International Emmy Awards 2020 and actress Rasika Dugal, who features in the hit show, feels it has won recognition by striking balance between being interesting and sensitive.

“I feel ‘Delhi Crime’ is a very sensitively and intelligently made project. I am really proud of working on it. I am thrilled that it’s getting the recognition that I feel it deserves,” Rasika, who played a cop in the series, told IANS.

The series is vying for honours at the International Emmys alongside shows from Argentina, Germany and the UK in the Best Drama Series category.

The first season of the show followed the story of the Nirbhaya rape case of 2012.

Asked what clicked with everyone, Rasika replied: “I think the case itself. The Nirbhaya rape case affected a lot of people very deeply. It was horrific and gruesome. As a society, we should not forget it. We should remember that we, as part of society, allowed a crime like this to happen.”

“Besides, it’s an engaging police procedural series. It’s made in a way that’s interesting yet sensitive, which is a very difficult balance to have,” she added.

She felt that the makers dealt with the subject with a lot of sensitivity.

“The director, editor and cinematographer were so well aligned. They dealt with the material with sensitivity. Even while watching it, I was moved by some of the choices they made. For example, it talks about a rape case, but you don’t see the act. It was a sensitive decision on the part of the director. When I watched the series for the first time, I felt honoured to be a part of it,” said Rasika.

The show will soon return with a new season, highlighting a different case.

Rasika did not reveal details about the case to be focussed, but shared that she has finished shooting for its second season.

Twitter removes 130 Iranian accounts trying to disrupt US polls

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Twitter removes 130 Iranian accounts trying to disrupt US polls

Twitter has purged 130 Iranian accounts that attempted to disrupt and manipulate the public conversation during the first 2020 US Presidential Debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Joe Biden.

Twitter said the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) provided them the information.

“Based on intel provided by the @FBI, last night we removed approximately 130 accounts that appeared to originate in Iran. They were attempting to disrupt the public conversation during the first 2020 US Presidential Debate,” the company said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Twitter plans to publish details about the removed accounts and their tweets on its Transparency website.

“They had very low engagement and did not make an impact on the public conversation,” the company informed.

“As standard, the accounts and their content will be published in full once our investigation is complete”.

Last month, Facebook and Twitter purged social media accounts for a news organisation called PeaceData that was linked to Russia’s state machinery after they received a tip from the FBI.

Twitter in July removed more than 7,000 accounts associated with the far-right conspiracy theory group QAnon, citing concerns about offline harm.

QAnon emerged in the US President Donald Trump era and its supporters believe that Trump is waging a hidden battle against a secretive elite known as the “Deep State”.

Google launches Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A 5G in select markets

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Google launches Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A 5G in select markets

Google has finally announced the Pixel 5 alongside the Pixel 4a 5G that is a 5G version of the Pixel 4a during its ‘Launch Night In event.

Both the new smartphones are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC, dual rear cameras as well as an 8MP selfie camera and features a hole-punch display design.

“Like all Pixel devices, security and safety are paramount in Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5. Both devices come with our TitanTM M security chip to help keep your on-device data safe and secure, and both phones will get three years of software and security updates,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

Google Pixel 5 will be available at $699, whereas the Google Pixel 4a 5G starts at $499.

Both smartphones will first be available in 5G markets — Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, the UK, and the US.

The Pixel 4a 5G will launch first in Japan on October 15, and begin rolling out in other countries from November, while the Pixel 5 will be available across all 9 countries from October 15.

The Pixel 5 features a 6-inch display with an FHD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset, one of the newest premium mid-range SoC released by the US chipmaker paired with an 8GB RAM on the 5 while there is a sole 128GB storage option.

The SD765G chipset is equipped with an X52 modem that enables 5G connectivity. Sub-6 is supported on all Pixel 5 versions, while in some countries it will also work on mmWave networks.

The device comes with a dual rear camera setup that includes a 12.2MP primary sensor and a 16MP secondary sensor. For selfies and video chats, the device features an 8MP snapper at the front.

The phone houses a 4,080mAh battery on the Pixel 5 that supports 18W fast charging.

The Pixel 4a 5G packs a 6.2-inch OLED screen which makes it bigger than the 4a. The phone only comes with the standard 60Hz refresh rate.

Under the hood, the phone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC, paired with 6GB of LPDDR4 RAM.

The Pixel 4a 5G comes with a dual rear camera setup that includes a 12.2MP primary sensor and a 16MP secondary sensor. For selfies, the Pixel 4a 5G features an 8MP shooter at the front.

The smartphone packs a slightly smaller 3,885mAH battery compared to the Pixel 5 but retains the 18W fast charging support.

Twitter rolls out voice tweets to more iOS users

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Twitter rolls out voice tweets to more iOS users

Twitter has expanded its new voice tweet feature to more iOS users that allows them to record an audio clip and send that via a tweet.

Voice tweets on the platform will come to Android and the web in 2021.

Twitter also has plans to add transcriptions to voice tweets to improve accessibility, reports The Verge.

Twitter last month said it’s planning to add automated captions to audio and video on the platform by early 2021, a feature that would help people with disabilities access the service in a much meaningful way.

It’s, however, unclear when transcriptions might be available in voice tweets.

Not just voice tweets, the micro-blogging platform is also experimenting with a new feature that will let users record and send voice messages via Direct Messages (DMs) to friends and family members on the platform.

Brazil will be the first country for the voice DMs test.

Alex Ackerman-Greenberg who is product manager for DMs at Twitter, said last month the company is going to test voice DMs soon.

Facebook and Instagram already have audio recording feature in DMs.

In June this year, Twitter rolled out a test for a limited number of iOS users in the US to record audio snippets and attach those to tweets.

The users will soon be able to post a 140-second long audio tweet, along with the 280 characters as text.

Audio can only be added to original tweets and the users can’t include those in replies or retweets with a comment.

People will see your voice Tweet appear on their timeline alongside other Tweets.

Twitter hopes that voice tweeting will create a more human experience for listeners and storytellers alike.

Facebook will reject ads that undermine legitimacy of US polls

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Facebook will reject ads that undermine legitimacy of US polls

After US President Donald Trump attacked the integrity of the upcoming election with false claims about voter fraud and mail-in ballots, Facebook has said it will not allow ads with content that seeks to delegitimise the outcome of an election.

Facebook updated its policies less than 24 hours after Trump, in a debate with the Democratic nominee Joseph R Biden Jr on Tuesday, refused to agree to accept the election outcome.

“Last week we said we’d prohibit ads that make premature declarations of victory. We also won’t allow ads with content that seeks to delegitimize the outcome of an election,” Facebook Product Manager Rob Leathern said in a tweet on Wednesday.

This would “include calling a method of voting inherently fraudulent or corrupt, or using isolated incidents of voter fraud to delegitimise the result of an election”, he added.

The new changes apply to ads across Facebook and Instagram with an immediate effect.

Earlier in September, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is going to block new political and issue ads during the final week of the campaign.

“It’s important that campaigns can run and get out the vote campaigns, and I generally believe the best antidote to bad speech is more speech, but in the final days of an election there may not be enough time to contest new claims,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

“So in the week before the election, we won’t accept new political or issue ads”.

Zuckerberg said they are going to extend the work with election officials to remove misinformation about voting.

“We already committed to partnering with state election authorities to identify and remove false claims about polling conditions in the last 72 hours of the campaign, but given that this election will include large amounts of early voting, we’re extending that period to begin now and continue through the election until we have a clear result”, the Facebook CEO informed.

70% of customers expect fair AI interactions from firms: Report

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70% of customers expect fair AI interactions from firms: Report

Even as deployment of a range of Artificial Intelligence technologies grows, about 70 per cent of customers expect organisations to provide AI interactions that are transparent and fair, according to a global report by Capgemini.

Discriminatory bias of AI systems and negative AI customer experiences come at a high cost for organisations.

However, the share of customers who believe organisations are being fully transparent about how they are using their personal data has fallen from 76 per cent in 2019 to 62 per cent today, said the report.

“AI is a transformational technology with the power to bring about far-reaching developments across the business, as well as society and the environment,” Anne-Laure Thieullent, Artificial Intelligence and Analytics Group Offer Leader at Capgemini, said in a statement.

“Instead of fearing the impacts of AI on humans and society, it is absolutely possible to direct AI towards actively fighting bias against minorities, even correcting human bias existing in our societies today.”

The research also showed that only 53 per cent of organisations have a leader who is responsible for ethics of AI systems.

Additionally, governance and accountability for AI, and deploying pragmatic tools and frameworks for AI systems to be developed and used, is coming at a high cost for organisations.

The report titled “AI and the ethical conundrum” noted that while organisations are more ethically aware, progress in implementing ethical AI has been inconsistent.

For example, nearly the same share of executives in 2019 said that they have taken steps on building “fairness” and “auditability” dimensions of their AI systems.

For the 2020 report data points, Capgemini conducted a global consumer and executive survey during April-May 2020.

The consumer survey polled 2,900 consumers in six countries, while the executive survey polled 884 executives from across 10 countries including India.

Capgemini also conducted in-depth interviews with a number of industry executives, academicians, and subject matter experts in the area of ethics in AI, during August-September 2020.

Chromecast with Google TV arrives in US for $50

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Chromecast with Google TV arrives in US for $50

Taking a cue from Apple TV, Google has introduced a new entertainment experience called Google TV that will be available first on the new Chromecast dongle beginning with the US.

The Chromecast with Google TV comes with a remote and plugs right into the TV’s HDMI port.

The dongle is available for $49.99 in the US and will reach more countries by the end of the year.

Google TV will also be available via the new Google TV app, which has started to roll out to Android mobile devices in the US as an update to the “Google Play Movies & TV” app.

Google TV is compatible with more than 6,500 apps built for Android TV OS so users can access favourites across gaming, fitness, education music and more.

“The support for Stadia (Cloud gaming service) is coming in the first half of 2021,” Shalini Govilpai, Senior Director, Google TV, said in a blog post on Wednesday.

“Google TV’s Watchlist gives you one easy place to bookmark movies and shows you want to save for later. You can even add to your Watchlist from Google Search on your phone or laptop, and it will be waiting on your TV when you get home,” she informed.

Live TV integration is available now with a YouTube TV membership in the US, which includes more than 85 channels, a DVR with unlimited storage space and more.

Starting in 2021, Google TV will also be available on televisions from Sony and other Android TV OS partners, the company announced.

Google TV will also be available on Nest Audio and new Pixels devices.

Vaani Kapoor is ‘grateful’ the film industry ‘is bouncing back’

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Vaani Kapoor is ‘grateful’ the film industry ‘is bouncing back’

Even as the government on Wednesday evening announced its decision to open cinema theatres in a phased manner, several film units have already started shooting amid the new normal.

Among units that are filming overseas is the Akshay Kumar-starrer “Bell Bottom”. The cast and crew have been shooting in Glasgow, Scotland. Actress Vaani Kapoor, who is paired opposite superstar Akshay in the film, says she is happy to see the industry bouncing back.

“Shooting for ‘Bell Bottom’ has been fun and a good experience. Despite the ongoing challenges amid the ongoing pandemic, the team managed to have a really smooth and safe shooting experience while filming with a large crew, for which they deserve all the credit,” said Vaani.

“We were made to feel safe on the sets because of their commitment to safety and hygiene,” she added.

Vaani is also gearing up to start shooting for Abhishek Kapoor’s untitled romantic drama opposite Ayushmann Khurrana.

“I’m looking forward to shooting with Ayushmann for this progressive love story that is being directed by Abhishek Kapoor. I couldn’t feel more grateful that my industry is slowly bouncing back.”

Covid-19 likely to be more lethal as winter approaches: Experts

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Covid-19 likely to be more lethal as winter approaches: Experts

With Covid-19 set to enter its ninth month in India after the country reported its first confirmed case in Kerala on January 30, there is a likelihood of increased transmission of the novel coronavirus virus during the winter months, health experts warned on Wednesday.

The novel coronavirus that has traversed winter, spring, summer, monsoon and now creating havoc in autumn has proven to be an all-season virus which is currently spreading rapidly in India.

With a spike of 80,472 coronavirus cases and 1,179 deaths in 24 hours, India’s tally on Wednesday surpassed the grim 62 lakh mark with a total of 62,25,763 cases.

“Based on our knowledge of other respiratory viruses, it may be possible that the coronavirus infections might rise in the coming winter months,” Dr Richa Sareen, Consultant, Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, told IANS.

“Most respiratory illnesses like SARS, influenza, etc show a seasonal variation, with cases spiking in winter months. Viruses tend to survive longer in a cold and dry climate,” she explained.

Furthermore, low humidity promotes evaporation of viral particles and aerosol formations, which can increase the airborne spread of disease.

According to Sareen, lack of sunshine in winters also depletes Vitamin D levels, thereby decreasing immunity, making us more susceptible to infections, including Covid-19.

“The effect of winters on Covid surge is yet to be seen, however wearing a proper mask, following hand hygiene and social distancing are the mainstay to prevent Covid-19 infection till the vaccine arrives,” she stressed.

On Tuesday, the key findings of the second round of sero-survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) suggested that India had 87 million Covid-19 patients by the end of August.

ICMR Director-General Balram Bhargava had said that one in 15 individuals was exposed to Covid-19 by August.

Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi told IANS: “Generally, flu-like diseases spread more during winters. Cold weather and humidity are favourable for the spread of the disease.”

However, the rise in the cases will be accelerated mainly because people are becoming less vigilant, mask use is down and mobility is up.

“Ramping up the testing for coronavirus, following social distancing rules strictly, and practicing respiratory and hand hygiene measures without any lackadaisical approach will be crucial during the winter months,” Chatterjee told IANS.

According to Praveen Gupta, Director and Head, Neurology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, respiratory symptoms, which are one of the main symptoms of Covid-19, are known to worsen in winter.

“There are chances of a spike in cases again if we do not take the necessary precautions,” Gupta noted.

Amitabh Bachchan: I am a pledged organ donor

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Amitabh Bachchan: I am a pledged organ donor

Amitabh Bachchan is a pledged organ donor and says he is bearing the giving of life to another.

Big B shared a picture from the sets of the reality quiz-based show “Kaun Banega Crorepati 12”, which he hosts. In the picture, the veteran wears a green ribbon pinned on his suit.

“The distinction of the wear of the GREEN ribbon .. I AM A PLEDGED ORGAN DONOR ! .. bearing the giving of life to another!” he wrote.

The cine icon, who recently battled Covid, also shared a picture where he is seen wearing a face mask on his way to work.

“Chale hum bhaiya, kaam pe, pahene Pangolin mask , pandrah ghante kaam karna hai, yehi hai apna task,” he expressed with a dash of instant poetry.

Yediyurappa hails acquittal of accused in Babri verdict

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Yediyurappa hails acquittal of accused in Babri verdict

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa hailed the acquittal of all the 32 accused in the Babri masjid demolition case by a Special CBI Court in Lucknow on Wednesday.

“Satyameva Jayate. I welcome the Special CBI Court verdict, acquitting all (the) accused, including our senior leaders L.K. Advani, Murali Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti and others in the case,” tweeted Yediyurappa soon after special judge S.K. Yadav in Lucknow gave the much-awaited judgement amid tight security.

The 16th century mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992 in Ayodhya by hundreds of right-wing activists, who believed it was built by Mughal emperor Babur in 1527 at the holy site where Hindu God Ram was born.

The ruling BJP’s state unit leaders and cadres also welcomed the verdict here and termed it as a divine justice for their leaders after 28 years of legal battle.

Ahead of the judgement, security was tightened and vigil stepped up across the southern state to prevent any untoward incident and maintain peace.

“As rightly pronounced by the judge, the demolition was not pre-planned but was the handiwork of anti-social elements who were among the ‘kar sevaks’,” a party leader told IANS here.

The 32 accused, who were charged with hatching a criminal conspiracy leading to the demolition of the mosque, were acquitted citing lack of evidence against them.

Moderna’s Covid vax shows promise in protecting older adults

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Moderna’s Covid vax shows promise in protecting older adults

US-based biotech company Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate has shown signs of working in older adults, new results from an early stage trial have revealed.

This study evaluated a two-dose vaccination schedule of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate mRNA-1273 given 28 days apart in 40 healthy adult participants across two dose levels — 25 and 100 microgram — in two age cohorts –ages 56-70 and ages 71+.

These results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that both the 25 microgram and 100 microgram dose levels were generally well-tolerated in both age cohorts, with no serious adverse events reported one month after the second dose.

“These interim Phase 1 data suggests that mRNA-1273, our vaccine candidate for the prevention of Covid-19, can generate neutralizing antibodies in older and elderly adults at levels comparable to those in younger adults,” Tal Zaks, Chief Medical Officer of Moderna, said in a statement.

“Given the increased morbidity and mortality of Covid-19 in older and elderly adults, these data give us optimism in demonstrating mRNA-1273’s protection in this population, which is being evaluated in the Phase 3 COVE study.”

Immune responses were dose-dependent with the 100 microgram dose eliciting higher binding and neutralising antibody titers, supporting the selection of the 100 microgram dose for further study in the Phase-3 trial.

The study was led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The most common solicited adverse events were headache, fatigue, myalgia, chills, and pain at the injection site, the majority of which were mild-to-moderate in severity and of self-limited duration, Moderna said.

The US government has agreed to purchase 100 million doses of mRNA-1273, with an option to purchase an additional 400 million doses.

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