‘Even face shield, N-95 mask together can’t stop coronavirus’

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‘Even face shield, N-95 mask together can’t stop coronavirus’

As we anguish after witnessing millions of Indians not wearing face masks or wearing them all wrong in public places amid a surge in Covid-19 figures, a study led by Indian-American researchers has warned that even people wearing the combination of face shields along with masks with exhalation valves are not safe and can easily get the deadly coronavirus.

When someone carrying the Covid-19 virus coughs, aerosolized droplets expelled with the jet are able to move around the face shield visor with relative ease.

“Over time, these droplets can disperse over a wide area in both lateral and longitudinal directions, albeit with decreasing droplet concentration,” said Manhar Dhanak, department chair, professor, and director of SeaTech at Florida Atlantic University (FAU).

“We were able to observe that face shields are able to block the initial forward motion of the exhaled jet, however, aerosolized droplets expelled with the jet are able to move around the visor with relative ease,” added Dhanak who co-authored the paper with Siddhartha Verma, lead author and John Frankenfeld, a technical professional at FAU’s Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering.

The N95-rated face mask with the exhale valve used in this study had a small amount of exhaled droplets that escaped from the gap between the top of the mask and the bridge of the nose.

Moreover, the exhalation port significantly reduced the effectiveness of the mask as a means of source control, as a large number of droplets passed through the valve unfiltered and unhindered, said the study published in the journal Physics of Fluids.

“There is an increasing trend of people substituting regular cloth or surgical masks with clear plastic face shields as well as using masks that are equipped with exhalation valves,” said Verma.

A driving factor for this increased adoption is better comfort compared to regular masks.

“However, face shields have noticeable gaps along the bottom and the sides, and masks with exhalation ports include a one-way valve which restricts airflow when breathing in, but allows free outflow of air. The inhaled air gets filtered through the mask material, but the exhaled breath passes through the valve unfiltered,” Verma explained.

For the study, researchers employed flow visualization in a laboratory setting using a laser light sheet and a mixture of distilled water and glycerine to generate the synthetic fog that made up the content of a cough-jet.

They visualized droplets expelled from a mannequin’s mouth while simulating coughing and sneezing.

By placing a plastic face shield and an N95-rated face mask with a valve, they were able to map out the paths of droplets and demonstrate how they performed.

Results showed that the expelled droplets move around the visor with relative ease and spread out over a large area depending on light ambient disturbances.

“Visualisations for the face mask equipped with an exhalation port indicate that a large number of droplets pass through the exhale valve unfiltered, which significantly reduces its effectiveness as a means of source control,” the findings showed.

The key takeaway illustrates that face shields and masks with exhale valves may not be as effective as regular face masks in restricting the spread of aerosolized droplets.

“Widespread public adoption of the alternatives, in lieu of regular masks, could potentially have an adverse effect on ongoing mitigation efforts against Covid-19,” the researchers warned.

BCCI announces CRED as official partner for IPL

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BCCI announces CRED as official partner for IPL

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced that CRED, a digital community of creditworthy individuals, merchants, and institutions, will be the official partner of the Indian Premier League.

The three-year deal between the company and the BCCI will begin with the latest season of IPL on September 19 in the UAE.

“We are very pleased to have CRED on board as the ‘Official Partner’ of the Indian Premier League 2020 to 2022. IPL is one of the most innovative sporting leagues of the world and we are delighted to have a brand as unique and innovative as CRED partner us. I am sure more people across the country will take notice of them as we embark on this exciting journey,” IPL chairman Brijesh Patel said in a statement.

CRED founder and CEO Kunal Shah said he was extremely pleased to be associated with IPL, which without a question is among the most high-profile events on the world’s sporting calendar.

“IPL represents the pinnacle of consumer experiences, powered by a global community of cricketers, fans, and enthusiasts. We look forward to participating in this festival of sporting excellence, which celebrates peak performance for the individual, the team and the community,” Shah said.

Lighter, fast-charging batteries that can power Mars rover developed

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Lighter, fast-charging batteries that can power Mars rover developed

NASA-funded research led by a team of Indian-origin scientists in the US has developed a lighter, faster-charging batteries suitable for powering a spacesuit, or even a Mars rover.

Shailendra Chiluwal, Nawraj Sapkota, Apparao M Rao, and Ramakrishna Podila, all of whom are part of the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute (CNI) at the Clemson University in South Carolina were part of the team that created these batteries.

Podila, an assistant professor in the College of Science’s department of physics and astronomy, said the revolutionary new batteries could soon be used in US satellites.

Most satellites mainly get their power from the sun. But the satellites have to be able to store energy for when they are in the Earth’s shadow.

“We have to make the batteries as light as possible because the more the satellite weighs, the more its mission costs,” Podila said.

The research, which was funded by NASA, appeared in the American Chemical Society journal Applied Materials and Interfaces.

Podila said that to understand the group’s breakthroughs, one could visualize the graphite anode in a lithium-ion battery as a deck of cards, wherein each card represents a layer of graphite that is used to store the charge until electricity is needed.

The problem, Podila said, is that “graphite cannot store much charge”.

The team opted to work with silicon, which can pack more charge, meaning more energy can be stored in lighter cells.

Rather than a deck of cards made of graphite, the new batteries use layers of a carbon nanotube material called “buckypaper”, with the silicon nanoparticles sandwiched in between.

“The freestanding sheets of carbon nanotubes keep the silicon nanoparticles electrically connected with each other,” explained Shailendra Chiluwal, a graduate student at CNI and the first author on the study.

Using batteries made of silicon and other nanomaterials not only increases capacity, but it also allows for charging batteries at a higher current, which translates to faster charging times.

As anyone whose cellphone has ever died in the middle of a phone call knows, this is an important feature for battery technology, the authors said.

Lighter batteries that charge faster and offer greatly increased efficiency will not only be a boon to astronauts wearing battery-powered suits but also to the scientists and engineers who have to get the astronauts to their destinations.

“Silicon as the anode in a lithium-ion battery represents the ‘holy grail’ for researchers in this field,” said Rao, CNI’s director, and the principal investigator on the NASA grant.

Rao added that the new batteries will soon find their way into electric vehicles.

“Our next goal is to collaborate with industrial partners to translate this lab-based technology to the marketplace,” Podila said.

US to stay away from global Covid vax effort led by WHO

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US to stay away from global Covid vax effort led by WHO

The United States will stay away from international efforts to develop and distribute the Covid-19 vaccine due to its association with the World Health Organization (WHO), the White House has said.

The decision on Tuesday not to participate in the “COVAX” initiative marks further deterioration of the Donald Trump administration’s relations with the UN health agency.

“The United States will continue to engage our international partners to ensure we defeat this virus, but we will not be constrained by multilateral organizations influenced by the corrupt World Health Organization and China,” Judd Deere, a spokesman for the White House, was quoted as saying in a statement by Forbes.

The COVAX initiative was formed with the aim of working with vaccine manufacturers to provide countries worldwide equitable access to safe and effective vaccines, once they are licensed and approved.

More than 170 economies are now engaged in discussions to potentially participate in the initiative which currently has one of the world’s largest Covid-19 vaccine portfolios — including nine candidate vaccines, with a further nine under evaluation and conversations underway with other major producers.

It is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the WHO.

The European Commission on Monday confirmed its interest to participate in the COVAX facility and announced a contribution of 400 million euros ($478 million) to the initiative.

In early April, Trump lashed out at the WHO for its response to the outbreak.

He accused the UN health agency of downplaying the severity of the pandemic in the beginning for its “China-centric” approach and froze US funding to the organization.

N.Korea takes measures to minimize typhoon damages

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N.Korea takes measures to minimize typhoon damages

with typhoon Maysak scheduled to hit the Korean Peninsula later this week, North Korea has taken urgent measures to minimize damages caused by strong winds and heavy rain, Pyongyang’s state media reported on Wednesday.

“Officials of the (ruling Workers’) Party and power organs at all levels are conducting intensive information campaign among people to let them deeply understand the importance of the work for preventing typhoon damage and methods of coping with its crisis,” Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report.

Maysak is expected to pass through South Korean cities of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongju on Thursday and hit North Korea the next day.

At its peak, the typhoon could bring powerful winds with speeds of up to 180 km per hour, and maybe stronger in force than Bavi, which hit North Korea last week, reports Xinhua news agency.

Local officials surveyed the dangerous spots, examined the conditions of buildings, roads, croplands, railways, railway tunnels, and others in their areas, and took immediate measures to ward off the possible damage of the typhoon, the KCNA report said.

The units in charge of city management have repaired roofs, fixed trees and road lamps, removed sediments from sewerage, and put water pumps in good condition for smooth drainage, it said.

Meanwhile, the power distribution stations in each province, city, and county have taken measures to protect electrical equipment and power transmission towers, while fishery and offshore farms on the east coast also put their ships in safe areas.

Unbreakable Nokia 3310 turns 20, fans nostalgic

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Unbreakable Nokia 3310 turns 20, fans nostalgic

The iconic Nokia 3310 has turned 20 and fans were hit with nostalgia and could not hide their love for the strongest and one of the most popular mobile phones on various social media platforms.

The Nokia 3310 was unveiled on September 1, 2000, had a dark blue body, emitted a deep green light from its tiny screen, and housed a charming game called “Snake”.

An entire generation grew up loving the iconic Nokia 3310. Then came the Nokia 1100 in 2003 a sturdy affair with an in-built torch which quickly became the best-selling consumer electronics device of its time.

That was the ‘Golden Age of Nokia’ with hardly a competitor insight.

In 2016, HMD Global got the license to sell Nokia-branded devices for the next 10 years.

As people realized that it was the birth anniversary of the Nokia 3310, they took to Twitter.

“@Nokia 3310 was announced. It sold very well, being one of the most successful phones with 126 million units sold worldwide and being one of Nokia’s most iconic devices. The phone is still widely acclaimed and has gained a cult status due to its durability.” tweeted @ValaAfshar.

“On this day in the year, 2000 Nokia 3310 was released. One of the best phones ever released if I say so myself,” said another user.

Being a feature phone, Nokia 3310 can perform few tasks such as calling, SMS, calculator, stopwatch, etc.

“The Nokia 3310 is 20 years old today. I feel my bones turning to dust,” a user mentioned.

Priced at Rs 3,310, the feature phone made a comeback in June 2017 in a completely new Indian market which was inundated with cheaper Chinese smartphones as well as several feature phones.

Available in four stunning colors, the plastic body device has two SIM slots and a MicroSD card slot (32GB).

With a 1,200mAh battery, the device offers 22 hours of talk time and has up to a month’s standby time.

The device has the trial versions of two games — Asphalt 6: Adrenaline and Diamond Twister — pre-installed.

Apart from that, you can use 2G internet to browse and even scroll through Facebook with the Messenger capabilities built-in.

Have to be extremely vigilant, disciplined: Williamson on IPL Covid cases

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Have to be extremely vigilant, disciplined: Williamson on IPL Covid cases

New Zealand cricket captain Kane Williamson has acknowledged feeling apprehensive about Covid-19 as he prepares to join Sunrisers Hyderabad for the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates.

Last week, 13 members of the Chennai Super Kings, including two players, tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in the UAE and had to be sent into isolation.

“Obviously that’s bad news,” Williamson was quoted as saying by Radio New Zealand. “You don’t want to hear anybody (has) COVID. I hear they are predominantly asymptomatic, so hopefully, through another lockdown period, they can come through and we’ll be okay.

“There’s a little bit of apprehension, certainly as you get nearer to the time…You start thinking you do have to be extremely vigilant and disciplined,” said Williamson, who is due to leave on Thursday to link up with the Sunrisers.

He is among six New Zealand players scheduled to play in this year’s IPL, and nine from the country are in Trinidad for the ongoing Caribbean Premier League.

US Open: Murray wins 5-set epic on Grand Slam comeback

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US Open: Murray wins 5-set epic on Grand Slam comeback

Andy Murray made a spectacular return to the grand slam singles stage with a grueling five-set victory in the first round of the US Open.

He secured a brilliant 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 come-from-behind victory in a 4 hour and 39 min encounter against 49th-ranked Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, in his first singles Grand Slam match in 18 months following an injury and the coronavirus pandemic.

The Scot will now play 15th seed Canadian Felix Auger-Allassime in the second round. His comeback appeared to be heading for disaster when he went 1-3 down in the third set, appearing all-but-certain to be heading for an embarrassing straight-sets exit.

However, showing the grit and determination that led him to three Grand Slam wins during his peak, Murray hauled himself into a 5-4 lead before taking the set on a tie-break. By then, Murray was playing more aggressively, forcing Nishioka on the back foot and to err of his own.

The first four games of set four went to serve until a Murray double fault put him a breakdown. Murray immediately broke back though, a delicate back-handed lob from deep making the score 3-3, before breaking again for the game, set, match.

Japan study finds effective treatment for severe Covid-19

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Japan study finds effective treatment for severe Covid-19

As countries around the world race to develop a vaccine for the Covid-19 virus, the Japanese researchers have identified an effective treatment for the deadly over-activation of the inflammatory response seen in many severe Covid-19 patients.

In a study, published in the journal PNAS, the researchers are working to understand exactly how Covid-19 causes the myriad of symptoms that seem to linger long after active viral infection.

Cytokines are a group of small proteins that can either enhance or inhibit our body’s immune response to infection, trauma, and diseases such as cancer. One of their main roles is to stimulate inflammation, which initiates the healing process. The problem is, overstimulation of the inflammatory response has an array of harmful complications, ranging from asthma to severe autoimmune diseases, the team said.

One such complication, called cytokine release syndrome (CRS), is seen in patients suffering a hyperimmune response to microbial infection or trauma and can lead to multiple organ failure and even death.”Despite knowing which cytokines are involved, there is still no specific immunotherapy for CRS and treatment is limited to supportive care,” said study lead author Sujin Kang from the Osaka University in Japan.

“To better understand the molecular mechanisms of CRS pathogenesis, we first studied the cytokine profiles of 91 patients diagnosed with CRS associated with bacterial sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or burns,” Kang added.

Strikingly, patients from all three groups had elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and MCP-10, as well as a protein called PAI-1, which causes small blood clots in vessels throughout the body, including the lungs.

Importantly, increased PAI-1 levels are associated with more severe cases of pneumonia, a common cause of death among Covid-19 patients. Because IL-6 was positively associated with the levels of the other cytokines and PAI-1, the researchers concluded that IL-6 signaling is crucial for the development of CRS following infection or trauma, and may play a role in the pathogenesis of Covid-19.

“Examination of cytokine profiles in severe Covid-19 patients revealed an increase in IL-6 early in the disease process, causing the release of PAI-1 from blood vessels,” Asiad study senior author Tadamitsu Kishimoto.

“Interestingly, PAI-1 levels were significantly higher in Covid-19 patients with a severe respiratory impediment,” Kishimoto added.

Most significantly though, when severe Covid-19 patients were treated with a human monoclonal antibody-based drug called Actemra, which blocks IL-6 signaling, PAI-1 levels rapidly declined and severe disease symptoms were alleviated, the tea noted.

Army busts multiple hideouts along LoC

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Army busts multiple hideouts along LoC

The Army said on Tuesday that it busted multiple hideouts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition.

The Army said that on August 30, it detected the movement of suspicious persons in the Rampur Sector, Baramulla district.

“Movement was from a village close to the LoC and the suspects had crossed into Indian territory. Their movement was under constant surveillance.

“Due to adverse terrain, thick foliage, and bad weather conditions, an alert was sounded for a likely infiltration attempt. Surveillance Grid was beefed up across the area, ambushes were re-sited to thwart any such attempt. Surveillance continued through the night,” it said.

The Army further said that the next morning, a search of the area was carried out.

“After an extensive search of seven hours, a huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from well-concealed locations in two hideouts in the Rampur sector.”

The Army recovered five AK series rifles with six magazines and two sealed boxes of 1,254 rounds; six pistols with nine magazines and six rounds; 21 grenades; two UBGL grenades and two Kenwood radio sets.

Covid cases fell where people stopped going to offices in US: Study

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Covid cases fell where people stopped going to offices in US: Study

Coronavirus cases fell most sharply in the US counties where people stopped going to offices and workplaces, new cellphone data suggests.

The researchers believe patterns they saw in the publicly available cell phone location data could be used to better estimate Covid-19 growth rates and inform decision-making when it comes to shutdowns and “reopenings.”

This study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

“This analysis supports the incorporation of anonymized cell phone location data into modeling strategies to predict at-risk counties across the US before outbreaks become too great,” said the study’s senior author Joshua Baker from the University of Pennsylvania in the US.

The research team used location data from cell phones — which were de-identified and made publicly available by Google — to analyze activity across up to 2,740 counties in the US between early January and early May 2020.

This data was broken up into locations where the activity took place, ranging from workplaces to homes, retail stores, grocery stores, parks, and transit stations. Roughly between 22,000 and 84,000 points of data were analyzed for each day in the study period.

The idea was to compare where the cell phone activity took place as a proxy to show where people, themselves, spent their time.

This data was compared between two time periods: the first in January and February, before the Covid-19 outbreak in the US, then mid-February through early May, during the virus’ initial surges and when stay-at-home orders were enacted.

Intuitively, they noted an increase in time spent at home, while visits to the workplace dropped significantly, along with a decline in visits to retail locations (such as stores and restaurants) and transit stations.

They saw that in counties where there was initially a higher density of cases, visits to workplaces, as well as retail locations and transit stations, fell more sharply than counties less affected by Covid-19.

At the same time, in these counties, there was a more prominent spike in activity at homes.

In addition, the researchers saw that the counties where workplace activity fell the most had the lowest rates of new Covid-19 cases in the days that followed.

The research team hopes more work can be done to vet cell phone data to see if they can be specifically used to predict Covid-19 hotspots and guide decision-making.

BCCI seeks leeway in COVID protocols from three UAE govts for IPL

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BCCI seeks leeway in COVID protocols from three UAE govts for IPL

Strict COVID-19 protocols in Abu Dhabi, one of the three emirates scheduled to host the IPL matches from September 19, has hamstrung the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The world’s wealthiest cricket board is currently in talks with the governments of the emirates, desperately seeking concessions.

And because of the COVID-related problems in organizing the 13th edition of the IPL, the BCCI has not only not announced the schedule of matches but has also not shared its plans with the eight franchises.

“The BCCI hasn’t told the franchises anything yet about the IPL schedule. But for us franchises, the IPL is on as of today because if the IPL was not to happen this year the BCCI would have told us much earlier. The franchises have spent a lot of money on their teams. Positive cases will continue to emerge,” a source in a franchise told IANS from the UAE.

“The point is that if the BCCI has to cancel the IPL they need to cancel it today. They can’t cancel it after 15 days. The franchises are here in the UAE and have spent so much money on their teams. Also, when we have called our players for the IPL, we will have to pay them as well. In the event of a cancellation, we can’t tell the players that since you didn’t play matches we wouldn’t pay you. All that will have to be taken into consideration. Presently, BCCI officials are talking to the local governments of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah,” the franchise official informed.

Indian Premier League Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel and interim BCCI CEO Hemang Amin are in the UAE and are in talks with the three emirates governments to seek some concessions in the strict COVID protocols for the IPL and then chalk out a workable plan.

Another source said if one is going from Dubai to Abu Dhabi COVID-testing is done at the border and it takes up to two-and-a-half hours. Alternately, one has to produce a certificate of a negative result of a test done within the last 48 hours. “But you do not expect the likes of Dhoni and Kohli to stand in the queue for that long. So, BCCI is trying to get permission to do COVID tests on IPL squad members in their hotels,” he said.

At the same time, all franchises have become extra cautious after thirteen Chennai Super Kings (CSK) members, including two players, tested COVID-19 positive in the UAE. Players and coaching staff come out of their hotel rooms only for practice/training/yoga sessions and for some recreational activities that a few franchisees, like Mumbai Indians, have created. But breakfast, lunch, and dinner are being served in their rooms. All that is being done within the established local COVID protocols.

“We are taking all the precautions after the CSK episode. Initially, we had thought that we would take the team out for a few team dinners sometime during the tournament. But that plan has been shelved. Now, it is the only bubble, and bubble, and bubble. All meals are being served in the squad members’ rooms; it’s only room service now,” a franchise official said.

Abu Dhabi has the strictest protocols of the three emirates where the IPL is to be played. It has virtually sealed all its entry-exit points and is allowing people to enter only after they furnish proof of their negative COVID-19 test results.

The opening match of the IPL, between champions Mumbai Indians and runners-up CSK, is expected to be played in Abu Dhabi on September 19. If all the pieces do not fall into place by that time, then the BCCI would have to make further changes in plans, and maybe cancel the Abu Dhabi leg altogether.

The delay in the announcement of the IPL schedule has prevented STAR India, the official broadcaster, from finalizing their plans for the coverage. It was planned that separate crews would be stationed in each of the three emirates, due to the pandemic, to cover the matches. Meanwhile, one person who would have been part of STAR’s production team has tested positive in India and has been grounded. All in all, the situation on all fronts is fluid, and everyone is keeping his fingers crossed.

Unlock 4: Delhi HC begins physical hearing for few benches

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Unlock 4: Delhi HC begins physical hearing for few benches

While the country is in the fourth phase of the Unlock following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday opened partially for holding physical hearing after nearly four months, during which the court was functioning through video conferencing.

“Pursuant to the directions contained in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by this Court, the entry time to the court blocks for attending physical hearing shall be regulated as per the time slots for different batches of cases,” said Delhi High Court Registrar General Manoj Jain in a statement.

The statement further said that each batch shall consist of 10 cases. The entry of the first batch to the particular floor of the court block shall take place at 10.00 a.m. the Second batch shall be permitted entry to a designated waiting space inside the court block at 11.15 a.m. and the third batch at 12.15 p.m.

“No person shall be permitted entry inside the court blocks before the designated time slot. All concerned are requested to cooperate,” Jain said.

A physical hearing has begun for the five benches on a rotation basis while the remaining benches will continue to take up matters through video conferencing. On Tuesday, two-division benches including that of presided by Chief Justice D. N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan, and three single-judge benches are holding physical hearings.

Apart from the division bench headed by Chief Justice, another division bench presided over by Justice Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar and three single-judge benches presided over by Justice Jayant Nath, Justice V. Kameswar Rao and Justice Yogesh Khanna are holding physical courts on Tuesday.

Following the lockdown imposed by the Centre in the wake of the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country, the High Court had suspended its functioning since March 23. However, the High Court continued to take up urgent matters through video conferencing.

From April 1 to July 31, the Delhi High Court listed around 13,000 matters before the benches through video conferencing. Upon hearing the parties, around 2,800 main cases and around 11,000 miscellaneous applications were disposed of.

During this period, the Registry carried out the registration of around 21,000 new main cases/miscellaneous applications. Around 196 PIL cases were instituted and 155 PIL cases were disposed of during this period.

Different committees of the High Court, conducted around 300 meetings through video conferencing on various administrative and court-functioning related issues.

The High Court Registry also organized a virtual farewell for Justice I. S. Mehta and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal.

In the district courts, approximately 67,000 matters were taken up through video conferencing during this period. Besides the pronouncement of judgments in around 3,700 cases, more than 21,000 miscellaneous applications were disposed of by the District Courts.

Delhi Judicial Academy conducted 30 training programs and 40 special training sessions during this pandemic period and successfully imparted training to 760 judicial officers, prosecutors, and other stakeholders.

Galaxy Z Fold2 to sport 6.2-inch cover screen, 4500mAh battery

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Galaxy Z Fold2 to sport 6.2-inch cover screen, 4500mAh battery

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 which is set for launch on Tuesday globally is set to come with a much bigger cover screen at 6.2-inch and the main screen is likely to go up to 7.6-inch when open.

According to industry sources, this will be a significant enhancement over the Galaxy Fold that came with a 4.6-inch cover screen and a 7.3-inch main screen.

Galaxy Z Fold2 is tipped to come with thinner bezels and a bigger, a 4500mAh battery (vs 4380mAh for Galaxy Fold), sources told IANS.

The device is likely to feature the Flex Mode, allowing it to be used in halfway-open configurations like the Galaxy Z Flip.

Galaxy Z Fold2 is Samsung’s third foldable smartphone after Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Flip.

The South Korean giant is the only smartphone company to have put foldable devices in the hands of consumers globally and with Galaxy Z Fold2, it is once again looking to change the shape of the future.

The ‘Global Unpacked’ for unveiling Galaxy Z Fold2 will be live-streamed on Samsung India Newsroom at 7.30 pm on Tuesday.

What happened to my family in Punjab beyond horrible, says Raina

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What happened to my family in Punjab beyond horrible, says Raina

Former India batsman Suresh Raina, who has pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) citing personal reasons, on Tuesday said there should be a probe into the violent attack on his aunt’s family in Punjab, revealing that after his uncle, his cousin has also died.

The 33-year-old Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star player returned to India last week after quitting the IPL, which begins on September 19.

In his Twitter statement, Raina said: “What happened to my family is (sic) Punjab was beyond horrible. My uncle was slaughtered to death, my bua & both my cousins had severed (sic) injuries. Unfortunately, my cousin also passed away last night after battling for life for days. My bua (aunt) is still very very critical & is on life support,” he said.

Raina’s 58-year-old uncle succumbed to fatal injuries sustained during an attack by armed robbers in a Punjab town. A group of four members of the notorious ‘Kale Kachhewala’ gang had attacked the family while asleep on the terrace of their residence, police said.

The incident occurred in Thariyal village near Madhopur in Pathankot district on the night of August 19. The robbers were armed with lethal weapons.

“Till date, we don’t know what exactly had happened that night & who did this. I request @PunjabPoliceInd to look into this matter. We at least deserve to know who did this heinous act to them. Those criminals should not be spared to commit more crimes. @capt_amarinder @CMOPb,” he added, tagging Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh.

Raina retired from international cricket on August 15, alongside former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

PIA won’t file appeal against flights suspension

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PIA won’t file appeal against flights suspension

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided not to lodge an appeal against the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspension of the flag carrier’s flights to and from the EU member states as the two-month deadline for filing the appeal expired on August 30.

The decision was taken ahead of a scheduled visit to Pakistan of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) team on September 7 to assess the operational management and control systems of the PIA, Dawn news reported on Tuesday.

According to sources, the IATA-designated safety audit team is expected to be in Islamabad for five days.

On June 30, the EASA had written a letter to the PIA, informing the latter that apart from the pending issue of implementing safety management tools in the airline’s flight operation within the stipulated time, it had suspended authorization of PIA flights to and from the EU member countries for six months effective from July 1.

However, the EASA said an appeal against the suspension of authorization could be filed in writing within two months.

The Operational Safety Audit is carried out every two years. The last such audit was carried out in 2018, said the Dawn news report.

The audit programme was designed by the IATA in 2003 to assess the operational management and control systems of airlines.

The IATA had expressed concern over the “serious lapse in the licensing and safety oversight by the aviation regulator”.

Besides the IATA, the EASA had also expressed concern after the PIA flight PK-8303 crash in Karachi on May 22, followed by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan’s June 24 disclosure that licenses of 262 of the 850 pilots “suspicious”.

Regarding the EASA issue, PIA spokesman Abdulah Hafeez Khan told Dawn news: “We are in continuous talks with the UK and EU authorities to get this suspension lifted and have engaged one of the biggest aviation firms to assist PIA in this regard.”

Argument over rent leads to double murder in Delhi

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Argument over rent leads to double murder in Delhi

A 23-year-old man murdered two of his roommates following an argument over rent in west Delhi’s Raghuvir Nagar, police said on Tuesday.

According to the police, Shakir murdered Azam (45) and Amir Hasan (46) with a sharp knife and a dagger while they were asleep. The duo were pressuring him to pay the rent of the room they had rented and were residing in since 1994.

Irked over the alleged foul language used by the deceased, he nurtured a grudge against both of them and on Monday night sneaked into the room and attacked them. He fled to his hometown after the double murder. Both the victims were vegetable vendors.

“During the investigation, it was revealed that Shakir had returned to his village early this year and after about four months had come back recently. His roommates, the deceased, were pressuring him for the rent for the months he spent in the village.

“Shakir argued that as he was not residing there during that time, he would not pay the rent. During the arguments, the deceased used foul language against the accused. On the intervening night of August 30 and 31 when the deceased was sleeping, the accused Shakir murdered them brutally with a knife and dagger,” said DCP West Deepak Purohit.

Shakir then fled to his hometown in Amroha. A police team from Khayala was sent there, and he was subsequently nabbed.

“The weapons of the offence have also been seized,” said the officer.

Delhi has seen 285 murders till July 31 this year. This is 13 short of what the figure was last year during the same period. In 2019, Delhi witnessed 521 murders in the whole year.

LG Uplus joins Qualcomm, global telcos to form AR, VR alliance

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LG Uplus joins Qualcomm, global telcos to form AR, VR alliance

Mobile carrier LG Uplus on Tuesday said it has formed an alliance with global telecom operators, content developers, and chipmaker Qualcomm to develop 5G-based augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) content to boost the budding industry.

The Global XR Content Telco Alliance will collaborate on developing 5G-based extended reality (XR) content, which covers all immersive content such as AR and VR, according to a statement from LG Uplus.

The alliance includes Japan’s KDDI Corp., China Telecom Corp., Bell Canada and Qualcomm, and it will be headed by LG Uplus at launch.

Global VR developers such as Canada’s Felix & Paul Studios and France’s Atlas V will also join the alliance as content partners, reports Yonhap news agency.

The cross-border alliance will develop XR content based on Qualcomm’s platform that promises more immersive quality using high-speed 5G networks.

The group said it will release a VR series on the International Space Station in November, which will be shot in space and feature a spacewalk, by working with NASA.

LG Uplus added that it plans to produce more immersive content, such as concerts and documentaries on athletes.

“The core of the XR alliance is joint funding,” said Choi Yoon-ho, LG Uplus vice president, in a press briefing. “We want to find and produce good quality content so that the entire ecosystem expands.”

The mobile carrier will first release the content on its mobile app and plans to expand its availability to more devices, according to a company spokesperson.

The alliance’s launch comes as LG Uplus has recently focused on strengthening its AR and VR business with global partners.

Last month, the mobile carrier released a 5G-based AR glasses device with Chinese mixed-reality developer Nreal, and it has partnered with Google to develop AR and VR content since last year.

Mukherjee left his imprint on our national life: Cabinet on ex-Prez’s demise

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Mukherjee left his imprint on our national life: Cabinet on ex-Prez’s demise

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday condoled the sad demise of former President Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away here at the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital during treatment on Monday.

The Cabinet observed silence for two minutes in his memory.

Mukherjee had gone into septic shock due to his lung infection and was hospitalized on August 10 in a critical condition.

The Cabinet later passed a resolution, saying: “In his (Pranab Mukherjee) passing away, the country has lost a distinguished leader and an outstanding parliamentarian”.

Mukherjee, the 13th President of India, was a man of unparalleled experience in governance who served as the Union Foreign, Defence, Commerce, and Finance Minister, the Cabinet said.

“Mukherjee has left his imprint on our national life. In his death, the country has lost a distinguished national leader, accomplished Parliamentarian, and a tall statesman.”

The Cabinet recorded its deep appreciation of the services of Mukherjee to the nation and extended its heartfelt condolences to the members of his bereaved family on behalf of the Government and the entire nation.

Born on December 11, 1935, in the small village of Mirati in Birbhum District of West Bengal, Mukherjee acquired a Master’s degree in History and Political Science as well as a degree in Law from the University of Kolkata.

Mukherjee then embarked on his professional life as a college teacher and journalist. Inspired by his father’s contribution to the national movement, Mukherjee started his full-time public life following his election to the Rajya Sabha in 1969.

Mukherjee served as Deputy Minister, Industry; Shipping and Transport, Steel and Industry, and Minister of State for Finance during 1973-75. He assumed office as the Finance Minister of India for the first time in 1982 and was Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1985. He became Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission from 1991 to 1996; he concurrently Minister for Commerce from 1993 to 1995 and Minister of External Affairs from 1995 to 1996; Minister of Defence from 2004 to 2006.

He again served as the Minister of External Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2012. He was Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2012.

Mukherjee assumed the office of the President of India on July 25, 2012, and served his full term of five years. As President, Mukherjee lent dignity to the high office and brought to bear his scholarly and humanitarian outlook on national and international affairs.

A prolific reader, Mukherjee has authored several books on the Indian Economy and on Nation Building. The many awards and honors conferred on him include the Best Parliamentarian Award in 1997, Padma Vibhushan in 2008, and India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 2019.

75% CEOs will be personally liable for hackings by 2024: Report

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75% CEOs will be personally liable for hackings by 2024: Report

As cyber incidents increase globally, three out of four CEOs will be personally liable for hacking events by 2024 as they will not be able to plead ignorance or retreat behind insurance policies, a Gartner report said on Tuesday.

Due to the nature of cyber-physical systems (CPSs), incidents can quickly lead to physical harm to people, destruction of property, or environmental disasters.

Gartner predicted that incidents will rapidly increase in the coming years due to a lack of security focus and spending currently aligning with these assets.

“Regulators and governments will react promptly to an increase in serious incidents resulting from failure to secure CPSs, drastically increasing rules and regulations governing them,” said Katell Thielemann, research vice president at Gartner.

In the US, the FBI, NSA, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have already increased the frequency and details provided around threats to critical infrastructure-related systems, most of which are owned by private industry.

“Soon, CEOs won’t be able to plead ignorance or retreat behind insurance policies,” Thielemann said.

Gartner defines CPSs as systems that are engineered to orchestrate sensing, computation, control, networking, and analytics to interact with the physical world (including humans).

The financial impact of CPS attacks resulting in fatal casualties will reach over $50 billion by 2023.

Even without taking the actual value of human life into the equation, the costs for organizations in terms of compensation, litigation, insurance, regulatory fines, and reputation loss will be significant, Gartner said.

“Technology leaders need to help CEOs understand the risks that CPSs represent and the need to dedicate focus and budget to securing them. The more connected CPSs are, the higher the likelihood of an incident occurring,” Thielemann said.

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