US teen who executed Twitter hack owns Rs 22.5 crore worth Bitcoin

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US teen who executed Twitter hack owns Rs 22.5 crore worth Bitcoin

The Florida-based juvenile who is the mastermind of the mega Twitter Bitcoin hack owns more than $3 million (over Rs 22.5 crore) worth of Bitcoin, the media reported.

Graham Ivan Clark, 17, has been charged, along with two more young individuals, by the US Department of Justice with hacking Twitter last month that compromised the accounts of 130 high-profile celebrities, politicians and businesses like Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Apple and Uber.

According to Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa teen made his first court appearance over the weekend and described in “greater detail how they say he pulled it off”.

Clark appeared on a video screen in a small courtroom in front of County Judge Joelle Ann Ober.

Under Florida law, it took 10 percent of the $750,000 bail set — $72,500 — to free Clark pending trial. He faces state charges because he is a juvenile, according to the federal authorities.

Clark hired 22-year-old Nima Fazeli of Orlando and 19-year-old Mason Sheppard of the UK “as proxies” to “manipulate” Twitter employees and access to the company’s system.

“Prosecutors sought bail at $1 million per charge for each of Clark’s 30 counts and argued Florida case law says he must prove the money used to post his bail was legitimately obtained”.

“Because, based upon the conduct of this defendant, I believe it’s appropriate to assume that every single penny that this defendant has access to is by ill-gotten gains,” the prosecutor was quoted as saying.

“And we’re talking about millions of dollars.”

Clark faces 17 counts of communications fraud, 11 counts of fraudulent use of personal information, and one count each of organized fraud.

The 19-year-old Mason Sheppard (aka “Chaewon”) of the UK has been charged in a criminal complaint in the Northern District of California with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and the intentional access of a protected computer.

“Nima Fazeli, aka “Rolex,” 22, of Orlando, Florida, was charged in a criminal complaint in the Northern District of California with aiding and abetting the intentional access of a protected computer,” the Department of Justice said in a statement last week.

Twitter revealed that the massive hack that spread a cryptocurrency scam by hijacking accounts of high-profile celebrities, politicians, and businesses was a result of a phone spear-phishing attack.

The attackers targeted 130 Twitter accounts, ultimately tweeting from 45, accessing the DM (Direct Messages) inbox of 36, and downloading the Twitter data of seven accounts.

The incident raised concerns around Twitter tools and levels of employee access.

German Prez urges caution amid increasing COVID-19 cases

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German Prez urges caution amid increasing COVID-19 cases

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged citizens to “show consideration, caution and responsibility” in the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases in the country.

“The irresponsibility of a few is a risk for us all,” Xinhua news agency quoted Steinmeier as saying in a video message on Monday.

“If we are not particularly careful now, we are endangering the health of many. And we also endanger the recovery of our society, our economy, our cultural life.”

Steinmeier addressed the nation after protests against COVID-19 restriction measures took place in Berlin on August 1.

Although organizers had initially announced up to half a million people, the rally was attended by 20,000 people, according to German police.

By keeping a minimum distance, by observing the rules of hygiene and by wearing mouth and nose protection in specified places, it had been possible to re-open restaurants and cafes and to ease travel restrictions in Germany, said Steinmeier.

“But the interim success must not make us careless… The summer mood is good for us all. But it must not lead us to become inattentive in our fight against the pandemic.

“Let us be particularly careful now, in our leisure time, at work, but also at our holiday destination and after returning from a journey,” said Steinmeier.

From August 1, all travelers returning to Germany from abroad were asked to be tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours after their return voluntarily and free of charge, according to the Ministry of Health.

Returnees from COVID-19 risk areas would have to undergo mandatory testing upon request when entering the country if a corresponding order comes into force this week.

“The increasing number of infections in Germany is a clear warning signal,” said Minister of Health Jens Spahn, adding, “the coronavirus does not take a holiday”.

As of Tuesday, Germany accounted for a total of 212,111 COVID-19 cases, with 9,154 deaths.

Beware of fake anti-Covid drug ads: Experts

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Beware of fake anti-Covid drug ads: Experts

With India crossing 18 lakh cases in seven months, fake drugs to fight the coronavirus abound in the market, their advertisements cover all spaces of social media platforms leading health experts to caution the public against claims of these immunity-boosting products.

There is a surge in the number of fake drugs both on retail and online outlets, said Nikhil Modi, Senior Consultant, Respiratory, Critical care & Sleep Disorder, Institutes of Critical Care, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi on Tuesday.

These days people are hearing all the time about Covid-19 through media and social media, and all this amid the new normal and still ongoing partial lockdown is causing panic. With online being the new workspace it is being targetted to reach the audience.

“Taking advantage of this panic, many therapies and immune-boosting medicines are now being peddled in the market and that too rampantly without understanding its efficacy or learning about its side effects,” he told IANS.

The doctor stressed that it is important for the public to understand that at present, there is no medicine available. Scientists do not have a cure or vaccine to prevent the virus. So if anybody is making any such claims it’s totally baseless.

“Also, people are reading stuff about home remedies like drinking Kadha, hot water, and others as a treatment for the coronavirus, which is absolutely untrue,” he added.

“These home remedies are effective for other viral illness for only symptomatic relief measures and thus, cannot protect us from Covid-19,” Modi Informed.

Just days back yoga guru Ramdev launched ‘Coronil’ claiming that it can cure coronavirus. However, the Ayush Ministry immediately put an end to it, permitting Patanjali only to sell Coronil as long as it was advertised as an immunity booster and not a ‘coronavirus cure’.

According to Dr. Vijay Dutta, Consultant, Internal Medicine for Respiratory Disease at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in New Delhi, fake drugs that claim to help you prevent coronavirus infection can be harmful to overall health.

“At present, there is no remedy to coronavirus that may prevent infection other than using masks in public, maintaining hand hygiene and social distancing. Do not fall for any product that claims to prevent or cure the infection, including fake sanitizers or masks,” Dutta told IANS.

“In the recent past, fake sanitizers have been reported to cause skin infections. Also, keep an eye on credible news outlets to learn about the scientific development around vaccine — any significant development will be discussed in detail,” he said.

Do not buy drugs or treatments available on social media as fake products are now rampant on social media platforms.

Consult with your doctor before using any such products, the expert suggested.

Speaking to IANS, Dr (Col.) Ranga Rao, Chairman, Paras Cancer Centre, Paras Hospitals in Gurugram, said that “all must follow the guidelines given by the World Health Organization (WHO) and must safeguard themselves from viruses like Covid-19”.

Recently, health experts also warned against cheap personal protection equipment (PPE) suits or hazmat suits that have found their way into Indian markets.

Alphabet issues $5.75 billion worth sustainability bonds

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Alphabet issues $5.75 billion worth sustainability bonds

In a bid to support environmental and social initiatives worldwide, Google has issued $5.75 billion in sustainability bonds, the largest sustainability or green bond by any company in history, as part of its $10 billion debt offering.

The proceeds from these sustainability bonds will fund ongoing and new projects that are environmentally or socially responsible and enable investors to join Google in tackling critical issues, the company said in a statement on Monday.

Although a number of companies have issued green bonds (directed solely to environmental uses), sustainability bonds differ in that their proceeds support investment in both environmental and social initiatives.

“Such bonds are an emerging asset class and we hope this transaction will help develop this new market. We’re encouraged that there was such strong demand for these bonds from investors — they were significantly oversubscribed,” said Ruth Porat, Alphabet, and Google CFO.

Google has been carbon neutral since 2007 and claims to have matched its entire electricity consumption with renewables for the past three years.

“For more than a decade, we’ve worked to make Google data centers some of the most efficient in the world by optimizing our use of energy, water, and materials,” said Porat.

On average, a Google data center is twice as energy efficient as a typical enterprise data center.

“Compared with five years ago, we now deliver around seven times as much computing power with the same amount of electricity,” informed the Alphabet CFO.

To date, Google has committed approximately $4 billion to purchase clean energy from more than 50 wind and solar projects globally through 2034.

The company said it is committed to maximizing the reuse of finite resources across its operations, products, and supply chains and to enable others to do the same.

“To date, we’ve shipped millions of devices made with post-consumer recycled plastic and 100 percent of Nest products launched in 2019 include recycled plastics,” said Porat.

To address the lack of affordable housing in the Bay Area, Google made a $1 billion commitment to invest in housing and expect to help build 20,000 residential units, of which at least 5,000 will be affordable.

US drugmaker starts phase 3 trial for COVID-19 antibody treatment

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US drugmaker starts phase 3 trial for COVID-19 antibody treatment

American pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and Company have announced the start of its phase 3 trial to study whether one of its experimental COVID-19 antibody treatments can prevent the virus infection in residents and staff at long-term care facilities.

LY-CoV555, the lead antibody from Lilly’s collaboration with Canadian biotech AbCellera, is a neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, reports Xinhua news agency.

More than 40 percent of coronavirus deaths in the US linked to long-term care facilities creates the urgent need for therapies to prevent COVID-19 in this vulnerable population, Eli Lilly and Company said in a release on Monday.

The first-of-its-kind study is expected to enroll up to 2,400 participants who live or work at facilities that have had a recently diagnosed case of COVID-19 and who are now at a high risk of exposure.

It will evaluate the efficacy and safety of LY-CoV555 for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19, testing whether a single dose of LY-CoV555 reduces the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection through 4 weeks, as well as complications of COVID-19 through 8 weeks, said the company.

“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on nursing home residents,” said Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories, in a statement.

“We’re working as fast as we can to create medicines that might stop the spread of the virus to these vulnerable individuals.”

Woodhill to help BBL with global player recruitment strategy

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Woodhill to help BBL with global player recruitment strategy

The Big Bash League (BBL) has announced the appointment of Trent Woodhill as player acquisition and cricket consultant ahead of the 10th edition of the league.

Woodhill will provide input into the league’s global player recruitment strategy and act as a key point of connection between the league and BBL club coaches, list managers and state high-performance teams, Cricket Australia said in a media statement. He will also contribute to the league’s regular review of playing conditions and innovations.

Woodhill, a T20 innovator of sorts, played a key role in the formation of The Hundred in England. He has also worked with New Zealand Cricket and with IPL teams Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

He recently stood down from his position as List Manager with the Melbourne Stars but will retain his duties as the club’s Women’s Big Bash League coach.

Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia Head of Big Bash Leagues, said Woodhill’s expertise would prove invaluable in the build-up to BBL season 10.

“Trent is a highly-respected figure in both Australian cricket and across the world,” Dobson said. “We see him as an important contributor to the league’s ongoing focus on innovation in and around the game.

“Despite the uncertainties surrounding the current COVID-19 situation, we are committed to bringing the best available T20 players to Australia for BBL 10.

“Similarly, our commitment to innovation, a core part of the BBL DNA, has only been strengthened. We see Trent as a key driver of this fan-first agenda,” he added.

The BBL 10 opener is scheduled to be held on December 3 with the Adelaide Strikers to host the Melbourne Renegades. That match is slated to take place after Stumps on Day One of the first Test between Australia and India at the Gabba.

Sensex up 300 points; banking, finance stocks rise

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Sensex up 300 points; banking, finance stocks rise

The key Indian equity indices traded on a positive note on Tuesday morning, with the BSE Sensex surging over 300 points.

Healthy buying was witnessed in banking and finance stocks. Further, gains in the Asian markets also supported the domestic indices, analysts said.

Around 10.05 a.m., Sensex was trading at 37,270.13, higher by 330.53 points or 0.89 percent from the previous close of 36,939.60.

It opened at 37,092.86 and has so far touched a high of 37,275.83 and a low of 36,987.73.

The Nifty50 on the National Stock Exchange was trading at 10,976.55, higher by 84.95 points or 0.78 percent from its previous close.

TV actor Fahmaan Khan wanted to be a cricketer

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TV actor Fahmaan Khan wanted to be a cricketer

Fahmaan Khan says he wanted to be a cricketer, to begin with, and his original aspiration in life was never to be an actor.

Fahmaan, who is seen on the show, “Mere Dad Ki Dulhan”, said: “I wanted to be a cricketer at some point. I still think cricket is my first love, but things didn’t unfold that way for me.”

Interestingly, he was always part of drama groups in school and college.

“I believe I was performing every day, performing characters at home and school, in different situations of life. I used to change small characteristics and enjoy people’s reactions to them. I love performing arts, I enjoy the various small traits and characteristics you can add with your imagination while executing them,” he said.

He now looks forward to playing versatile characters.

“I want to play characters that aren’t me. I would like to play intense characters or a character that speaks through his eyes. There are so many such characters that I’ve watched. One of them being Sidharth Malhotra’s character in ‘Ek Villian’. That character had so much potential. I would love to play that. It had the potential of becoming the next ‘Angry Young Man’ of the industry,” he said.

Masks now mandatory in outdoor places across French cities

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Masks now mandatory in outdoor places across French cities

The French authorities have ordered people to wear face masks in outdoor public places in many major cities as the COVID-19 spread and the admission to intensive care units have increased again after a month-long decline.

“The prefects can now, in coordination with health authorities and elected officials, impose the wearing of masks in busy places where physical distancing is impossible,” Prime Minister Jean Castex tweeted on Monday.

Amidst fears of a second pandemic wave, France has made wearing masks compulsory in busy pedestrians streets and uncovered markets in addition to tourist spots in many cities, including Lille, Nice, and La Mayenne, reports Xinhua news agency.

Wearing face mask has already been mandatory since July 20 for all people older than 10 years in all enclosed spaces, such as restaurants and hotels, shops, covered markets, museums, cinemas, concert halls, places of worship, airports and stations, libraries, vacation centers, administrations, and banks.

Any person who refuses to apply to the rule will pay a fine of 135 euros ($158).

“We must not let down the guard. The virus is not on holiday, and neither are we,” Castex said during a visit to the northern city of Lille.

“I call on the French to remain very vigilant because the fight against this virus…depends on each of us,” he added.

“We must all understand that the objective is simple: protect ourselves against the virus without bringing economic and social life to a halt, that is to say avoiding general confinement.”

A total of 191,295 people have been infected with the coronavirus as of Monday in the country, including 556 new infections confirmed in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry data showed.

Some 289 clusters are still active, of which five new ones were detected in one day as the government struggles to contain a rash of fresh infections that have sprung up since movement restrictions have been lifted and people have been allowed to travel and meet friends and families during summer holidays.

Some 5,198 people are hospitalized with coronavirus infection, 100 fewer than the number recorded a day before.

The number of patients in intensive increased by 13 to 384, erasing a long-running fall reported early April, the Ministry said.

With 29 new deaths recorded in the last 24 hours, coronavirus-related fatalities in France rose to 30,294, it added.

‘Ramarcha’ puja begins in Ayodhya ahead of ‘bhumi pujan’

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‘Ramarcha’ puja begins in Ayodhya ahead of ‘bhumi pujan’

The ‘Ramarcha’ puja began in Ayodhya on Tuesday morning, a day ahead of the ‘bhumi pujan’ for the construction of the Ram temple.

The ‘Ramarcha’ puja which involves the recitation of ‘Ram Katha’ and ‘Ram Dhun’ is being presided over by 11 priests from Varanasi and Ayodhya. The puja will continue for six to seven hours at the Ram Janmabhoomi complex.

The special puja of Lord Hanuman’s ‘pataka’ (flag) is also being held at Hanuman Garhi temple.

The entire Ram Janmabhoomi area has been decorated with saffron marigolds.

“Yellow is an auspicious color. In Hindu tradition, yellow is used in all ceremonies. It symbolizes purity and light,” said Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, successor-designate to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, chairman of the trust.

He said that the various rituals being held in various temples would culminate in the ‘bhumi puja’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is expected to arrive in Ayodhya by Tuesday evening. He will be among the five guests who will be seated on the dais along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

The other guests on the dais will be UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the chairman of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust that is overseeing the temple construction.

52K new Covid cases, 803 deaths in India in 24 hours

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52K new Covid cases, 803 deaths in India in 24 hours

With 52,050 new coronaviruses (Covid-19) cases and 803 deaths in the last 24 hours, India’s overall caseload stood at 18,55,745 while the total fatalities increased to 38,938, data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare revealed on Tuesday.

The country had crossed the 18-lakh mark on Monday. Currently, 5,86,298 cases are active and 12,30,509 people have recovered from the disease.

India has one of the lowest Case Fatality Rate (CFR) at 2.09 percent as compared to the global average.

With a recovery rate of 66.3 percent, a total of 44,306 people were discharged in the last 24 hours, the Ministry said. In the last 24 hours, 6,61,892 samples have been tested.

Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state with 4,41,228 cases and 15,576 deaths, of which 260 occurred in the last 24 hours.

Tamil Nadu comes in second with 257,613 cases and 4,132 deaths. The state registered 98 fatalities in the last 24 hours.

Delhi, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh saw a decline in the number of active cases.

Mizoram, Tripura, and Uttarakhand too witnessed active cases plummeting.

While on the global front, India remains the third worst-hit nation. As of Tuesday morning, the overall number of global coronavirus cases has topped 18.1 million marks, while the deaths have increased to over 691,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Tuesday morning, the total number of cases stood at 18,193,291 and the fatalities rose to 6,91,642, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

Cate Blanchett: Have always identified as a feminist

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Cate Blanchett: Have always identified as a feminist

Hollywood star Cate Blanchett says feminism is all about equality, adding that true power lies in bringing up other people.

“I’ve always identified as a feminist but I was also a part of the anti-wave in the mid-eighties and during the nineties. Feminism was a dirty word. The conversation that was going around in the 1970s, and I think it continued negatively into the 1980s and 1990s,” Blanchett said.

“Being a feminist meant that you were anti-family and that is just an anathema to me. I think feminism, at its base, is about equality but it also means that someone who is holding all the power has to share and that is a fearful thing for a lot of people. True power is about self-respect and respect for others.”

The actress feels if we survive into the next century, “it will be about collaboration”.

“It will involve deep listening, it will involve doubt, it will involve humility. Women who I greatly admire, who’ve done extraordinary things across industries, I’ll ask them a question hoping that they’re going to solve the problem and they take the time and have the courage to say ‘I don’t know, what do you think.’ So suddenly, you’re in dialogue,” she noted.

“Real power is bringing up other people with you, and women are by and large great at doing that. I am really excited about the generations that are coming up. It feels now like there are a lot of growing examples of women who are finding their own voice. They have a more secure and broad platform to be seen by audiences,” she added.

The actress continued: “Alma Har’el’s work was amazing in ‘Honey Boy’. And (American writer-director) Mariel Heller and (French filmmaker) Claire Denis — all these are people whose work is so fascinating. I am working on ‘Stateless’ and finally got to work with the wonderful Jocelyn Morehouse and Emma Freeman who are great TV directors. Apart from Ryan Fleck, all of the directors on ‘Mrs. America’ were women.”

On the work front, Blanchett plays Phyllis Schlafly in the series “Mrs. America”, aired in India on Star World. It tells the story of the movement for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s, and the backlash led by the conservative Schlafly.

COVID-19: Colombian football set for September return

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COVID-19: Colombian football set for September return

Colombian football is poised to restart in September, six months after it was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Ivan Duque has said.

Clubs returned to training in July in the hope of resuming competitions in August. However, a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the South American country has prompted officials to put those plans on hold, reports Xinhua news agency.

“The important thing is to try to have a reactivation in the month of September,” Duque told Blu Radio. “We have seen promising signs following the restart of training with no (cases within clubs). I think that by ensuring regular testing and monitoring, we can resume.”

Duque also raised the prospect of staging all first division matches in one city in an effort to reduce the risk of contagion among players, fans, and officials.

“It is something that will have to be discussed in the coming days with the clubs,” he added.

Colombia has the world’s 10th highest number of coronavirus infections with more than 327,000 confirmed cases. Over 11,000 people have died from the virus in the Andean nation, according to health ministry figures published late Monday.

Microsoft Teams allows 20K participants, Cloud-based phone calling

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Microsoft Teams allows 20K participants, Cloud-based phone calling

Microsoft has announced that its video meet app will now limit the size of interactive meetings to 1,000 participants, with a seamless shift to a ‘view only mode after the limit is met, for up to 20,000 participants.

The company has also introduced new capabilities like allowing people to add the company’s branding to meetings for a professional look and feel.

“Start out with a branded meeting lobby, launching in the coming months, and extend your branding to the core meeting experience coming later,” said Nicole Herskowitz, Microsoft Teams General Manager.

A new Cloud-based phone calling system in the Team will help employees who use phone numbers to make and receive calls with customers, partners, and vendors, whether they are in the office or working from home.

“Connecting 1:1 with colleagues, customers and partners is important, especially when meeting face-to-face can be challenging. Employees in your organization can easily call each other from Teams without a phone number,” Herskowitz said in a statement on Monday.

The new ‘Teams Displays’ feature will offer “a fresh perspective on what a phone could be.”

This is a dedicated Teams device featuring an ambient touch screen, high-quality calling and video, and a hands-free experience powered by Cortana.

With Cortana built-in, the Lenovo ThinkSmart View and Yealink will deliver the first Microsoft Teams displays in the US later this year.

“We are announcing extended support for Skype for Business (3PIP) phones beyond 2023, so you can continue to use your existing Skype for Business phones as you move to Teams,” said the company.

Additionally, it will be supporting core calling features on SIP phones from Cisco, Yealink, Polycom, and others with Teams.

Support for SIP phones will be available in the first half of 2021.

A new lineup of Microsoft Teams phones with physical buttons, high-quality audio, and core calling features are also coming at affordable prices.

“These phones are designed for common areas and basic information worker scenarios, with options available from AudioCodes, Poly, Yealink starting early 2021,” said Microsoft.

“We are also expanding our portfolio to deliver new USB peripherals that have dial pads and a modern Teams user interface for heavy call users,” it added.

Two cops injured after run over by liquor smugglers in UP

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Two cops injured after run over by liquor smugglers in UP

A sub-inspector and a constable were seriously injured when alleged liquor smugglers tried to crush them under their vehicle.

The incident took place near Niwada village in Baghpat on Monday.

The injured policemen were rushed to a district hospital and are said to be out of danger.

According to reports, the Baghpat police had received a tip-off about liquor being smuggled in the border area. While inspecting vehicles at the Niwada check post, the police asked a particular vehicle to stop.

However, the vehicle broke the barricades and sped away. The check post in charge sub-inspector Balram Singh along with constable Rohit Kumar then chased the car and eventually blocked its path with their motorcycle a few kilometers away.

The car driver ran over the bike, throwing the two cops off the road, leaving them injured.

Baghpat ASP Ajay Kumar said, “We have formed teams to locate the vehicle. The two police personnel have been admitted to a district hospital.”

Being close to the Haryana border, smuggling of illicit liquor from across the border is rampant in the area.

The crackdown was ordered after the recent illicit liquor tragedy in Punjab. The police have been conducting dozens of raids across villages in the region.

Twitter faces $250mn FTC fine over misuse of users’ data

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Twitter faces $250mn FTC fine over misuse of users’ data

Twitter has disclosed that it may end up paying up to $250 million as fine to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in a probe pertaining to improper use of users’ phone numbers and email addresses for advertising gains.

On July 28, the company received a draft complaint from the FTC alleging violations of Twitter’s 2011 consent order with the FTC not to mislead consumers about how it protects their personal information.

“The allegations relate to the Company’s use of phone number and/or email address data provided for safety and security purposes for targeted advertising during periods between 2013 and 2019,” Twitter said its second-quarter financial filing on Monday.

“The company estimates that the range of probable loss in this matter is $150 million to $250 million and has recorded an accrual of $150 million,” said Twitter.

“The matter remains unresolved, and there can be no assurance as to the timing or the terms of any final outcome,” the company added.

Twitter last month suffered its biggest data breach when three young individuals (including one juvenile) compromised the accounts of 130 high-profile celebrities, politicians, and businesses like Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Apple and Uber.

The US Department of Justice has now charged the individuals with hacking Twitter.

Twitter revealed that the massive hack that spread a cryptocurrency scam by hijacking accounts of high-profile celebrities, politicians, and businesses was a result of a phone spear-phishing attack.

The attackers targeted 130 Twitter accounts, ultimately tweeting from 45, accessing the DM (Direct Messages) inbox of 36, and downloading the Twitter data of seven accounts.

The incident raised concerns around Twitter tools and levels of employee access.

Google invests $450mn in US-based ADT for secure home devices

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Google invests $450mn in US-based ADT for secure home devices

Google has announced a long-term, strategic partnership with ADT, a leading US security and home automation provider, with an infusion of $450 million into the company to develop secure smart home audio and video devices.

Google will own approximately 6.6 percent of ADT’s outstanding aggregate common equity.

The investment is in exchange for shares of a newly-created Class B common stock having all the rights and preferences of ADT’s common stock except for the right to vote on the election, appointment or removal of directors, the tech giant said on Monday.

Google will combine its Nest devices, services, and technology with ADT’s leadership position providing security solutions for millions of homes and small businesses in the US.

“The partnership pairs more than 20,000 ADT professionals together with Nest’s portfolio of helpful home devices,” said Rishi Chandra, Vice President, and GM, Nest.

The company’s network of thousands of professional technicians will be able to sell and install devices like Nest Cameras and Nest Hub Max, all powered by Google Assistant.

Over time, Nest’s devices, powered by Google’s machine learning capabilities will enhance ADT’s security monitoring and become the cornerstone of ADT’s smart home offering.

The goal is to give customers fewer false alarms, more ways to receive alarm events, and better detection of potential incidents inside and around the home.

It will also provide people with more helpful notifications that make everyday life more convenient, like package detection.

“ADT customers will also have access to Nest Aware, a service that keeps people informed about important events at home, including intelligent alerts and event history recording for up to 30 days,” informed Google.

The Search engine giant in June announced that its Advanced Protection Programme (APP) is now available for Nest smart home devices.

T20I series between Australia, West Indies postponed

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T20I series between Australia, West Indies postponed

Cricket Australia on Tuesday announced the postponement of the proposed three-match T20I series against West Indies scheduled for the first week of October.

The T20I series, with games scheduled to be played at Townsville, Cairns and the Gold Coast on October 4, 6 and 9 respectively, was to serve as a tune-up before this year’s T20 World Cup which has now been postponed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Together with Cricket West Indies, we have agreed to postpone the Twenty20 series originally scheduled for Queensland in October,” Cricket Australia said in a statement on their official Twitter handle.

“Serving as warm-ups for the ICC T20 World Cup, the series will now coincide with the rescheduled T20 World Cup in Australia, in either 2021 or 2022,” it added.

Australia’s next international assignment is a limited-overs series, which will consist of three T20Is and as many ODIs, is in England with a proposed starting date of September 4.

According to a report in Daily Telegraph, the planned fixtures would see Australia play T20Is on September 4, 6, and 8, and ODIs on September 10, 12, and 15. The Australia team is expected to reach the UK via a private flight.

Cricket Australia has already named a 26-man preliminary list of players from which the final squad will be picked if the tour is confirmed.

Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah tests COVID-19 positive

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Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah tests COVID-19 positive

Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and has been admitted to a private hospital in the city, an official said on Tuesday.

“Karnataka opposition leader and former state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are admitted to Manipal Hospital for evaluation of fever after the antigen test for COVID-19 are positive,” the official told IANS here.

In a statement, the hospital said Siddaramaiah is doing well and stable.

“Siddaramaiah is undergoing appropriate evaluation and management by a multi-disciplinary team of doctors,” said the hospital.

The veteran politician also tweeted that he has been tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted to the hospital on the advice of doctors as a precaution.

“I request all those who had come in contact with me to check out for symptoms and to quarantine themselves,” he said in the tweet.

Siddaramaiah’s son and party legislator Yathindra said in Kannada that his father had a fever since Monday morning and was hospitalized overnight.

“Corona antigen test has confirmed that he has been infected with the virus. I ask those who have come in contact with him recently should quarantine,” said Yathindra.

Incidentally, incumbent Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who also tested positive for the virus on Sunday, is in the same hospital for treatment along with his daughter B.Y. Padmavati, who too tested positive for the virus on Monday and was admitted in Manipal in the city’s eastern suburb.

5 Yoga Poses for Stomach Aches

Team TeluguBullet
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5 Yoga Poses for Stomach Aches

Yoga can cure stomach ache. It is better to practice yoga to get rid of stomach pain. It is better to go in for yoga rather than take medicines for stomach ache.

People do often eat more than required particularly on holidays. They stuff their stomach with rich foods in greater quantities. Naturally they end up with a stomach ache after having eaten foods such as salami and crackers, spicy salsa, and a glass of eggnog in one go? One suffers from severe stomach pain after eating too much food.

Yoga combines deep breathing, stretches that massage one’s organs, and twists that wring out intestinal toxins. These poses can be done daily as part of one’s routine in order to get rid of stomach pain.

1.Cat-Cow Pose (Marjariasana)

This pose massages one’s abdominal organs in order to stimulate one’s digestive as well as reproductive systems and thus help in getting rid of stomach ache.

To start, get on one’s hands and knees checking to make sure that one’s hips are over one’s knees and one’s palms are beneath one’s shoulders. On an exhale, lower the head and look towards one’s belly button as one rounds the back. As one inhales, arch the back and lift the chest, pulling one’s shoulders back. Look forward and tighten one’s stomach muscles. Repeat this several times and enjoy the release in one’s lower back.

2.Gas Release Pose (Pawamuktasana)

The pose compresses the ascending and descending colon in order to stimulate the nerves and aid indigestion. This pose presses on the abdomen in order to release any trapped gas in the large intestine and relieves constipation and thus one gets relief from stomach ache. Lying on one’s back, bring both knees to the chest and wrap the arms around the shins. Pull the knees toward the chest and bring the chin toward the knees. Hold this pose and release before repeating. One can also bring one leg toward the chest at a time to stimulate one side of one’s colon at a time.

3.Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

The downward-facing dog pose actually compresses one’s kidneys, liver, and spleen which aids in digestion. As one is in the pose, pull the belly button towards the spine for abdominal compression. To get into this pose, come into plank and ensure the hands are stacked under one’s shoulders and one’s feet are hips-width apart. Using the core, press the hips up and back, so that the hips are in the air while one’s hands and feet push into the floor. If one has tight hamstrings one can bend the knees and stretch out the back of the legs. This asana also help one to overcome stomach pain.

4.Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana)

This twisting pose aids massage of one’s organs to get the juices flowing. Breathing deeply while holding this pose will indeed help cleanse as well as purify one’s inner organs. With one right leg forward in Triangle Pose, take the right hand from one’s right shin and stretch it toward the ceiling as one takes one’s left hand to one’s right shin. To go deeper one can bring one’s left hand outside one’s right foot. Hold this pose for one minute before switching sides.

5.Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

This pose not only stretches out one’s legs and alleviates back tension, but it also helps improve digestion as it tones up the pelvic organs. There is a slight twist, which does help get the food in one’s stomach moving. Step the right foot 3-4 feet in front of the left. The right foot should be facing forward, while the left foot can slightly face out. Both feet need to be fully on the ground with legs straight. Reach the right hand and rest it on the right shin, keeping the legs straight. Reach the left hand toward the ceiling. If one has to have the balance, look toward the left hand to get a nice twist in the lower back and internal organs. Hold for one minute before switching sides.

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