Tax Devolution: Finance Commission advised to treat FY21, FY22 differently

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Tax Devolution: Finance Commission advised to treat FY21, FY22 differently

At a time when the Centre is facing difficulties to disburse GST compensation to states on the low revenue collection, the Economic Advisory Council of the 15th Finance Commission has advised the latter to treat the financial year 2020-21 and 2021-22 differently in comparison to the next four years.

The commission is to give recommendations for devolution of taxes and other fiscal matters over the next five years starting April 1, 2020.

An official statement said that during an online meeting of the advisory council with the commission, the council was of the view that the Finance Commission is faced with an “unprecedented situation of uncertainties”.

The council suggested that the 15th Finance Commission under the chairmanship of N. K. Singh will have to take a nuanced approach towards tax devolution to the states, other transfers, financing of expenditures in the midst of revenue strains including through borrowings and the path of fiscal consolidation.

“The Members of the Council also felt that the Commission will have to think unconventionally, especially in treating the five years at hand from 2021-22 to 2025-26. They advised that the base year 2020-21 and the first year of 2021-22 may need to be viewed differently from the remaining four years when the revenue situation is likely to improve gradually,” it said.

The meeting, chaired by N. K.Singh, was attended by all members of the Finance Commission and senior officials of the commission. From the Economic Advisory Council and the special invitees Arvind Virmani, Indira Rajaraman, D. K.Srivastava, M. Govinda Rao, Sudipto Mundle among others gave their views.

The commission will have a meeting with another set of distinguished scholars on Saturday to get their views.

The meeting on Friday discussed a wide gamut of issues around GDP growth, the tax buoyancy of the Centre and the states, GST compensation, and fiscal consolidation.

Specific issues relating to public expenditure on health, investment revival, recapitalization of the financial system and its impact on public finances, focus on strengthening of defense capabilities, emerging trends in GST collections, and its connection with improvements in its technology platform was also discussed.

The statement said that different views were expressed on the GDP growth in the current year in terms of the quarterly built-up, and the growth revival that is likely in the subsequent years.

The advisory council felt that the government debt relative to GDP is likely to increase steeply in the initial years, however, the purpose should be to endeavor to bring it down in the subsequent years.

In the initial years, this ratio will be affected by the increased revenue-expenditure imbalance on the numerator and the downward pressure on GDP on the numerator.

Akshay Kumar unveils FAU-G as India’s alternative to PUBG (Ld)

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Akshay Kumar unveils FAU-G as India’s alternative to PUBG (Ld)

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar on Friday announced a multi-player game titled ‘FAU-G: Fearless and United Guards’ that will support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ movement.

The game aims to provide an Indian alternative to PUBG Mobile that has been recently banned in India along with 117 more apps.

“Supporting PM @narendramodi’s AtmaNirbhar movement, proud to present an action game, Fearless And United-Guards FAU-G. Besides entertainment, players will also learn about the sacrifices of our soldiers. 20% of the net revenue generated will be donated to @BharatKeVeer Trust #FAUG,” Kumar said in a Facebook post.

The new PUBG alternative has been announced by the developer nCore Games and will be developed under the mentorship of Kumar.

The game is expected to based on real scenarios encountered by the Indian security forces to deal with both domestic and foreign threats and it will be available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

The government banned the multiplayer action game PUBG on September 2 and it has been pulled out from both Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India following the directive from the Indian government.

PUBG was banned on an order by the Ministry of Information and Technology (MeitY), which also banned 117 other popular apps from China over national security concerns.

In June, 59 apps were banned, including TikTok, and another 47 apps were suspended in July.

The PUBG game, which has more than 600 million downloads and 50 million active players globally, has millions of users, especially young, in India.

PUBG Mobile saw a global revenue gain of $1.3 billion (roughly Rs 9,731 crore) in the first half of this year, bringing its lifetime collection to $3 billion (nearly Rs 22,457 crore) with the highest number of downloads in India which ranks at the top with 175 million installs as people stayed home owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

IOC chartered on fire oil tanker towed away from Sri Lankan coast

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IOC chartered on fire oil tanker towed away from Sri Lankan coast

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) chartered huge oil tanker ‘New Diamond’, laden with about 3,00,000 tonne of Kuwaiti crude on fire, has been towed more than 35 nautical miles away from the Sri Lankan coast to safe waters, Indian Coast Guard said on Saturday.

The ship has been on fire since Thursday.

According to Coast Guard, with the coordinated efforts of the Sri Lankan ships and aircraft, the ALP Winger vessel successfully towed New Diamond more than 35 nautical miles away from the island nation’s coast.

The Indian coastal security agency added that the fire on-board of the very large crude carrier (VLCC) New Diamond is still on but on a reduced scale and there is no oil slick.

The fire was brought under control on Friday evening.

The 20-year old VLCC New Diamond, sailing under the Panama flag, was on fire since Thursday morning, about 37 nautical miles off the Sri Lankan coast and in the Sri Lankan Exclusive Economic Zone.

On Friday, the New Diamond’s Captain along with a Coast Guard officer and a sailor boarded the blazing oil tanker and assessed the towing and anchoring facilities of the massive vessel that was still blazing.

“The towing and anchoring facilities are in good condition for those activities. Where the vessel would be towed will be decided by the Central government,” a Coast Guard official had told IANS.

He also said the cargo pumping facility is also intact and the cargo area has not been affected.

According to him, the fire is on the vessel’s port side and there is not much heat on the deck. The fire in the crew accommodation area has been put out.

The Indian government has decided to deploy two emergency towing vessels to tow New Diamond.

The Coast Guard was working on a multi-pronged strategy to prevent an oil spill from the massive vessel, which would be a huge environmental disaster if it occurs.

The Coast Guard also said a two-meter crack has been observed near the port aft portion of New Diamond, 10 meters above the waterline.

“If the crack propagates, and there is every likelihood of that, but cannot be predicted, then the ship’s stability could be affected. A ship at a standstill is still subjected to tremendous stresses and could break and capsize,” M. Kalayanaraman, Technical Editor, Riviera Maritime Media, had told IANS.

Kalyanaraman also said if the fire is still raging, it means the availability of fuel for the blaze, which could be bunker oil.

A Coast Guard official, however, told IANS that the crack has not grown further.

As per www.marinetraffic.com, the New Diamond oil tanker departed from Mina Al Ahmadi on August 23 and was headed to India’s Paradip port.

The oil tanker was expected to reach Paradip in Odisha on September 5 where the IOC has a large refinery.

The Coast Guard said the Sri Lankan Navy had sought assistance to fight the fire and the explosion on board the New Diamond.

According to reports, another oil product tanker Helen M, sailing under the Panama flag, had reached the location of New Diamond for rescue after receiving a distress message. Helen M was sailing from Mangaluru to Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, officials of IOC remained silent and were not available for comment.

Google to launch Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G on September 25: Report

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Google to launch Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G on September 25: Report

Google is reportedly gearing up to launch Pixel 5 as well as Pixel 4a 5G smartphones on September 25 in Germany.

An internal document from the German branch of Vodafone suggests the Google Pixel 4a 5G and Google Pixel 5 may land in Germany on September 25. If that’s true, the general launch of the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G could be very soon, and likely on the same date reports Android Authority.

According to Jon Prosser, a reliable Apple insider, and serial leakster, the Pixel 5G will be announced in colors like black and green. The Pixel 4a 5G variant will be announced alongside in black color only.

The Google Pixel 5 recently appeared on AI Benchmark and the listing confirms that it is powered by the SD765G SoC.

The presence of the SD765G inside the device reveals that it will debut as the first 5G-ready Pixel phone.

The device will be the first Pixel phone to come with 8GB RAM. However, the AI Benchmark has no information on the other specs of the device.

The upcoming Pixel 5 smartphone is also expected to feature a larger 6.67-inch, 120Hz OLED panel.

Display analyst Ross Young claimed earlier this month that the next Pixel device will be sporting a 6.67-inch display supplied by Samsung and BOE and the screen would support a 120Hz refresh rate.

It will be the first Pixel phone to come with 8GB RAM.

The smartphone is likely to feature a modern punch-hole display, similar to the Pixel 4a.

It is expected to arrive with more premium features, IP water rating, and wireless charging support.

The recently announced Google Pixel 4a features a 5.81-inch OLED display and it is powered by Snapdragon 730 mobile platform. The phone comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB native storage.

Alert after carjacking at gunpoint in Punjab

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Alert after carjacking at gunpoint in Punjab

Punjab Police and security agencies in neighboring states have launched a manhunt after a carjacking incident at gunpoint by three men in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, police said on Saturday.

Three motorcycle-borne miscreants stopped a white-colored Verna car near the Bariar bypass, fired shots into the air, and snatched the vehicle on Friday evening, a senior police official told IANS.

He, however, ruled out the possibility of a terror angle to the incident even though the whole district has been put on high alert.

The Director-General of Police in Punjab in a letter to his counterparts in Jammu and Himachal Pradesh asked them to step up the security.

Security agencies were taking the incident seriously in view of two major terrorist strikes in the area in recent years.

Terrorists from Pakistan had attacked the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Punjab’s Pathankot in 2016 and Dinanagar town in neighboring Gurdaspur district in 2015.

Samsung top tablet vendor in Europe, Middle East & Africa in Q2

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Samsung top tablet vendor in Europe, Middle East & Africa in Q2

Samsung Electronics was the top vendor in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) tablet market in the second quarter of the year, as its tablet shipments increased nearly 70 percent from a year ago.

According to industry researcher International Data Corp. (IDC), Samsung shipped 3.37 million tablets in the EMEA market in the April-June period to take a 28.3 percent market share, up 7.6 percent points from a year earlier, reports Yonhap news agency.

“Samsung retained the lead in EMEA, with a solid performance across the whole region, particularly through large deployments in some developing economies,” IDC said.

Apple Inc. fell to second place, as its market share dropped to 21.5 percent, down from 25 percent a year ago, after it shipped 2.56 million iPads.

China’s Huawei Technologies Co. came in third with a market share of 15 percent, followed by Lenovo Group Ltd. with 12.1 percent and Amazon.com Inc. with 3.8 percent, IDC data showed.

The EMEA tablet market in the second quarter grew 23.8 percent on-year, with total shipments reaching 11.9 million units, according to IDC, posting its largest growth since 2013.

“The spike in consumer demand for tablets was driven by the lack of notebooks in the market,” said Stefania Lorenz at IDC. “In fact, tablets were not expected to be the first choice for home-schooling or home-working, but younger students and children were equipped with tablets instead of notebooks.”

IDC said the EMEA tablet market is expected to increase 10.9 percent on-year in the third quarter of 2020 and close the year with 3.7 percent on-year growth.

Sushant Singh Rajput’s sister: Great start NCB

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Sushant Singh Rajput’s sister: Great start NCB

Shweta Singh Kirti, sister of Sushant Singh Rajput, has applauded the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for its action in the ongoing probe, raiding a number of locations including the residence of Showik Chakraborty.

Showik along with his sister, the late Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, and their parents, have been accused of abetment to the actor’s suicide, among other charges, in an FIR filed earlier by Sushant’s family. The NCB is investigating Sushant’s death along with the CBI and enforcement Directorate (ED).

“Good going NCB… Thank You, God. #GreatStartNCB,” Shweta wrote on her Twitter handle.

On Friday, the NCB carried out raids at a number of locations here, including at the homes of Showik Chakraborty and the late actor’s house manager Samuel Miranda. The NCB also took Showik and Miranda for questioning at its office after conducting searches for two hours.

NCB Deputy Director KPS Malhotra told the media that the homes of Showik were being searched, but declined to elaborate.

On June 14, Sushant was found dead in his home in Mumbai. At that time, Mumbai Police had concluded it was a case of suicide and investigated reasons that might have caused Sushant to end his life.

Many conflicting theories have emerged since then, adding to the mystery. Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her family have been accused by the late actor’s father KK Singh of abetting his son’s suicide, among other charges. Now, there is a drug angle to it.

Nearly 1,000 flights in Canada carried Covid-19 cases since Feb

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Nearly 1,000 flights in Canada carried Covid-19 cases since Feb

Nearly 1,000 flights in Canada have carried at least one coronavirus-positive passenger since February, according to local media.

More than 370 domestic flights and nearly 600 international flights had at least one passenger who tested positive for the virus, Xinhua news agency quoted CTV as saying in a report on Thursday.

From February 4 to August 24 this year, 973 flights in total flew into or within Canada with infected passengers on board.

The last flight known to carry a Covid-19 case arrived in Toronto on Sunday from Edmonton in Alberta province.

Also on Thursday, Transport Minister Marc Garneau said the government is taking a very serious and layered approach to minimize the risk of passengers bringing the novel coronavirus into Canada.

“Those measures include when somebody is traveling from abroad … screening questions, temperature measurements, the fact that they must wear masks,” Garneau said.

“All of those are measures that are designed to minimize the possibility of bringing anybody who’s infected into the country and then transmitting it while they’re on the aircraft,” the Minister added.

A total of 129,923 Covid-19 cases have been reported nationwide with 9,135 deaths, the Public Health Agency of Canada said.

Labs across Canada tested a daily average of 46,000 people over the past week with 0.9 percent of them testing positive.

A daily average of 501 new cases have been reported during the last seven days, said the agency.

This no small case: SC denies bail to Sajjan in ’84 riots case

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This no small case: SC denies bail to Sajjan in ’84 riots case

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to grant bail to former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian said the appeal against conviction will be heard after the top court resumes physical hearing.

“This isn’t a small case,” observed the bench, as it rejected Kumar’s bail plea citing medical grounds.

The top court also declined to allow him to remain in the hospital noting that his medical reports establish he does not need hospitalization.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Kumar, submitted before the bench to consider the bail plea on the merits as the High Court verdict was faulty. Singh argued that the witnesses’ deposition was reversed in the trial court and High Court.

The bench said that bail cannot be granted, adding that neither the argument of faulty judgment of the High Court justifies it nor he needs hospitalization. Senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, representing victims, opposed Singh’s arguments stating that Kumar is getting adequate attention in connection with his health.

In May, the top court had refused to grant bail to Kumar stating that his medical report from AIIMS has no ground for hospitalization. In March, the top court had directed Kumar to appear before an AIIMS Board, which would determine whether he needed hospitalization.

OnePlus 8T with 120Hz AMOLED display may arrive next month

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OnePlus 8T with 120Hz AMOLED display may arrive next month

OnePlus is planning to unveil OnePlus 8T in the first week of October with OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 and 120Hz refresh rate.

The device is codenamed ‘Kebab’ and will feature a 6.55-inch AMOLED display just like the regular OnePlus 8 but with a 120Hz refresh rate, reports Android Central.

The smartphone is expected to come with four cameras at the back, with a 48MP primary lens joined by a 16MP wide-angle module, 5MP macro, and 2MP portrait lens, according to the report.

In terms of processor, the smartphone is likely to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus chip with 8GB RAM, 128GB internal storage.

In addition, OnePlus is also planning to unveil another device with Snapdragon 662 or 665 chip for a price tag between Rs 16,000-Rs 18,000.

While OPPO is expected to launch a phone with Snapdragon 662 chipset this month under Rs 20,000, OnePlus is expected to follow suit at the end of September with its own phone in a similar range and specifications.

The Snapdragon 662 is an octa-core chipset that sits barely below the Snapdragon 665 processor.

TV star Shamin Mannan: Heart-wrenching to not have clarity on Sushant’s demise

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TV star Shamin Mannan: Heart-wrenching to not have clarity on Sushant’s demise

Actress Shamin Mannan says she was always inspired by Sushant Singh Rajput and that it is heart-wrenching to not have clarity regarding his mysterious death.

Sushant was found dead at his Bandra home on June 14, and the cause of death is currently under investigation by the CBI.

Soon after the actor’s death, it was said that he was suffering from depression. Shamin feels that people should avoid talking about his mental health and lifestyle, and instead remember him as the successful actor that he was.

“Although I didn’t know Sushant personally, I have been following Sushant’s case since day one and have been awaiting a justified closure just like the whole country. With so many different theories and speculations around his mysterious death, it is heart-wrenching to not have any clarity even after two months,” said the “Ram Pyaare Sirf Humare” actress.

“Sushant achieved all the success in his life relying on sheer talent and hard work, and one should refrain from speculating anything wrong about his lifestyle or mental health condition and remember him just as the success story that he was. I don’t know if he was depressed, but I wish people don’t demean depression as a taboo disease and understand that depression doesn’t make you a weaker person,” she added.

She also mentioned that the late actor was an inspiration for her and said: “Sushant has been a role model for so many actors like me. His career graph personally inspired me to work hard towards my goal. He seemed so motivated in his career, and at the same time, he was so intelligent with so much knowledge about everything, not just limited to acting. He was not just an actor, he was much more than that.”

“I have followed his journey from ‘Pavitra Rishta’. His transition from TV to Bollywood was exemplary. He had a flourishing and inspiring career. It is disheartening to read so much stuff about him. I just wish that the CBI comes out with the truth soon,” she added.

Shamin concluded by saying that Sushant’s family deserves justice.

“Be it a murder or suicide, Sushant and his family deserve justice and respect. There are too many questions yet to be answered. Having faith in the system and the CBI, I believe the truth will come out sooner or later and justice will prevail,” said the actress.

ISL: New Hyderabad FC coach Marquez ready to thrive under pressure

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ISL: New Hyderabad FC coach Marquez ready to thrive under pressure

He has big shoes to fill but Hyderabad FC’s new coach Manuel Marquez is ready to take the challenge head-on and feels the pressure to perform can bring out the best in him and his side when they take the field in the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL).

Former UD Las Palmas coach Marquez was appointed in a hurry after Hyderabad’s preparation for the season was disrupted by Albert Roca’s decision to vacate the role of the head coach and become FC Barcelona first team’s new fitness coach after he was offered the job by the Catalan giants.

“When you arrive at a new club, it’s always a big responsibility. We are used to taking over as the new head coach two months before the beginning of the Championship in Spain. In this case, it is quite challenging too. But I know what this project at Hyderabad is exactly and so we are prepared for the season,” Marquez told IANS in an interview on Friday.

The newbies of Indian football finished rock-bottom in their debut season last time, managing only 10 points from 18 matches. Since then, the team management joined hands with German football giants Borussia Dortmund (BVB) last month in a bid to strengthen their academy structure as well as guiding the club’s coaches on coaching education.

Asked if there will be pressure on the 51-year-old replacing Roca who will now be part of Barcelona’s first-team coaching staff and has also tasted success in Indian football, Marquez said: “I like the pressure. If you have pressure, it means that you are in for a great challenge and I’m sure that our work will be good. We’ll put in a lot of passion and we want our fans to be proud of us. For me, one of the key aspects is that all the people, the fans, players, staff, and the board have to go in the same direction.”

Roca guided Bengaluru FC to a historic AFC Cup final in 2016 and also helped the ISL side reach the final of the league.

At Hyderabad FC, Roca handpicked the players before his switch to Barcelona.

“Yes, Albert chose the players, but they are really good players and all the coaches want these kinds of players in their team,” said Marquez who has worked with a number of top La Liga coaches, including current CD Leganes manager Javier Aguirre and former Barcelona and Real Betis coach Quique Setien.

“I know all the staff as well, and Xavi (Gurri) the assistant coach has been with the team in the ISL last season. For me, I will have to surely adapt to India, the habits, the players, etc. But this is the same that happens in every team even in Spain.

“When you look at it, it’s not the same to train in Espanyol (Barcelona) and then in Las Palmas (Canary Islands) or even in Croatia. I am sure that we will enjoy this experience and the season will be very good. The only thing that is different this year and season is the coronavirus pandemic, unfortunately. But this problem is present in the entire world, not only in India and we have to learn to co-exist with it.”

Marquez further said ISL is very popular in Spain.

“Firstly, I want to say that ISL is very famous in my country. There are a lot of Spanish players in ISL and in the I-League too. I am a part of it now. It means that I am a professional and I have to know the maximum things about the teams, their players, the facilities, the stadiums, and I am happy because the club is helping me in all the ways.”

Nivetha on talent exchange between film industries: It is cultural integration

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Nivetha on talent exchange between film industries: It is cultural integration

South star Nivetha Thomas is happy with the talent exchange happening within film industries in the country.

Several actors from film industries down South including Prabhas, Vijay Deverakonda, Dhanush, Sudheer Babu have forayed Bollywood lately, or are set to do so, even as a huge list of Bollywood stars, including Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan among many others have worked in the south Indian film industries.

Nivetha she welcomes such talent exchange. “It is cultural integration. I welcome it with open arms. At the end of the day when we are talking about it from the broader front. It is great to have people from across regions working together,” she told IANS.

The actress added: “It is like an exchange of different ideologies, practices, and methods because when I was for the first time with a Bombay team, I got to learn a lot of stuff I didn’t know.”

Nivetha agrees that there is a lot of “give and take” but as long it is healthy, it is amazing.

“At the end of the day, you can’t set formula to this. Just because you want to work with different people you can’t have them there. You only have to do what the film requires and if that character requires somebody who will do justice, forget the region. Take the actor who does justice to the role,” she said.

“I think it is really healthy and I love it because I was welcomed with open arms whether it was in Tamil or in Telugu (films). So, why would I be indifferent to anybody else experiencing the same?” she asked.

Nivetha currently awaits the release of her upcoming film “V” starring Telugu stars Nani and Sudheer Babu. The action-thriller is set to release on Amazon Prime Video on September 5.

Want to be as good as Manpreet in coming years, says Hardik

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Want to be as good as Manpreet in coming years, says Hardik

Indian men’s hockey midfielder Hardik Singh has so far played only 37 matches for the senior team, but he has already been part of some crucial victories for the national side.

The 21-year-old played an important role in the gold medal-winning campaign at the FIH Men’s Series Finals 2019 and was also part of the Indian team which defeated Russia in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers last year. The midfielder has expressed that he is looking to become a much more evolved player in the next year.

“The days leading up to the Olympics are going to be very crucial for all of us. I am very happy about the fact that I could perform for the team at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, however, I am very determined to become a much more evolved player and become a regular member of the Indian team for the Olympics. I have been working on my game in whatever capacity I can in the last few months and I am sure that my hard work will pay off one day,” said Hardik.

Hardik added that he finds himself in a very fortunate situation to be playing alongside captain Manpreet Singh in the midfield region.

“We have some wonderful players in the midfield who ensure that the communication between the forwards and the defenders are intact. We are the bridge between the forwards and defenders and I am very fortunate to be playing alongside someone like Manpreet Singh, who gives everything he has in any match he plays for India. He covers the entire ground brilliantly and I hope I can be as good as him in the upcoming years,” said the 21-year-old.

It hasn’t been an easy journey for the youngster. In 2017, the midfielder was on the verge of giving up his dream of playing for India.

“I went from the sub-junior level to the senior level at a good pace after I joined the Mohali Hockey Academy as a 14-year-old. However, after a few years, I found myself in a situation where I lost confidence about being a regular player in the Indian squad.

“I thought about going to the Netherlands in 2017 to play club hockey there. But then my uncle Jugraj Singh convinced me that I should continue working hard and I will be a regular player in the Indian squad. Thankfully, I stayed back and I have been lucky to play in big tournaments like the World Cup in 2018,” said the midfielder.

Vitamin D deficiency may raise risk of getting Covid-19

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Vitamin D deficiency may raise risk of getting Covid-19

In a fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, new research adds to the growing body of evidence that vitamin D deficiency may raise the risk of getting novel coronavirus.

Vitamin D is a hormone, produced in the skin during exposure to sunlight, and helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.

In a retrospective study of patients tested for Covid-19, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, the researchers found an association between vitamin D deficiency and the likelihood of becoming infected with the coronavirus.

“Vitamin D is important to the function of the immune system and vitamin D supplements have previously been shown to lower the risk of viral respiratory tract infections,” said study lead author David Meltzer from the University of Chicago (UChicago) in the US.

“Our statistical analysis suggests this may be true for the Covid-19 infection,” Meltzer added.

For the study, the research team looked at 489 UChicago Medicine patients whose vitamin D level was measured within a year before being tested for Covid-19.

The findings showed that patients who had vitamin D deficiency, that was not treated, were almost twice as likely to test positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus compared to patients who had sufficient levels of the vitamin.

“Half of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, with much higher rates seen in African Americans, Hispanics and individuals living in areas like Chicago where it is difficult to get enough sun exposure in winter,” the researchers wrote.

“Understanding whether treating Vitamin D deficiency changes Covid-19 risk could be of great importance locally, nationally, and globally,” Meltzer said.

Vitamin D is inexpensive, generally very safe to take, and can be widely scaled.

The research team emphasized the importance of experimental studies to determine whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk, and potential severity, of Covid-19.

They also highlight the need for studies of what strategies for vitamin D supplementation may be most appropriate in specific populations. They have initiated several clinical trials at UChicago Medicine and with partners locally.

Earlier, another study published in the journal FEBS, found that low levels of Vitamin D in the blood are associated with an increased risk of Covid-19 infection.

Facebook rolls out TikTok rival Instagram Reels in India

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Facebook rolls out TikTok rival Instagram Reels in India

As millions of Indians scout for new platforms to unleash their creativity in the absence of Chinese TikTok, Facebook on Friday launched its short video making app Instagram Reels first in India.

The Reels Tab is a new tab in the navigation bar which will replace the Explore tab on Instagram.

With Reels, one can record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools.

The photo-sharing platform started testing Reels on Instagram earlier this month.

“We’re expanding this test in India to most of the country. India is the first market we’re launching in due to the interest and creativity we’ve seen. We’re hoping this tab makes it easier for people to see and enjoy Reels,” said Manish Chopra, Director, and Head of Partnerships, Facebook India.

Reels will no longer be in a unit in Explore.

The tab will only show Reels and will have an immersive auto-playing video, a creation entry point that opens to the Reels camera, and a sound on by default with a tap to toggle on/off, Instagram said.

The Explore tab can be accessed at the top right of your Feed-in Instagram.

“The dedicated Reels tab will help people discover new creators more easily”.

After the departure of Tik Tok, Instagram Reels became the most popular app for young Indians as seen in 10 (18-29 age group) said they would like to use Reels as a platform for video sharing.

Nearly two-thirds of urban Indians (65 percent) said they are likely to turn to alternatives or start using video apps that are either Indian or non-Chinese in origin, according to data provided by YouGov, Internet-based market research and data analytics firm.

Nearly 68 percent of TikTok content creators said they are likely to switch to Indian or non-Chinese versions of video sharing apps.

On being presented with a list of alternatives, Instagram Reels topped the list of apps most likely to be used by people in the future.

Amid uncertainties surrounding TikTok’s business in the US, Facebook last month introduced Instagram Reels in the US.

Reels can be recorded in a series of clips — one at a time, all at once, or using video uploads from your gallery.

Karnataka BJP MLA Guttedar tests Covid positive

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Karnataka BJP MLA Guttedar tests Covid positive

Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislator Subhash Guttedar from the Aland Assembly segment in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district tested COVID positive and was admitted in a private hospital, an official said on Friday.

“As Guttedar tested positive, he is under treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru since Thursday. He is asymptomatic and better,” his secretary told IANS here.

Aland is about 650km north of Bengaluru in the southern state.

Guttedar’s relative and former Afzalpur Legislator Malikayya Guttedar is also in a private hospital in the city after he was infected with the virus on Thursday.

In a related development, Bidar Deputy Commissioner R. Ramachandran is under home quarantine after he tested positive for Covid-19.

“Ramachandran, an IAS officer, is working from home in Bidar since Thursday after he tested positive for the virus. As he is asymptomatic, he is at home in isolation,” his secretary told IANS on phone.

Bidar is 675km north of the state capital (Bengaluru).

“As Ramachandran was having fever since Tuesday, he underwent a Covid-19 test, which turned positive. He is being treated at home by doctors of the state-run Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences,” the official added.

Paytm trims losses by 40%, revenue hits Rs 3,629 crore in FY20

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Paytm trims losses by 40%, revenue hits Rs 3,629 crore in FY20

Digital payments major Paytm on Friday said its revenue for the fiscal year ended on March 31 increased to Rs 3,629 crore with a 40 percent decline in losses.

Paytm said that expanding its financial services with lending, wealth management, and insurance offerings opened up new revenue streams for the company.

“We are on the path to empowering millions of Indians with digital financial services that would play a key role in building Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Madhur Deora, President – Paytm, said in a statement.

“We are also investing heavily in building digital services for our merchant partners so that they can benefit from technology and financial inclusion.”

The homegrown financial services platform said its Android-based point of sale system (POS) devices have also been gaining traction among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Kirana stores, and getting adopted rapidly.

Over 17 million merchant partners benefiting from its payment and financial services, according to the company which have launched a slew of merchant focused products such as Paytm for Business app, Soundbox, Business Khata, and Payout services, among others.

The company is also working towards becoming a dominant digital financial services platform with Paytm Postpaid, Paytm Money & Paytm Insurance services contributing an increased turnover in the coming fiscal years.

It recently launched Stock Trading on its online investment and wealth management platform Paytm Money.

The company said that it is in the process of hiring over 1,000 engineers, data scientists, financial analysts among other positions for tech and non-tech roles.

For TikTok, losing India market tough but US holds the key

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For TikTok, losing India market tough but US holds the key

Although TikTok has lost its biggest market in terms of users in India after the ban, the damage is not as hard as it would be to lose the US market, according to market research firm Forrester.

According to Xiaofeng Wang, Senior Analyst, the US is TikTok’s second-largest market after India in terms of downloads. While TikTok has nearly 120 million users in India, it has about 100 million in the US.

“But in terms of monetization, the US market is significantly more important than India,” she said in a statement.

According to Forrester analytics, social media advertising spending in 2020 will reach $37.374 billion in the US and only $1.673 billion in India.

TikTok business sales talk in the US has once again hit the roadblock after China’s update of the technology export rules. The update covers Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies used by ByteDance, the Chinese firm that owns TikTok.

People often compare the US government’s handling of TikTok with the Facebook and Google situation in China. But these are two very different situations.

“Facebook and Google made their own decisions not to comply with the Chinese government’s data censorship regulation that is the prerequisite to operating in China.

“While TikTok is willing to and has so far complied with relevant regulations in the US, the US government still doesn’t allow it to operate in the country unless it changes hands from being a Chinese company,” Wang said in a Forrester report.

However, the US move will discourage Chinese and possibly other foreign companies to invest in that country because it has lost its charm as a fair business environment.

“On the other hand, countries like Singapore have been enforcing a neutral position as an independent market that provides a fair business and investment environment, which could make it more attractive to Chinese and other foreign companies and investors,” she emphasized.

TikTok is currently under pressure from the Donald Trump administration to sell its US operations quickly or face an effective ban.

While Walmart entered into the fray in partnership with Microsoft, Oracle is another top contender for the deal.

“From a pure business perspective, its parent company ByteDance doesn’t have any reason to sell it. It would make more sense to aim for an IPO. However, geopolitics has created this rare opportunity for Microsoft, Twitter, Oracle, or any other company that wants to acquire TikTok,” she elaborated.

It would help them expand their user base from working professionals to young consumers (especially teenagers) or from B2B businesses to general consumers focused on pop culture and entertainment.

TikTok is already a strong competitor to Facebook today.

“If the new parent company could successfully carry on TikTok’s momentum in attracting young consumers and content creators/influencers, it’s possible that this would make it a third important digital ecosystem to brands beyond Facebook and Google and would definitely take a share of marketers’ advertising dollars from the two platforms,” Wang said.

PUBG Mobile, Lite version taken down from Google, Apple app stores

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PUBG Mobile, Lite version taken down from Google, Apple app stores

The popular mobile game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile along with the lighter version of the game have been pulled out from both Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India following the directive from the Indian government.

PUBG Mobile is no longer available to download for Android and iOS users in the country.

However, the game can still be played for users who have it installed on their smartphones sans updates.

It is still unclear whether PUBG lovers will be able to use a VPN (a virtual private network) and access the game like with TikTok. However, the government banned 2 VPN networks to access the Chinese short-video making app in the fresh app ban list.

PUBG was banned on an order by the Ministry of Information and Technology (MeitY), which also banned 117 other popular apps from China over national security concerns.

In June, 59 apps were banned including TikTok, and another 47 apps were suspended in July.

The PUBG game, which has more than 600 million downloads and 50 million active players globally, has millions of users, especially young, in India.

PUBG Mobile saw a global revenue gain of $1.3 billion (roughly Rs 9,731 crore) in the first half of this year, bringing its lifetime collection to $3 billion (nearly Rs 22,457 crore) with the highest number of downloads in India which ranks at the top with 175 million installs as people stayed home owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

PUBG was not banned in India earlier as it is not entirely Chinese. The game has been created and managed by Bluehole which is a South Korean organization.

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