‘Threatened’ Zoom says not worried about JioMeet competition

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‘Threatened’ Zoom says not worried about JioMeet competition

With Reliance Jio launching a Make in India free video-conferencing application JioMeet that directly takes on Zoom, the US-based company said on Saturday they are not worried about the upcoming competition and know what it takes to become a successful unified communications platform.

JioMeet offers enterprise-grade host control and security and can be used for 1:1 video calls and hosting meetings with up to 100 participants. The application has already been downloaded more than 1,00,000 times on Google Play Store within no time.

“Zoom has experienced intense competition since it was established in 2011, and yet we have become the platform of choice for millions of participants around the world,” the company said in a statement.

“We know what it takes to become the unified communications platform we are today, including the immense amount of work and focus required to create our frictionless user experience, sophisticated security, and scalable architecture,” Zoom added.

JioMeet has created a solid buzz in India. Other highlights in the desi video meet app include easy sign up with either mobile number or email ID, meeting in HD audio and video quality.

It offers support where the users can click on a JioMeet invite link and join from his or her browser without downloading the application.

Back-end technology optimizes experience with HD video quality even at lower bandwidths and intuitive and user-friendly interface enhances the overall conferencing experience.

“All your meetings are encrypted and password-protected, ensuring complete privacy and data protection,” said the JioMeet team.

In a statement this week, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan announced to double down on the efforts to bring meaningful change to its video meet app after the 90-day pledge ended, saying the company would put mechanisms in place to make sure that security and privacy remain a priority in each phase of its product and feature development.

Bogged down by numerous privacy and security issues in March, Zoom took a 90-day pledge on April 1 to make a number of enhancements to address security and privacy.

“We cannot and will not stop here. Privacy and security are ongoing priorities for Zoom, and this 90-day period – while fruitful – was just a first step,” said Yuan.

Industry experts have hailed the arrival of JioMeet, at a time when the onus is on the Indian corporate and enterprise world to create world-class apps that can reach global heights.

“The current market dynamics will potentially provide enough tailwinds to JioMeet to gain currency, on the back of its features, such as no limits on call durations, and seamless switching between devices,” Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group, CyberMedia Research (CMR), told IANS.

JioMeet can be used for creating instant meetings to chat with friends and also to schedule a meeting in advance and share meeting details with invitees.

It offers unlimited meetings per day and each meeting can go uninterrupted up to 24 hours.

US reports over 50,000 COVID-19 cases for 3rd consecutive day

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US reports over 50,000 COVID-19 cases for 3rd consecutive day

The US, which currently accounts for the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, has registered more than 50,000 new infections for the third consecutive day amid a sudden surge in 40 out of the 50 states in the country.

According to the Johns Hopkins University, the US on Friday reported at least 51,842 new cases, taking the overall number of infections 2,793,425, while the death toll stood at 129,432.

The current worst-hit states of California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida all posted record new cases this week.

Florida reported nearly 9,500 additional coronavirus cases on Friday, while Texas-registered 7,555 new infections.

Florida is averaging more new cases per day — 7,870 — than any other state.

Nearly two dozen states have paused their reopenings to combat the virus spread while others have taken extra measures to keep it out of their borders, said a CNN report.

New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut issued a travel advisory that requires people arriving from eight states with high coronavirus rates to quarantine for two weeks.

The development comes as Americans were readying to mark the country’s Independence Day on Saturday amidst the pandemic.

India wants to focus on connectivity to Buddhist sites: PM

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India wants to focus on connectivity to Buddhist sites: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Asaadh Poornima and the inauguration of the Dharma Chakra Day, on Saturday, said India wants to focus on connectivity to Buddhist sites to improve tourism.

The Prime Minister’s remark came at a time when the country is passing through its worst economic phase and needs improvement in all sectors including tourism to attract revenue.

“We want to focus on connectivity to Buddhist sites. A few days back the Indian cabinet announced that Kushinagar airport will be an international one. This will bring people, pilgrims, and tourists,” Modi said.

Addressing through video conferencing, Modi said he is very hopeful about the 21st century and this hope comes from young friends. He lauded the efforts of youths in start-up sectors saying, “If you want to see a great example of how hope, innovation, and compassion can remove suffering, it is our start-up sector led by our youths,”

Noting that bright young minds are finding solutions to global problems, the Prime Minister said India has one of the largest start-up eco-systems and I would urge my young friends to also stay connected with the thoughts of Lord Buddha so that they could be motivated and find the way ahead.

The Prime Minister said that the event is also known as Guru Purnima. “This is a day to remember our gurus who gave us knowledge. In that spirit, we pay homage to Lord Buddha,” PM said.

“The eight-fold path of Lord Buddha shows the way towards the well-being of many societies and nations. It highlights the importance of compassion and kindness. The teachings of Lord Buddha celebrate simplicity, both in thought and action,” He said.

Buddhism teaches respect for people, the poor, and women, for peace and non-violence. “Therefore, the teachings of Buddhism are the means to a sustainable planet.”

“In his very first sermon in Sarnath and his teachings after that, Lord Buddha spoke on two things — hope and purpose. He saw a strong link between them. From hope comes a spirit of purpose,” the Prime Minister said.

Talking of the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Prime Minister said the world is fighting against this virus with extraordinary challenges. To these challenges, he said, lasting solutions can come from the ideals of Lord Buddha. “They were relevant in the past. They are relevant to the present. And, they will continue to remain relevant in the future.”

“May the thoughts of Lord Buddha further brighten togetherness and brotherhood. May his blessings inspire us to do good,” the Prime Minister added.

This day is also aptly observed as Guru Poornima by both Buddhists and Hindus as a day to mark reverence to their Gurus. The day is celebrated as Dharma Chakra Day by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), under the Ministry of Culture. This day commemorates Buddha’s First Sermon to his first five ascetic disciples at the Deer Park, Rsipatana in the present-day Sarnath near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

105-year-old man recovers from COVID-19 in Pakistan

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105-year-old man recovers from COVID-19 in Pakistan

A 105-year-old man in Pakistan’s Punjab province has been discharged from hospital after successfully defeating COVID-19, the media reported.

Fazal Rauf, who is also a war veteran and has served in the Pakistan Army, was tested positive and had been quarantined in hospital since then, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rauf was tested for the disease again on Thursday and his report came out negative.

On Friday, e was shifted back to his home, and his condition remains stable.

According to Pakistan’s health ministry, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased to 221,896 with 4,551 deaths and 113,623 recoveries.

Hamish Rutherford to return to Worcestershire for T20 Blast

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Hamish Rutherford to return to Worcestershire for T20 Blast

New Zealand batsman Hamish Rutherford will be part of Worcestershire’s set-up for the T20 Blast competition, the county has confirmed. The New Zealander will be available for the entire T20 tournament which the Worcestershire Rapids won in 2018 and were runners-up 12 months later, it added.

Rutherford experienced a successful first spell at Blackfinch New Road during 2019 and became only the second player to score a century on First Class and List A debut for Worcestershire.

He hit 123 in the County Championship match at the Fischer County Ground, Leicester, and then 108 in the Royal London One-Day Cup versus Lancashire at the Old Trafford.

Rutherford, the son of former Black Caps captain Ken Rutherford, had been originally scheduled to play the entire 2020 season for Worcestershire CCC before the impact of COVID-19 delayed the campaign.

Worcestershire head coach Alex Gidman said: “It’s been a bitterly frustrating time for anyone in cricket all around the world and it’s no different for Hamish.

“He was desperately keen to come and play for us again for the whole summer. Obviously that hasn’t happened and it’s great the club is still looking to pursue him for T20 cricket.

“We are looking forward to him coming back. Hamish and Riki (Wessels) can cause quite a lot of destruction at the top of the order and it’s important for us as a club and as a group of players that we challenge as much as we can in that competition.

“It’s something we’ve been successful in for the past two years and, regardless of how that competition looks this year, we want to try and do as well as possible in it,” he added.

Majority companies report 5% revenue de-growth in Q4FY20: SBI Ecowrap

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Majority companies report 5% revenue de-growth in Q4FY20: SBI Ecowrap

Almost all companies across sectors have suffered a revenue de-growth of 5 percent for Q4FY20, an SBI Ecowrap report said on Friday.

The report pointed out that sectors also suffered from around 30 percent dip in operating profit as well as the bottom line.

“Overall, we feel no sector is untouched with the impact of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdowns even after opening up will prolong the economic pain,” the Ecowrap report said.

“Results in Q4FY20 (in listed space ex BFSI and refineries) reveal a de-growth of 5 percent in revenue and around 30 percent both in operating profit as well as the bottom line.”

In particular, the report cited sectors such as automobiles including auto ancillaries, textile, steel, non-ferrous metal, real estate, construction, and capital goods, amongst others, to have reported double-digit negative growth across parameters.

“However, we believe in the current exceptional circumstances, it is futile to look at profit and loss parameters. What will be more important will be to closely observe the balance sheet strength. Ideally, corporates with such strength will be able to navigate through these exceptional times,” the report said.

“Subsequently, we observe that sectors such as automobile, FMCG, consumer durables though have reported negative growth in all key parameters in Q4FY20, have the requisite balance sheet strength to come out of the current situation.”

On the other hand, the report said that sectors such as sugar, steel, telecom services, construction, realty amongst others do not have the balance sheet strength and may face difficulties in this uncertain period.

Besides, the report pointed out that the pandemic has resulted in unprecedented ratings downgrade across sectors.

“We had 182 rating upgrades and 2996 rating downgrades, for the select sectors, during Q1FY21. Further, it is important to understand the current rating downgrades in comparison with the FY14 taper tantrum crisis,” the report said.

“It may be noted that unlike taper tantrum, almost all sectors face a significant rating downgrade: fertilizer, textile, automobile, consumer durables, realty, construction, sugar, capital goods, etc to name a few.”

In addition, it said that all such sectors have a predominant reflection of consumer demand, and “it is thus imperative that policymakers are cognizant to give a meaningful push to demand as we meander through the current crisis”.

India records highest 1-day spike of over 22k corona cases

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India records highest 1-day spike of over 22k corona cases

India on Saturday recorded the highest single-day spike of 22,771 cases, pushing the total tally to 6,48,315, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. The country recorded a spike of 20,903 cases yesterday.

The death count rose to 18,655, with 442 people succumbing to the deadly virus in 24 hours. A total of 3,94,226 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The recovery rate is 60.73 percent among the COVID-19 patients.

With a spike of 6,364 cases, Maharashtra remained the worst pandemic hit the state in the country. The state has a total of 1,92,990 cases, including 8,376 deaths.

Tamil Nadu is on the second spot with 1,02,721 confirmed cases, of which, 1,385 people have died, 58,378 recovered and 42,958 are active.

Delhi with a total of 94,695 cases, including 2,923 deaths and 65,624 recoveries is on the third spot.

States with more than 10,000 cases include Gujarat with 34,600 cases and 1,904 deaths, Uttar Pradesh (25,797), Rajasthan (19,052), Madhya Pradesh (14,297), West Bengal (20,488), Haryana (16,003), Karnataka (19,710), Andhra Pradesh (16,934), Telangana (20,462) and Bihar (10,954) cases.

PUBG Mobile’s lifetime revenue hits $3bn, India tops download chart

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PUBG Mobile’s lifetime revenue hits $3bn, India tops download chart

Battle Royale title game PUBG Mobile has seen a global revenue gain of $1.3 billion (roughly Rs 9,731 crore) in the first half of this year, bringing its lifetime collection to $3 billion (nearly Rs 22,457 crore) with the highest number of downloads in India which ranks at the top with 175 million installs.

With people staying home owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, the PUBG revenues hit a record high of $270 million (around Rs 2,021 crore) in March, reveals data from analytics firm Sensor Tower.

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

After PUBG became popular, Tencent — a Chinese conglomerate — joined hands with Bluehole to market the product in China and started handling a large portion of its distribution. The game is distributed in India by Tencent Holdings. The game did not feature in the banned list due to its mixed-ownership since it’s not entirely Chinese.

According to Sensor Tower data, in 2020, while the Garena offering collected over $300 million (roughly Rs. 2,245 crores), Knives Out from NetEase generated over $260 million (roughly Rs. 1,946 crores) in revenue.

Following them is Activision’s Call of Duty: Mobile that turned in a revenue of $220 million (around Rs 1,646 crore).

Google Play accounts for the lion’s share of downloads, at 65 percent of all installs, while the App Store represents 35 percent of the total.

PUBG Mobile, thanks to the release of ‘Game For Peace’ in China, has been a wild success internationally.

Sanjay Kapoor, Arjun Mathur to star in lockdown-shot series ‘The Gone Game’

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Sanjay Kapoor, Arjun Mathur to star in lockdown-shot series ‘The Gone Game’

Actors Sanjay Kapoor, Arjun Mathur, Shriya Pilgaonkar, and Shweta Tripathi will be seen in the crime-thriller web series “The Gone Game”, which has been shot during the lockdown period amid the COVID pandemic.

The thriller also stars Rukhsar Rehman, Lubna Salim, Indraneil Sengupta, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya amongst others.

“The Gone Game” unravels the mystery behind a death that takes place during the pandemic-imposed lockdown and changes the life of a family. It has been shot entirely from the confines of the artistes’ homes, with the help of ingenious sets and limited equipment.

Talking about the project, director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat said: “‘The Gone Game’ is an original series in every sense. Be it the storyline, the characters, or the overall visual appeal, we have tried to make it authentic while keeping the current lockdown scenario as the backdrop of the show.”

“It will not be wrong to say that we made it from scratch as we were working with very limited resources and shooting entirely from home. We also had to use some innovative techniques to ensure that the performances do not suffer because of the constraint of physical proximity. We learned and unlearned many aspects from our test shoots as due to the conditions, the process was limited, but it also gave the actors and the technicians a lot of freedom to innovate. It has been an unconventional journey and we hope that the audience will appreciate our vision,” he added.

The show will release on Voot Select in July.

Diana Penty: Each film has taught me something new

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Diana Penty: Each film has taught me something new

It’s been an eight-year journey for actress Diana Penty in the Hindi film industry. She says it has been a great learning experience and that each film she has done till now has taught her something new.

The actress made her debut in 2012 with the hit “Cocktail” starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. She was then seen in films like “Happy Bhag Jayegi”, “Lucknow Central”, “Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran” and “Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi”.

“It’s been a great journey, and a great learning experience. Each film has taught me something new — be it about myself, my craft, my profession, people. I’m also grateful to have had the opportunity to work with some wonderful and very talented people along the way,” Diana told IANS.

She recently shared that follows her gut feeling when it comes to picking scripts, and says that it has never let her down.

Amid the lockdown, Diana has come out with an initiative called The Khaki Project to extend help and support to Mumbai Police, who have been in the forefront in the city’s fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

On the work front, she will next be seen in the romantic drama “Shiddat”, which also stars Mohit Raina, Radhika Madan, and Sunny Kaushal, and is directed by Kunal Deshmukh of “Jannat” fame on a script by Shridhar Raghavan and Dheeraj Rattan.

Ajay Devgn announces film on Galwan Valley incident

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Ajay Devgn announces film on Galwan Valley incident

Actor-producer Ajay Devgn is all set to announce a film based on the attack on Indian soldiers by Chinese troops in Ladakh Galwan Valley.

According to the film’s description, it will narrate the “story of the sacrifice of 20 Indian army men who fought the Chinese army”.

It is not clear if Ajay will star in the film. The cast and other crew are under finalization. The film will be co-produced by Ajay Devgn FFilms and Select Media Holdings LLP.

On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent faceoff in Galway Valley in eastern Ladakh with the Chinese forces. The Galway clash occurred at the south bank of the river, which flows in an east-west direction, before its confluence with the Shayok River.

It was the first casualties faced by the Indian Army in a clash with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army since 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh.

Coming up for Ajay soon is “Bhuj: The Pride of India”. The film also stars Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Ammy Virk, and Sharad Kelkar and is written and directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya. The film is slated to premiere digitally on an OTT platform soon.

Terence Lewis: Saroj Khan set the gold standard for choreographers (FIRST PERSON)

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Terence Lewis: Saroj Khan set the gold standard for choreographers (FIRST PERSON)

Mumbai, July 4 (IANS) She was an Iron lady who was not afraid to call a spade a spade! Saroj Khan had worked incredibly hard to achieve her position, given the patriarchy in the film industry and the times she lived in.

I bow to her talent, her pulse on the music and lyrical interpretation through dance, and her knowledge of camera — to capture the essence of the beauty of dance.

She set the gold standard for all choreographers. She was a living legend in her lifetime and through her labor of love made choreography a recognizable and valuable part of the film business.

Her ability to transform the raunchiest and most salacious lyrics and give the act dignity through her craft in songs like “Dhak dhak” and “Choli ke peeche” set her apart. Her work has become a Bible for all choreographers including myself.

At a personal level, we shared a relationship of respect and I was besotted by her body of work and the power she exuded, always with wit and candor.

Her professional work was the gold standard for all film choreographers.

I was lucky that I got to know about her personal life from her, and my respect for her just increased exponentially. She spoke her mind irrespective of position and power and did not disguise any of her opinions.

She taught me to stand up and speak the truth, and she refused to let anyone throw shade at her and was unapologetic about her choices. This is something that I am still working on. She did not tolerate any star tantrums and would not compromise on her vision unlike what happens today.

We judged a school event together a couple of years ago. She was charming as always, though health problems had slowed her down. But mentally she was as sharp as ever and her in a characteristic way, she had everyone in the palm of her hand!

All districts except one in Kashmir categorised as red zones

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All districts except one in Kashmir categorised as red zones

All districts in Kashmir division except one were on Saturday categorized as red zones to control the spread of COVID-19 infection.

An order issued by B. V. R.Subrahmanyan, chairperson of the state executive committee for disaster management said that all districts of Kashmir division except Bandipora have been categorized as red zones.

Districts categorized as red zones in Kashmir include Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag, Kupwara and Baramulla.

In the Jammu division, the Ramban district continues to remain in the list of red zone districts.

All schools, colleges, universities, coaching centers, clubs, cinema halls, gymnasia, swimming pools, parks, spas, bars, auditoria, and assembly halls shall remain closed till further orders.

Hotels have been allowed to run full capacity while restaurants will open with 50 percent capacity.

A total of 119 people have succumbed to COVID-19 in J&K so far while the number of corona patients has crossed 8,000.

“I’m devastated by the loss of my friend and guru, Saroj Khan”

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“I’m devastated by the loss of my friend and guru, Saroj Khan”

“I’m devastated by the loss of my friend and guru, Saroj Khan,” tweeted actress Madhuri Dixit, who was the star of several iconic Bollywood songs choreographed by Saroj Khan. The veteran choreographer died of a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on July 3. She was 71. Madhuri Dixit, who also worked with Saroj Khan in the choreographer’s last Bollywood project – 2019 film Kalank, credited Saroj Khan for her reputation as a legendary dancer: “Will always be grateful for her work in helping me reach my full potential in dance.” An emotional Madhuri Dixit added in her tweet: “The world has lost an amazingly talented person. I will miss you. My sincere condolences to the family.”

https://twitter.com/MadhuriDixit/status/1278901195751321600

Saroj Khan, who stepped into Bollywood as an independent choreographer in 1974, was recognised for her genius after choreographing Sridevi and later Madhuri Dixit for several dance numbers.

Ek Do Teen from Tezaab, Tamma Tamma Loge from Thanedaar and Dhak Dhak Karne Laga from Beta are some of Madhuri Dixit and Saroj Khan’s best known collaborations. During her illustrious career, Saroj Khan won the National Award thrice, one of which was for the song Dola Re Dola, starring Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, from Devdas.

Saroj Khan’s choreography in Tezaab song Ek Do Teen, starring Madhuri, is the reason that Filmfare included the Best Choreography Award category. Saroj Khan became the first recipient of the award and holds the record of highest wins with eight Filmfare Best Choreography Awards. She won for choreographing Madhuri Dixit songs in films such as Chaalbaaz, Beta, Sailaab, Devdas among others.In the later part of her career, Saroj Khan worked with Madhuri Dixit in 2014’s Gulaab Gang and 2019 movie Kalank.

ED has filed a case against former TV9 CEO

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ED has filed a case against former TV9 CEO

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a case against former TV9 CEO Ravi Prakash. The ED has registered the case on Wednesday and along with Ravi Prakash, former Associated Broadcasting Company Private Limited (ABCL) directors MKVN Murthy and Clifford Pereira were also booked.

After Alanda Media & Entertainment Private Limited taking over TV9 last year, on October 6th, 2019, they lodged a complaint against Ravi Prakash and the two for allegedly withdrawing Rs 18 crore from ABCL in a fraudulent manner. This case was filed at Banjara Hills Police station.

Based on this, the ED has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) while the full details are yet to be out.

Ever since Alandha Media took over TV9, Ravi Prakash has been in troubles. He is on the run from the cops who want to probe him.

“The weak can never accomplish peace, the brave do”

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“The weak can never accomplish peace, the brave do”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing troops during a surprise visit to a forward post in Ladakh today, said: “The weak can never accomplish peace, the brave do.” Describing the soldiers as “the braves of the soil”, the Prime Minister said the “enemy has seen your fire and fury,” delivering a strong, direct message to China after the June 15 clash in which 20 soldiers were killed in action.

“Every single Indian across the world, especially in India, has the belief that you all can deliver and keep the nation strong and safe. Your courage is higher than the heights where you are stationed. Your arms are as strong as the mountains that surround you. Your confidence, determination and belief are as atal (immovable) as the peaks here,” he said.

“The conditions in which you all deliver your best are among the toughest in the world, and you have proven time and again that the Indian armed force is mightier and better than everyone else in the world.”

The PM’s visit served as a powerful statement against Chinese aggression at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since early May, which escalated to a deadly brawl on June 15 in which 20 soldiers were killed and over 70 injured. Army sources said 45 Chinese soldiers were killed or injured.

“The world has given up Vistaarvaad (expansionism). This has destroyed the world. History has proved that expansionist forces have often perished. This is the age of Vikaswaad (Development),” said the Prime Minister, without mentioning China.

Chants of “Bharat Mata ki jai” and “Vande Mataram” broke out when he arrived at Nimu earlier today. A video showed soldiers cheering as the Prime Minister walked amidst them, accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, and Army Chief General MM Naravane. He was flown by chopper to Nimu, 11,000 feet up in the Himalayas and on the banks of the river Indus.

PM Modi first interacted with soldiers from the Army, Air Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, sitting in a camouflage tent. Later, he addressed the troops.

“Our enemies have seen your Fire and your Fury,” he said, addressing the XIV Corps of the Army in Leh that is called the Fire and Fury Corps.

PM Modi also visited a hospital where several soldiers wounded in the clash are recovering.

Experts feel this imbalance will drive the Telangana economy into uncertainty

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Experts feel this imbalance will drive the Telangana economy into uncertainty

The Telangana government which has already borrowed more than Rs 2 lakh crore is getting ready to seek more debts. It issued an ordinance this week revising the FRBM limit in the name of guarantee for corporations, as it would enable the state government to go for more debts. Through the ordinance, the state government has relaxed the borrowing limit from 90 per cent to 200 per cent.

The FRBM limits put a check on the state governments and preventing them from borrowing as much as they want.

It may be recalled that the Centre has relaxed the FRBM limits for all the states in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed to check its spread.

As there is no assembly session, the TS government got the Ordinance passed with the Governor’s consent. The Ordinance included two changes in the FRBM Act, 2005. The second change made to the Act is likely to push the state treasury into debts.

All debts made under the FRBM Act should be included in the Budget. However, if money is borrowed in the name guarantee fund of Corporations, they need not be shown in the Budget.

Whatever be the clause, finally, the government has to repay the borrowed amount.In the last six years, the TS government had borrowed at least Rs 1.13 lakh crore in the name of corporations for Mission Bhageeratha, Mission Kakatiya and other irrigation projects.

The state governments also have a limit for the legal guarantees it can undertake. As per the Sec (9) of the FRBM Act, the total of guarantees should not cross 90 per cent of the state’s revenue. However, in the latest Ordinance, the state government changed this clause.

As per the change, the debts to be drawn in the name of corporations will be double the income, which means it will be more than Rs 2 lakh crore.

Financial experts feel this imbalance will drive the Telangana economy into uncertainty. It is also being alleged that corporations were being created only to borrow money.

As per the FRBM limit, the state government has set a target to borrow Rs 55,000 crore this fiscal. In 2020-2021 Budget, the government had declared that it would take debts to the tune of Rs 33,000 crore. By increasing the FRBM limits, the TS government is getting ready to borrow Rs 55,000 crore.

Now open BMW cars with Apple digital key

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Now open BMW cars with Apple digital key

Luxury automobile manufacturer BMW has announced that its BMW Connected app for iPhone and Apple Watch has been updated with support for the digital key.

The new feature which uses the near-field communication (NFC) technology that has been available on Android for a while, was announced by Apple during its annual WWDC 2020 developer conference last month.

“The BMW Digital Key for the iPhone will enable you to lock and unlock your car by holding the iPhone up to the door handle and start it up by placing the iPhone in the smartphone tray. The car owner can also share access to up to 5 friends,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the carmaker, users will be able to create their Car Key in the application, then access it from the Wallet app on their iPhone or from Apple Watch.

“The Digital Key will be also available via your Apple Watch. Setup of the Digital Key can be done through the BMW Connected App while the Digital Key is stored in Apple Wallet after setup,” the carmaker added.

The Car Key functionality is available for a “broad range of models,” including 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, X5, X6, X7, X5M, X6M and Z4 if manufactured after July 1, 2020.

Car Key will require an iPhone XR, XS, or newer running iOS 13.6, which is not yet available to the general public. iOS 13.6 is currently in developer and public beta testing.

Once iOS 13.6 is readily available to everyone, BMW drivers will be able to lock and unlock their car via their iPhone or Apple Watch, as well as to start the car when the iPhone is placed in the car’s smartphone tray.

Shah Rukh Khan pays tribute to Saroj Khan

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Shah Rukh Khan pays tribute to Saroj Khan

Shah Rukh Khan on Friday mourned the demise of Saroj Khan, saying that the late choreographer was his “first genuine teacher in the film industry”.

“My first genuine teacher in the film industry. She taught me for hours how to do the ‘dip’ for film dancing. One of the most caring, loving & inspiring personas I have ever met. I Will miss you Sarojji. May Allah bless her soul. Thank u for looking after me,” Shah Rukh tweeted.

The prolific choreographer passed away after a cardiac arrest early on Friday. She was 71.

Saroj Khan was diabetic and had complained of breathing problems last month, following which she was admitted to Mumbai’s Guru Nanak Hospital. Over the past few weeks, she had been experiencing multiple health issues, though she had tested negative for Covid-19.

The last rites were performed at Malad burial ground.

One of the most prolific choreographers of the Hindi film industry, Khan, fondly called ‘Masterji’ in Bollywood, had called the shots in over 2,000 songs spanning over four decades.

It was in the late 1980s when Khan became a household name after choreographing some memorable dances for Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit.

Lately, Khan has been selective in signing new projects. Her recent works include choreographing Kangana Ranaut in “Manikarnika” last year and “Tanu Weds Manu Returns” in 2015. Her last big Bollywood project was directing Madhuri’s solo dance track in last year’s release, “Kalank”.

She is survived by her husband, son and two daughters.

Riddhima Kapoor applauds husband for donating plasma during Covid-19 pandemic

TB Team
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Riddhima Kapoor applauds husband for donating plasma during Covid-19 pandemic

Riddhima Kapoor Sahni is proud of her husband Bharat Sahni, as he donated plasma amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taking to Instagram Stories, Riddhima posted a picture in which Bharat is seen in the hospital setting on a chair and donating plasma.

“So proud of you for donating your plasma and saving someone’s life today. Well done,” she wrote.

Riddhima is currently spending time with her mom, Neetu Kapoor, in Mumbai. She reached here a few days after her father, Rishi Kapoor, passed away on April 30.

Neetu Kapoor too praised her son-in-law for donating plasma. She took to Instagram Stories and wrote: “So proud of my son-in-law @brat.man for donating his plasma to critically ill COVID patients. I sincerely hope this inspires a lot of other people to come forward and do the same.”

However, Neetu Kapoor did not share if Bharat had suffered from coronavirus or not.

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