ASUS unveils laptops with Intel 11th Gen Core chips

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ASUS unveils laptops with Intel 11th Gen Core chips

Taiwanese company ASUS has announced the first-ever lineup of laptops featuring the new Intel 11th Generation Intel Core processors including a laptop that has been verified on the Intel Evo platform laptop design.

Equipped with the Intel 11th Gen chips and ‘Iris Xe’ graphics, the latest ASUS laptops break the boundaries of performance for thin and light laptops and empower users with ultimate experiences in productivity, creativity, gaming, entertainment, and collaboration, the company said in a statement late on Wednesday.

An integrated Intel WiFi 6 and Thunderbolt 4 provide fast, reliable connectivity.

New ‘Iris Xe’ graphics deliver discrete-level graphics performance for next-generation media experiences.

“By empowering users with the latest display, audio, software and network connection technology, ASUS delivers incredible innovations and changes the way users relate to their devices,” ASUS co-CEO Samson Hu said at the ‘Built for Brilliance’ virtual launch event.

ZenBook Flip S which is touted as the world’s thinnest OLED convertible laptop is the first ASUS laptop to be verified on the Intel Evo platform.

Other laptops in the 2020 lineup are targeted for verification, pending further tuning and testing.

Laptops with Intel Evo verification bring together the perfect combination of premium performance and responsiveness, efficient battery usage and stunning visuals.

“ASUS has a great lineup of laptops with Intel Core processor technology and experiential innovations we’ve achieved together through Project Athena including ASUS’ first Intel Evo platform verified design, ASUS Zenbook Flip S,” said Chris Walker, corporate vice president, Mobile Computing Platforms, Intel.

The new PC lineup is also powered by Microsoft Windows to provide an intuitive and user-friendly experience, the company said.

The laptops include ZenBook Flip S, ZenBook S, ZenBook 14, ZenBook 14 Ultralight and ZenBook Pro 15.

Hotel, tourism sector returning back to normal

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Hotel, tourism sector returning back to normal

The hospitality and tourism businesses that were most affected by the corona are now returning back to normal and is expected to further improve after the relaxations given in the Unlock 4 guidelines.

Despite tourists returning back to hotels, resorts, and hill stations gradually, experts feel that it will take around two to three years for these sectors to be fully back on track.

Former ITC CEO and advisor to the Tourism and Hospitality National Committee of CII, Deepak Haksar told IANS that tourists have started going for outings which have led to the improvement in the tourism and hospitality sector.

He said, “There has been an increase in the number of tourists opting for domestic leisure travel. They have started visiting places Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, etc. which has increased the demand for hotels and resorts in these places. As of now, the industry will have to depend on domestic tourists only as international tourists are still restricted from traveling.”

Haksar said that the hotel business in India is driven by the demand of business travelers and tourists. Apart from this, the business also depends on meetings, conventions, and events that are still under restrictions so the sector will still take time to revive.

The government has allowed organizing social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, and political events from September 21 under the process of Unlock 4, however, the number of people gathering should not exceed 100.

Hotel Association of India Vice President and Emeritus Chairman of Radisson Group of Hotels, South Asia, K.B. Kachroo said the situation has improved during Unlock 3 and 4 as tourists are increasing. The occupancy in big hotels was eight to nine percent before Unlock 1 while it has now gone up to 30-35 percent and in some of the hotels it has even gone up to 60 percent.

Talking about the loss in which the tourism and hospitality sector suffered due to corona, Kachroo said the revenue will fall short by about 50 percent in 2020-21 as compared to the previous year.

Haksar said that the tourism and hospitality sector is expected to revive by 2022-23 as it has already suffered a loss of around Rs 10 lakh crore in the current fiscal.

The hotel industry has also demanded for relief from the government. Kachroo said, “This sector has been worst affected by the corona pandemic, so the government should announce some relief. If the government doesn’t extend help for the sector, it won’t be able to revive.”

Dow jumps over 450 points, best gain since mid-July

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Dow jumps over 450 points, best gain since mid-July

US equities finished noticeably higher, with the Dow jumping more than 450 points on its best day since mid-July.

On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 454.84 points, or 1.59 percent, to 29,100.50, marking its best single-day rise since July 14. It was also the first close above 29,000 since February for the blue-chip index, Xinhua news agency reported.

The S&P 500 rose 54.19 points, or 1.54 percent, to 3,580.84. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 116.78 points, or 0.98 percent, to 12,056.44.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq both wrapped up the session at records, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq topping the 12,000 thresholds for the first time.

Ten of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors closed higher, with utilities and materials up 3.12 percent and 2.28 percent, respectively, outpacing the rest. Energy dipped 0.42 per cent, the lone declining group.

The moves came despite data showing US companies added fewer jobs than expected last month.

US private-sector companies added 428,000 jobs in August, payroll data company Automatic Data Processing (ADP) reported on Wednesday. Wall Street economists had forecast an increase of 1 million private-sector jobs, according to Econoday.

“The August job postings demonstrate a slow recovery,” said Ahu Yildirmaz, vice president and co-head of the ADP Research Institute, adding “businesses across all sizes and sectors have yet to come close to their pre-COVID-19 employment levels.”

US-listed Chinese companies traded mostly lower, with six of the top 10 stocks by weight in the S&P US Listed China 50 index ending the day on a downbeat note.

Agra region reports surge in Covid-19 cases

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Agra region reports surge in Covid-19 cases

As the pace of daily testing picks momentum, the number of Covid-19 cases too is showing an upward trend in the Agra region.

In the past 24 hours, Agra reported 71 positive cases, Mathura 114, Firozabad 50, Etah 35, Mainpuri 30, and Kasganj 26.

In Agra, the total number of samples collected is 1,22,638. In the past 24 hours, 2,572 samples were taken. The number of positive cases stands at 3,071, while the total discharged is 2,444.

A total of 107 patients have succumbed to the disease. The recovery rate is 81.37 per cent and the sample positivity rate is 2.48 per cent. The total number of active cases was 490 till Thursday morning.

District authorities announced that the postponed Sero Survey will now start from Friday and continue for three days. Ten teams will be stationed at 45 spots to collect a total of 1,080 samples which will be sent to the ICMR.

The railways have announced half a dozen new trains from Friday. The Agra-Lucknow Intercity will commence from the Agra Cantt railway station. This will be particularly beneficial to students appearing for various examinations. Agra University has announced its decision to reopen from Thursday.

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for the screening of visitors to various government offices. No one would be permitted entry without a mask. The premises are to be regularly sanitized.

Meanwhile, the National Chamber of Industries and Commerce, Agra chapter, has demanded the early reopening of the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort, to bring back on rails the dented hospitality sector. Smaller monuments are now open and domestic tourists are visiting them. The main attraction is the Mehtab Bagh at the rear of the Taj Mahal across the river Yamuna. People can enjoy a grand view of the Taj Mahal from this point.

Google unveils research institute to explore human-AI interaction

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Google unveils research institute to explore human-AI interaction

Google has announced a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) institute research that will support work on the interaction between people and AI — like speech, written language, visuals, and gestures — and how to make these interactions more effective.

The National AI Research Institute for Human-AI Interaction and Collaboration has been formed in partnership with the US National Science Foundation (NSF).

Google will provide $5 million in funding to support the institute.

“We will also offer AI expertise, research collaborations, and Cloud support for Institute researchers and educators as they advance knowledge and progress in the field of AI,” the tech giant said in a statement on Wednesday.

The research, tools and techniques from the institute will be developed with human-centered principles in mind: social benefit, inclusive design, safety and robustness, privacy, and high standards of scientific excellence, consistent with the Google AI Principles.

Google said that research projects will engage a diverse set of experts, educate the next generation and promote workforce development, and broaden participation from underrepresented groups and institutions across the country.

All research outcomes will be published to advance knowledge and progress in the field.

Google has been working in this area over the last several years.

Studies have shown that humans and AI systems operating together can make smarter decisions than either acting alone.

“In the past few years we’ve seen the increasing use of AI to support people and their decision making in sectors like medicine, education, transportation, and agriculture,” Google said.

“People and AI systems shape each other, and in order to realize the full potential of AI for social benefit, positive and productive human-AI interaction and collaboration are critical”.

Bengaluru metro to run again from September 7

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Bengaluru metro to run again from September 7

Metro rail services in Bengaluru would resume, in phases, from September 7, adhering to the guidelines to contain coronavirus, a top official said on Wednesday.

“The metro service will resume in phases on the east-west and north-south corridors, as per the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs,” said Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd Managing Director Ajay Seth.

In the first phase from September 7, the 6-coach trains will operate from 8-11 a.m. and 4.30-7.30 p.m. on the east-west route (purple line).

“In the second phase from September 9, the service will also resume on the north-south route (green line) for 3 hours at the same timings,” Seth said.

In the third phase from September 11, the service on both the lines will operate for 14 hours – from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

“Only 20 percent of each coach capacity will be used to maintain physical distancing between commuters, who have to wear masks all through,” said Seth.

Commuters can use only smart cards with online re-charge to avoid physical contact.

“Though the 6-coach train has the capacity to carry 1,800 commuters, only 400 will be allowed in each ride till further orders,” noted Seth.

Similarly, about 50 commuters will be allowed on the platform for the next train at a time to avoid crowding and maintain social distancing.

“The commuters will be advised to download ‘Arogya Setu’ app on their smart-phone although it will not be mandatory,” Seth said.

Senior citizens and children below 10 years are advised to avoid travel by the metro for their safe health and till further notice.

“The trains will run at a frequency of 5 minutes during peak hours and 10 minutes during non-peak hours from September 11,” added Seth.

Every commuter will have a thermal screening at the entrance, with a face mask or shield mandatory. Sanitizers will be kept at the entrance of the stations.

Spaces have been earmarked on platforms and inside coaches to maintain social distancing.

Like other state-run transport firms, ‘Namma’ Metro too suspended its service since March 25 when the lockdown was imposed, forcing thousands of commuters to switch over to an alternative transport mode.

As the most popular transport mode for its punctual, efficient, and cleaner service in air-conditioned coaches, the metro has been ferrying over 4 lakh commuters on the twin routes, covering 42.3 km across 40 stations.

The operator has incurred Rs 300 crore loss over the last 5 months due to the suspension of service.

After 122 days, 25 Bangladeshi nationals lodged in Assam jail released

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After 122 days, 25 Bangladeshi nationals lodged in Assam jail released

25 Bangladeshi nationals, who were lodged in western Assam’s Dhubri district jail for 122 days, were released and sent back to the neighboring country on Wednesday, officials said.

An official of Dhubri District Administration said that the Bangladeshis who had been detained on May 3 for violations of visa rules, was sent back through Changrabandha checkpost in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district.

A Sub-Divisional Court in Dhubri district had ordered the release of 25 Bangladeshi citizens on Saturday.

The official on condition of anonymity said that following a request from the Bangladesh government, the Indian authorities had withdrawn the case against them, and then the court dropped the charges and ordered their release.

These Bangladeshi nationals, who hail from Kurigram district of Bangladesh, had entered Assam on tourist visas but were working as fishermen in Jorhat and Sivasagar districts in the eastern part of the state.

On May 3, the Dhubri police arrested a total of 26 Bangladeshi nationals at Bahalpur- the inter-district border of Dhubri- when they had tried to go back to their homes illegally by hiring two vehicles from Jorhat.One

of the Bangladeshi nationals died on July 1 at the Dhubri Civil Hospital and his body was handed over to his family members in Bangladesh.

Global Covid-19 cases nearly 26mn: Johns Hopkins

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Global Covid-19 cases nearly 26mn: Johns Hopkins

The overall number of global coronavirus cases was nearing the 26 million mark, while the deaths have increased to over 861,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Thursday morning, the total number of cases stood at 25,934,466 and the fatalities rose to 861,512, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The US accounted for the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 6,113,160 and 185,704 respectively, according to the CSSE.

Brazil came in second place with 3,997,865 infections and 123,780 deaths.

In terms of cases, India ranks third (3,769,523), and is followed by Russia (1,001,965), Peru (657,129), South Africa (630,595), Colombia (624,069), Mexico (610,957), Spain (479,554), Argentina (439,172), Chile (414,739), Iran (378,752), the UK (340,929), France (331,034), Bangladesh (317,528), Saudi Arabia (317,486), Pakistan (296,590), Turkey (273,301), Italy (271,515), Germany (247,411), Iraq (242,284), Philippines (226,440), Indonesia (180,646), Canada (131,941), Ukraine (128,833), Israel (121,464), Qatar (119,206), Bolivia (117,267), Ecuador (115,457) and Kazakhstan (105,944), the CSSE figures showed.

The other countries with over 10,000 deaths are the India (66,333), Mexico (65,816), the UK (41,602), Italy (35,497), France (30,692), Spain (29,194), Peru (29,068), Iran (21,797), Colombia (20,052), Russia (17,365), South Africa (14,389) and Chile (11,344).

Vidyut Jammwal’s ‘Khuda Haafiz’ to get second chapter

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Vidyut Jammwal’s ‘Khuda Haafiz’ to get second chapter

Actor Vidyut Jammwal will be back with the second chapter of his recent digitally-released film, Khuda Haafiz. Titled Khuda Haafiz Chapter II, the sequel is being planned for a big-screen release.

“Getting his (lead character Sameer, essayed by him) wife back is not the perfect ending. To adjust and successfully live in society after the woman (Nargis, played by Shivaleeka Oberoi) has gone through this turmoil is the real beginning of the love story. That’s what we’re planning to showcase in the second chapter,” Vidyut said.

Based on a real-life incident, “Khuda Haafiz” narrates the story of a young, recently-wedded couple from India, Sameer (Vidyut) and Nargis (Shivaleeka Oberoi), who decide to work overseas in search of better career opportunities. Under mysterious circumstances, Nargis goes missing in the foreign land and the film shows Sameer’s attempt to find his wife.

With cinema halls shut owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, “Khuda Haafiz” went for a direct-to-OTT release.

The film’s writer-director Faruk Kabir said: “I always wanted to take the story forward, but I wanted to wait and see how the audience responds to the film. ‘Khuda Haafiz Chapter II’ is a more potent and heartfelt love story about how the lead characters come to terms with what has happened to them. It’s an ‘agni pariksha’ now for both of them, and for me to match my own expectations as a storyteller, and that of the audience that has given such an enormously positive response to ‘Khuda Haafiz’.”

“This is not going to be a franchise film. It’s the final lethal chapter. Expect bigger action for sure, but also a bigger heart, and on a bigger screen,” Kabir added.

“Khuda Haafiz Chapter II” will be on floors in the first quarter of 2021.

“The second chapter will be full of surprises and we’re determined to keep the audience on the edge of their seats in theatres this time around,” said producer Abhishek Pathak.

NHSRCL to study 7 new Bullet Train corridors totalling 5,000 km

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NHSRCL to study 7 new Bullet Train corridors totalling 5,000 km

Even as the National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) is working on the construction of the 508 km-long Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed train or Bullet Train project, the agency is also holding studies for 5,000 km long seven new routes across the country.

According to senior NHSRCL officials, the agency has been assigned by the Railway Ministry to study the proposed seven new high-speed corridors.

The official said NHSRCL has been entrusted by the Ministry of Railways to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPR) for the 865 km Delhi-Varanasi, 753 km Mumbai-Nagpur, 886 km Delhi-Ahmedabad, 435 km Chennai-Mysore, 459 km Delhi-Amritsar, 711 km Mumbai-Hyderabad, and 760 km Varanasi-Howrah new proposed corridors.

The official said that the NHSRCL is collecting data on the seven new proposed corridors for the preparation of the DPRs. The NHSRCL is currently constructing the Mumbai Ahmedabad High-Speed rail project.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on September 14, 2017, laid the foundation stone of the ambitious Rs 1.08 lakh crore ($17 billion) project.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Union Railway Ministry have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the 508-km corridor, with Japan to partially fund the project. According to NHSRCL, a total of 1,380 hectares of land is required for the high-speed train project, out of which the Railways have acquired 479 hectares from private persons and 119 hectares from government land.

The NHSRCL is set to complete the 508-km corridor project before its deadline of December 2023. According to the official, a 21 km-long tunnel will be dug between Boisar and BKC in Mumbai, seven km of which will be under the sea.

According to the NHSRCL official, the tender for the design and construction of civil and building works, including testing and commissioning of 237 km length of the mainline out of the elevated 460 km has been floated. The mainline also has one mountain tunnel of about 280 meters, 24 river crossings, and 30 road and canal crossings.

The Bullet Trains are expected to run at 350 km per hour covering the 508 km stretch in about two hours. In comparison, trains currently plying on the route take over seven hours to travel the distance, whereas flights take about an hour.

‘Iron Judge’ Justice Arun Mishra elicits praise from CJI

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‘Iron Judge’ Justice Arun Mishra elicits praise from CJI

On Wednesday, after a stint of six years as a Supreme Court judge, Justice Arun Mishra sat for the first and last time on a bench with Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, who said it had been a privilege to have him as a colleague.

Bidding farewell to his colleague, Justice Bobde said it is a peculiar thing that this is the first time he is sitting with him on a bench and this happens to be his last day in the court. “You have been a beacon of courage and fortitude in face of all adversities,” said Justice Bobde, hailing Justice Mishra.

The Chief Justice emphasized that Justice Mishra had faced adversities bravely and performed his functions as a judge. Justice Bobde added that he is well aware of the difficulties faced by Justice Mishra in connection with health-related issues, and yet he discharged his duties. Justice Bobde said, “Don’t think, I have many examples when someone is facing so many adversities. Despite that, he did his duty. I take this opportunity on behalf of all my colleagues to wish you a very happy, joyous, and prosperous life ahead.”

Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal wasn’t economical in praising Justice Mishra and called him an ‘iron judge,’ who was firm and unshakeable. The AG said that it is disappointing this farewell is being conducted through video conferencing. “I have had a good relationship with Justice Mishra for the last 30 years. We will miss him in Supreme Court and we wish him good health,” said the AG.

Thanking the Chief Justice and his colleagues in the top court and lawyers at the bar, Justice Mishra said whatever he could do, came from the supreme powers of the apex court. “I have learned so much from the members of the Bar. So many branches of law I have learned from the Bar members”, said Justice Mishra.

He added that sometimes he had been very harsh in his conduct directly or indirectly. “Nobody should feel hurt. Analyze every judgment and don’t color it this way or that way. If I have hurt anybody, then please pardon me, pardon me, pardon me,” added Justice Mishra.

Thai King reinstates disgraced royal consort

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Thai King reinstates disgraced royal consort

Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn on Wednesday reinstated his royal consort after she was stripped of her rank last October for trying to elevate herself to “the same state as the queen”.

According to a Royal Gazette, the King returned Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi’s rank and titles earlier in the day, reports the BBC.

She was the first royal consort after almost a century in Thailand, where the term refers to a companion or partner in addition to the king’s wife.

Sineenat had worked as a nurse before becoming the King’s bodyguard a pilot, and later also joined the royal guards. In early 2019, she was appointed a major-general.

She received the official title of first Royal Noble Consort in July last year, shortly after King Vajiralongkorn married his fourth wife, Queen Suthida.

While stripping off the ranks, the Palace had also accused Sineenat of “misbehavior and disloyalty against the monarch”.

The last time a Thai monarch had a consort was in the 1920s and the title had not been used since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

Fill up vacant posts expeditiously: Delhi HC to IHBAS

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Fill up vacant posts expeditiously: Delhi HC to IHBAS

The Delhi High Court was on Wednesday informed by the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences that the recruitment process for filling up the vacancies of doctors and faculty has begun.

The submissions were made while a division bench of the high court presided over by Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan was hearing physically, a petition seeking the court’s direction for filling up the vacant posts of faculty and medical staff at IHBAS in order to tackle the rise in psychiatric and psychological cases in the country more effectively.

Following these submissions, the bench directed the IHBAS to complete the process expeditiously and disposed of the petition filed by advocate and social activist Amit Sahni.

Sahani through his plea stated that the shortage of doctors and medical staff at IHBAS is a matter of serious concern and the responsible respondents have completely failed to tackle the same for long.

During the course of the hearing, advocate Devender Verma, appearing for the Delhi Government, informed the court that IHBAS has already issued notifications regarding the filling up of 45 posts of doctors and faculty on September 1.

Sahni, through this petition also stated that IHBAS is currently working with only 25 faculty members against the sanctioned 103 faculty members. The shortage of faculty has arisen over several years.

The plea also mentioned that India’s coronavirus crisis has pushed millions into forced isolation and unemployment. Due to this anxiety, depression, and suicides are on the rise and mental health could be the country’s next crisis.

The IHBAS is a premier Mental Healthcare Institute, which is working exclusively for patients suffering from psychiatric and psychological disorders.

The institute came into existence in compliance with the directives of the Supreme Court.

Bengal Poll: Derek complains to Zuckerberg about FB & BJP ‘link’

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Bengal Poll: Derek complains to Zuckerberg about FB & BJP ‘link’

A day after Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote a scathing letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg complaining about his social media platform’s bias against the right of center; it appears a similar letter was shot by Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien, even earlier, making similar allegations of bias against the Trinamool Congress party.

With the 2021 elections tipped to be the mother of all battles in the state, where the BJP wants to unseat the Mamata Banerjee-led government that has been in power for two consecutive terms, Facebook seems to be the common enemy.

In the letter dated August 31, O’Brien wrote: “With the election in the Indian state of West Bengal just months away, your companies recent blocking of Facebook pages and accounts in Bengal also points to the link between Facebook and BJP.

“There is enough material now in the public domain, including internal memos of senior Facebook management, to substantiate the bias.”

He also said that the role of Facebook in the last two general elections was raised in the parliament of India in June 2019 by the Trinamool Congress.

“We, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), India’s second-largest opposition party, have had serious concerns about Facebook’s role during the 2014 and 2019 general elections in India,” he said.

On Tuesday, Prasad in a 3-page letter to Zuckerberg complained about the bias of its top management against the ‘right of center’. He claimed how some of them “are on record abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior cabinet ministers”.

CG Power board okays Rs 100 cr additional infusion by Tube Investment

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CG Power board okays Rs 100 cr additional infusion by Tube Investment

The Board of CG Power and Industrial Solutions has approved the offer of additional investment of Rs 100 crore by Tube Investments.

In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, CG Power said that it had received a letter dated August 30 from Tube Investments of India indicating their offer to infuse additional capital in the company aggregating up to around Rs 100 crore by way of subscribing to additional equity shares of the company on a preferential allotment basis.

Murugappa-Group led Tube Investments which will take up control of the company, has offered additional investment to help the company meet its liabilities, stabilizing its operations, and improving its liquidity position.

“We hereby inform you that the Board of the Company at their meeting held today, have inter-alia considered and approved the Additional Offer, and consequently, execution of an amendment agreement to the SSA with the Subscriber dated 2 September 2020 for the further issuance and allotment to the Prospective Investor on a preferential basis of 68,728,522 equity shares of the company of face value of Rs 2 each at a price of Rs 14.55 aggregating up to Rs 99,99,99,995.10,” the filing said.

Shares of CG Power surged on Wednesday and are currently trading at Rs 22.60, higher 4.87 percent from the previous close.

Japan may offer free Covid-19 vaccines to all residents

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Japan may offer free Covid-19 vaccines to all residents

The Japanese government may offer free Covid-19 vaccinations to all residents so that the number of future cases and fatalities can be mitigated, informed sources said on Wednesday.

According to the sources, owing to the highly contagious nature of the Covid-19 and its potential to render patients with extremely severe symptoms, the government wants the highest number of people as possible to get vaccinated, reports Xinhua news agency.

At a meeting convened last week, outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that the government aims to secure by the first half of 2021 enough Covid-19 vaccinations for all of the country’s citizens, as part of its new measures and protocols to combat the virus.

The vaccines will be purchased from reserve funds from the budget of the current fiscal year to March 2021, the government said.

Earlier this month, the Japanese government said it had agreed with British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc. to receive 120 million doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine being developed with the University of Oxford.

Similarly, Japan has also agreed with Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE to receive 120 million doses of their potential vaccine, providing its development proves successful.

Meanwhile, those testing positive for the virus but displaying no symptoms or only showing mild symptoms will be asked to self-isolate at home or at designated facilities under the government’s revised guidelines.

As of Wednesday, Japan has reported a total of 69,001 coronavirus cases, with 1,307 deaths.

Kangana Ranaut: Request Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Ayan Mukerji, Vicky Kaushik to give blood sample for drug test

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Kangana Ranaut: Request Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Ayan Mukerji, Vicky Kaushik to give blood sample for drug test

Alleging that there are rumors about actors Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, director Ayan Mukerji and a person named Vicky Kaushik, being cocaine addicts, actress Kangana Ranaut has suggested that these Bollywood personalities should send their blood samples for a drug test. Kangana took to her verified Twitter account on Wednesday to make her allegation, tagging the office of the Prime Minister of India.

“I request Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Ayan Mukerji, Vicky Kaushik to give their blood samples for a drug test, there are rumors that they are cocaine addicts, I want them to bust these rumors, these young men can inspire millions if they present clean samples @PMOIndia,” tweeted the actress.

When IANS texted enquiring about the identity of Vicky Kaushik, who has been mentioned by Kangana in her tweet, the actress’ manager clarified that Kangana had intended to write the name of Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal and “Vicky Kaushik” happened due to a “typo error”.

The actress had tweeted last week alleging that cocaine is the most commonly consumed drug in Bollywood parties.

“Most popular drug in the film industry is cocaine, it is used in almost all house parties it’s very expensive but in the beginning when you go to the houses of high and mighty it’s given free, MDMA crystals are mixed in water and at times passed on to you without your knowledge,” Kangana had tweeted last week.

In a separate tweet, the actress had alleged: “If narcotics Control Bureau enters Bollywood, many A-lister will be behind bars, if blood tests are conducted many shocking revelations will happen. Hope @PMOIndia under swatch Bharat mission cleanses the gutter called Bollywood.”

WhiteHat Jr aims to onboard 20K teachers by 2020 end

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WhiteHat Jr aims to onboard 20K teachers by 2020 end

Online coding classes startup WhiteHat Jr on Wednesday said it is aiming to onboard 20,000 teachers by the end of 2020 to match the growing base of students across multiple countries including India, the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Mumbai-based startup, which currently has over 7,000 teachers on its platform, was earlier this month acquired by leading ed-tech firm BYJU’S in a deal worth $300 million.

WhiteHat Jr said it is ramping up its women-only teacher base in India at a frantic rate of 220 teachers a day.

Currently, the platform has 84 percent of teachers under the age of 35 years, teaching coding to kids from the comfort of their house.

“Digital education and innovation in teaching methodology have brought back the golden age of teaching in the current times of Covid-19. Parents have also warmed up to the idea of online learning and are fully supportive of the new norms of teaching,” Karan Bajaj, Founder, and CEO, WhiteHat Jr, said in a statement.

“Teachers form the backbone of our product and are the driving force behind our vision to make kids the creators of technology, rather than just consumers. In line with this vision, we are delighted to offer a long-term career roadmap to thousands of teachers in the country, and we are thrilled with the response.”

Founded in 2018, WhiteHat Jr helps kids from age 6 to 18 years to build commercial-ready games, animations, and apps online using the fundamentals of coding.

The company maps teachers and students based on the languages they speak, enabling them to switch between languages.

Petitioners in SC say interest on interest in moratorium is double whammy

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Petitioners in SC say interest on interest in moratorium is double whammy

The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that there is no dearth of power with the RBI, as the petitioners’ counsel argued that banks are free to restructure loans but not at the cost of penalizing honest borrowers by charging interest on deferred EMI payments during the moratorium.

Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, representing the Shopping Centres Association, contended before a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan that shopping centers are closed, yet are paying the employees. The bench replied there is no dearth of power with the RBI, and no one is denying that. Kumar contended that pharma, FMCG, and Internet companies did very well, but industries like his client’s did very badly. “We are entitled to relief”, submitted Kumar.

Senior advocate Rajiv Dutta, appearing for one of the petitioners Gajendra Sharma, submitted that his client thought everything was okay when EMIs were waived off, but the government ended up charging compound interest. “A kind of double whammy for us (borrowers)”, submitted Dutta.

Senior advocate K V Viswanathan, representing CREDAI Maharashtra and the Association of Power Producers, said this is not an ordinary situation for banking transactions, and the power sector is extremely stressed. He insisted that the top court should direct banks to forego their profits because this an extraordinary situation, and there is a 15 to 20 percent reduction in demand, as customers are not taking power. The bench asked Viswanathan to submit a note on his arguments, which the bench will continue to hear.

The Finance Ministry in an affidavit has informed the Supreme Court that a waiver of interest on interest during the moratorium would go against the basic canons of finance, and the August 6 RBI circular permitted lenders to allow a moratorium of up to two years. The affidavit was filed in response to a bunch of petitions demanding waiver of interest, or waiver of interest on interest on the deferred EMIs during the moratorium period.

Sonu Sood: Not ready to enter politics at the moment

TB Team
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Sonu Sood: Not ready to enter politics at the moment

Actor Sonu Sood says he is not interested in entering politics at the moment, as he still has miles to go as an actor.

“I have been getting offers to join politics from the past 10 years. Many people have told me, ‘you’ll be a great leader’. But I feel as an actor, I have miles to go. I still have to do a lot of things that I want to do. One can enter politics anytime and I am not the kind who will try to sail in two boats,” Sonu said.

“If I get into politics, I’ll give my 100 percent. I’ll make sure that no one has any problem. I’ll solve their problems, I’ll spend time. So, I think I am not ready for it at the moment. And I think that at the moment, I am not answerable to anyone and that is why I can do things in a more open way. I don’t have to ask anyone or any party ‘what should I do’. I decide and do it on my own will,” added Sonu.

Sonu, who became popular playing the villain in Bollywood films, turned hero in real life for many stranded migrant workers when he organized transport and resources for them to reach home amid the pandemic-induced lockdown.

“I remember when we saw those visuals of all those migrants, you know, walking in millions across the country, I think everyone was disturbed seeing those visuals and I remember when we were giving food to almost 45,000 people every day,” he recalled.

“There’s a place in Thane called ‘Kalwa Chowk’ where we were giving food, and I saw a group of people walking with little kids. I asked where they were going, and they said they were going to Karnataka,” Sonu recalled, adding that he then convinced them to wait for a while so that he could make arrangements and take due permissions for their travel.

“When they left for Karnataka, I was on the bus and, you know, they had tears in the eyes and smiles on the faces,” the actor recalled the incident that nudged him to help stranded migrants, during a conversation with actress Neha Dhupia in a podcast of “JioSaavn #NoFilterNeha” season five.

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