Rajnath Singh reviews Ladakh situation; road construction to continue

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Rajnath Singh reviews Ladakh situation; road construction to continue

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and three service chiefs on Tuesday and reviewed the ground situation in Ladakh, where Indian and Chinese trops are locked in a face-off.

Sources said the meeting continued on for over an hour. Singh was briefed about the Indian response to the Chinese troops mobilization.

It was clarified during the meeting that the Indian Army will hold its fort as talks to defuse the situation would continue in parallel.

It was also decided in the meeting that road constructions must continue and Indian fortifications and troop deployment must match those of the Chinese.

Earlier, the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army held several meetings to resolve the situation in eastern Ladakh at the Line of Actual Control. However, no breakthrough was reported till Monday. The previous meeting took place on Sunday, but many things remained unresolved, said sources, adding more commander-level talks are likely to resolve the issues.

Sources said there have so far been five rounds of talks between military commanders on the ground without much progress.

A top Indian Army officer told IANS: “No breakthrough. Status quo is maintained.” He said the situation will be resolved, but the Indian Army will continue with its construction work along Line of Actual Control.

Sources said there has been a troop build-up on both sides and that there are at least three places where there has been an eyeball-to-eyeball situation since May 5. Both sides have deployed over 1,000 troops at four places along the Line of Actual Control.

The Indian Army is keeping a close watch on the Pangong Tso sector of eastern Ladakh and the Galwan Valley region, where the Chinese have enhanced their deployment. Other than the extremely volatile Pangong Tso sector in the wake of the recent escalation are Trig Heights, Demchok and Chumar in Ladakh which form the western sector of the India-China frontier, which are also under strict vigil.

The disengagement took place in eastern Ladakh after troops came to blows on May 5 and were involved in a face-off till the morning of May 6 when troops from both sides clashed, leaving several injured. Sources said there is a massive troop build-up by China on their side, not too far from the point of the standoff.

It was also observed that enhanced patrolling is being carried out by China in Pangong Lake. They have also increased numbers of boats.

The face-offs took place after the Chinese side objected to Indian road construction and development work.

However, the Indian Army has maintained that there is no continuing face-off at the Pangong lake and that there is no build-up of armed troops in the area.

On Friday, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane visited Leh, the headquarters of 14 Corps in Ladakh, and reviewed the security deployment of forces along the Line of Actual Control with China. He held a meeting with Northern Command (NC) chief Lieutenant General Y.K. Joshi and the 14 Corps commander Lieutenant General Harinder Singh and other officers to know the ground situation at forwarding locations along Line of Actual Control.

Central Water Commission sounds flood alert for Assam

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Central Water Commission sounds flood alert for Assam

The Central Water Commission (CWC) of Jal Shakti Ministry on Tuesday issued a flood alert for the Brahmaputra river in three districts of Assam.

The India Meteorological Department had earlier on Tuesday also warned of extremely heavy rainfall in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.

Parts of Assam and neighboring states have been receiving heavy rains since the super cyclone Amphan weakened last week.

According to the Central Water Commission, a flood warning has been sounded in Jorhat, Sonitpur, and Baksa districts.

Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency, said that the threat will loom over Assam till May 28. “South-westerly wind blowing from the Bay of Bengal is increasing the moisture content in the area due to it there is more rainfall. The rains will, however, decrease after two days.”

According to the data on the commission’s website, current water levels in Naematighat station in Jorhat stood at 85.89 meters, over 0.8 meters above the danger level. The highest flooding level in the area is 87.37 meters which was last achieved on July 11, 1991.

Similarly, in Sonitpur and Baksa districts, the water levels have crossed the danger mark and are set to touch the highest flooding levels.

Besides this, Beki road bridge station in Barpeta district recorded 44.7 meters water level, which is 0.6 meters above the warning level and 0.4 meters below the danger level.

Manas HS crossing station in the district recorded water levels at 48.36, 0.5 meters above the warning level and 0.1 meters below the danger level.

Water levels in the Dholabazar station of the Tinsukia district jumped to 127.33 meters, 0.9 below the danger level. In Dibrugarh, Hailakandi and Nalbari, the levels are also mounting to the danger levels.

Tokyo starts new normal after lifting health alert

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Tokyo starts new normal after lifting health alert

Tokyo started a new normal way of life on Tuesday after lifting its health alert for the coronavirus pandemic.

Shops and offices have been gradually reopening in the Japanese capital, although with social distancing measures still in place in a bid to avoid new infections, reports Efe news.

There were more people out in the streets of the city, which is home to 14 million, as many establishments opened their doors for the first time since the beginning of April.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the end of the health emergency in Tokyo and four other prefectures where measures were still in force, bringing the entire country out of lockdown.

The state of emergency meant all citizens had to stay at home and were only allowed outside for essential trips as well as the closure of commercial establishments and public spaces.

With the alert lifted authorities have established a phased return to a system designed to allow Japanese residents to get used to a new lifestyle that includes preventative measures to avoid any future outbreaks, according to Abe.

Phase one, which Tokyo is currently in, allows offices, shopping centers, small shops, museums, libraries, and parks to reopen, as well as bars and restaurants but with limited hours.

These hours are set to be extended and cinemas, gyms, and karaoke bars will be allowed to operate again, establishments considered to be of greater risk since they are often closed and poorly ventilated spaces.

Businesses and public spaces must comply with a series of safety recommendations when reopening, including taking customers’ temperatures at their entrances, installing hand sanitizer dispensers, protective screens at public service points, and setting a maximum capacity.

Posters at the entrance of shops and other closed spaces remind people that it is mandatory to wear masks inside, although they are already regularly used in Japan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga thanked the Japanese people for their cooperation during the lockdown, which he said: “has allowed us to avoid a drastic expansion of infections”.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said: “I hope that together we will apply the ‘new normal’,”.

Japan, which recorded its first coronavirus case in mid-January, has reported around 16,600 infections and 850 deaths, according to official data.

John Abraham to produce Hindi remake of Malayalam hit ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’

Telugu Bullet
-
0
John Abraham to produce Hindi remake of Malayalam hit ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’

Bollywood star John Abraham has announced his next project as a producer. The film is a Hindi remake of the Malayalam blockbuster “Ayyappanum Koshiyum”.

” ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’ is an entertaining film that strikes a perfect balance between action, thrill and a good story. At JA Entertainment (his production company) we are keen to bring such appealing stories to our audience. By doing what we do with dedication and focus, we hope to make a truly engaging film with this remake. This film also fits right into our future plans as we believe that the Hindi film industry will bounce back with efficient and entertaining projects soon after the Covid-19 crisis,” John said.

The story of the film revolves around the conflict between an influential havaldar and a police inspector.

Directed by Sachy, the Malayalam film featured Prithviraj Sukumaran and Biju Menon. The film released on February 7 this year.

John is known for producing films like “Vicky Donor”, “Madras Cafe”, “Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran”, and “Batla House” among others.

Virat Kohli trolls Harbjahan Singh after spinner shares work-out video

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Virat Kohli trolls Harbjahan Singh after spinner shares work-out video

The banter between cricketers refuse to end and now India skipper Virat Kohli has trolled Harbjahan Singh after the latter shared a video of himself exercising on popular social media platform Instagram.

With no cricket being played due to the coronavirus pandemic, former and current players are keeping themselves busy by engaging with each other and fans on social media.

Harbhajan shared a video on Instagram where he can be seen doing a routine, using dumbbells, and his post read: “Excercise must.”

Kohli took note of Harbhajan’s short clip and wrote a hilarious comment, leaving fans in splits. He wrote: “Well done Paaji. Building kaamp rahi hai magar thodi thodi (the building is shaking a bit).”

In normal circumstances, both Harbhajan and Kohli would have been currently playing for their respective teams in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League but the tournament has been postponed by the BCCI in the wake of COVID-19 crisis.

Kohli, in particular, has been very active on social media as recently, he was seen mimicking a dinosaur in a hilarious video shared by wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.

In the video, Kohli was seen walking around the house like a dinosaur and creating sounds like one too. Anushka shared the video for her followers on Instagram and her post read: “I spotted…. a dinosaur on the loooose.”

Excess of Aldosterone hormone common cause of high BP

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Excess of Aldosterone hormone common cause of high BP

In a game-changing study, researchers have discovered that excess aldosterone production is a common and unrecognized cause of high blood pressure.

Primary aldosteronism is a condition where the adrenal glands produce too much of the hormone aldosterone, which causes high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

The findings from a cross-sectional study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine have implicated the hormone aldosterone as a common and unrecognized contributor to hypertension.

Hypertension affects more than 1.5 billion people worldwide and is arguably the leading preventable cause of heart disease and stroke.

“Primary aldosteronism has traditionally been considered to be an uncommon cause of hypertension, however, the findings of this study show that it is much more common than previously recognized,” the authors wrote.

To reach this conclusion, researchers from four academic medical centres (including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, University of Alabama, University of Virginia, and the University of Utah in the US) studied patients with normotension (blood pressure that is within the normal range), stage 1 hypertension, stage 2 hypertension and resistant hypertension to determine the prevalence of excess aldosterone production and primary aldosteronism.

They found that there was a continuum of excess aldosterone production that paralleled the severity of blood pressure.

Importantly, most of this excess aldosterone production would have not been recognized by currently recommended diagnostic approaches.

According to the authors, this finding supports the need to redefine primary aldosteronism from a rare disease to, instead, a common syndrome that manifests across a broad severity spectrum and may be a primary cause of hypertension.

Since generic medications that block the deleterious effects of aldosterone already exist and are easily available, these findings suggest that using these drugs more frequently to treat hypertension may be an effective way to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The author of an accompanying editorial, Professor John Funder, called the study a “game-changer” and indicated that these findings should trigger a “radical reconstruction” of current clinical practice and guideline recommendations.

Sony launches new BRAVIA series TVs in India

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Sony launches new BRAVIA series TVs in India

Sony India on Tuesday announced the all-new BRAVIA X8000H and X7500H TV series with 4K Ultra HD LED display.

The 85X8000H will be available at Rs 5,99,990, 65X8000H at Rs 1,39,990, and 55X7500H is priced at Rs 79,990, the company said in a statement.

Sony’s new 4K HDR TVs are available in various sizes.

The next-generation Smart TVs support true-to-life viewing experience with the ‘TRILUMINOS’ display that reproduces the subtle nuances of color, light, and gradation from video lens to living room.

The new Bravia TVs feature x-balanced speaker which aims to deliver immersive sound experience accompanied by Ultra-vivid Picture.

The new lineup comes with Android 9 Pie with a voice search powered by Google Assistant.

BRAVIA X8000H also features Apple HomeKit and AirPlay support that integrates Apple devices like iPads and iPhones with your Sony TV for content streaming.

The newly-launched models are available across all Sony Centers, major electronic stores, and e-commerce portals in India.

Nashik man develops tractor-mounted for mass sanitisation

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Nashik man develops tractor-mounted for mass sanitisation

A firm resolve to prevent the coronavirus from entering his village prompted a Nashik man and his two sons to develop an innovative tractor-mounted sanitization sprayer which has drawn huge attention.

The trio of Rajendra Jadhav, and his sons Mangesh and Dhananjay – hailing from Satana village – had been closely following the scourge of COVID-19 virus that has wreaked havoc in India, especially Maharashtra, and Nashik is among the Red Zones.

“We carried out research and experiments in our workshop to finally develop a machine within 25 days that can be utilized for mass-cleaning of roads, alleys and other public spaces in a short time at minimum expenses,” Dhananjay Jadhav told IANS.

A self-taught engineer, Rajendra Jadhav garnered all his technical prowess – acquired from designing and manufacturing agricultural tools and machines – to ultimately develop ‘Yashwant’ tractor-mounted sanitizer, costing roughly Rs 1.75 lakhs.

In heartening news for the Jadhavs, the sprayer has been identified by the National Innovation Foundation (NIV) as a potential S&T based innovative solution in India’s war against the virus.

The sprayer comprises two radial aluminum fans moving opposite to each other, each sucks air from opposite directions which is released through nozzles at high pressure with minute droplets of the sanitizer.

Since the panel rotates at 180 degrees, it can easily cover upto 15 feet tall walls, with a capacity of 600 liters of water plus the disinfectant of around 3.5 litres, and can be mounted on any 15 HP tractor, he added.

The biggest advantage is that ‘Yashwant’ barely needs any human intervention and a single person can drive the tractor and operate the sprayer simultaneously.

“Its very convenient, cheap and quick. The sprayer is mounted on a tractor – the most important vehicle in the rural landscape – and can sanitize or wash large areas like roads, alleys, societies, doors, compounds, walls, etc.,” Dhananjay Jadhav explained.

Presently, the innovation is being used by Satana Nagar Nigam to cleanse and disinfect around 30 sq km areas in the village every fortnight, and can be used even for urban centres.

A Zilla Parishad leader from Dhule was excited to learn about the invention and ordered one the machine which is being deployed in a big way in various villages in the district.

“We have now applied for a patent for ‘Yashwant’ sprayer. We may also consider hiring it out or lending it to other local civic bodies in different towns and districts, besides building more such sprayers as per demand to combat the Coronavirus,” Jadhav said.

No high fives, ho hugs, as exams begin in Kerala schools

Telugu Bullet
-
0
No high fives, ho hugs, as exams begin in Kerala schools

This was a return to schools, which no student in Kerala would have ever imagined, compared to their last day at school, in March.

Since the lockdown came into effect on account of Covid-19, all the examinations for around 1.3 million students of Class 10 and 12 were postponed indefinitely and after a bit of hunky-dory, the examinations finally began on Tuesday.

After the announcement early this month, that the examination will soon begin, there were numerous announcements in the media and in the social media, that the return to school, will be a totally different one.

As expected, Tuesday morning, when students came to write the Vocational Higher Secondary Examination – Class 12, there were no high-fives or hugs, customary of school students, after the return following a long break.

At the entrance of the school were teachers in masks, checking if every student had a mask and asked all not to rush or run, instead wait in queue to reach their classroom.

“Every arrangement was made in the school. At the entrance itself we made sure to tell the students the importance of social distancing. The temperature of every student was checked. They were given sanitizers to clean their hands and then to their respective classrooms. In one bench only 2 students are allowed and in a classroom only 20,” said a teacher manning the students.

There were separate classrooms for students who had their near or dear ones in isolation in their homes.

With a more than two month break, at most schools, teachers had formed WhatsApp groups and communication was constantly passed to the students on how they should behave once at the school.

“Practically every day for the past one week I was interacting with my students that I am in charge, through WhatsApp. So by today everyone knew how to behave. We also have instructed all to bring their own drinking water and adequate stock of pens and pencils. For those who fail to bring their own water bottle, will be given in disposable cups,” said a teacher in Palakkad.

For Atul, a VHSE Class 12 student in the hilly district of Idukki, hailing from Adimali, he got it all wrong and was under the impression that his examination was in the afternoon session and was taking it easy, when he received a call from his school, asking why he is not coming.

When he was told he has his examination in the morning session and time was fast approaching, the local police officials turned a Good Samaritan and drove him 24 kms to the school and by the time he reached, it was 15 minutes late, but he was allowed to take the examination.

“It will be difficult to control ourselves especially when it comes to maintaining social distancing as we are all meeting after two months, but, all know we have to control and behave ourselves, taking into the guidelines by the health authorities, who are working for us,” said a Class X girl student.

The invigilators in all the schools have been asked to wear gloves also.

With the schools all set to open soon for the new academic year, the conduct of these examinations appear to have come handy for the school authorities as they have got a feel on what and how things will be when regular classes commence.

Global COVID-19 cases top 5.5 mn: Johns Hopkins (Ld)

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Global COVID-19 cases top 5.5 mn: Johns Hopkins (Ld)

The overall number of global coronavirus cases on Tuesday surpassed the 5.5 million mark, while the deaths have increased to more than 346,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

Currently, the total number of cases stood at 5,508,904, while the death toll increased to 346,508, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The US was also reaching a grim milestone of 100,000 COVID-19 deaths.

Currently, the country has 1,662,768 confirmed cases and 98,223 deaths, both tallies account for the highest in the world, according to the CSSE.

In terms of cases, Brazil comes in second place with 374,898 infections.

This was followed by Russia (362,342), the UK (262,547), Spain (235,400), Italy (230,158), France (183,067), Germany (180,802), Turkey (157,814), India (145,456), Iran (137,724), and Peru (123,979), the CSSE figures showed.

Meanwhile, the UK ranked second after the US with 36,996 COVID-19 deaths, the highest fatalities in Europe.

The other countries with over 10,000 deaths are Italy (32,877), France (28,460), Spain (26,834), and Brazil (23,473).

Badshah: ‘Toxic’ highlights imperfections of relationships

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Badshah: ‘Toxic’ highlights imperfections of relationships

Singer and rapper Badshah says he is exploring a new zone with his new single “Toxic” and hopes the audience likes it.

After “Genda phool”, rapper Badshah is out with his new song “Toxic”. Featuring Sargun Mehta and Ravi Dubey, the video of the song were shot at home amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.

” ‘Toxic’ is a very special song, it’s something I have never done before. It talks about second chances at love and highlights the imperfections of a relationship. I hope the audience loves the song as much as I do,” Badshah said.

For the song, Badshah has once again collaborated with singer Payal Dev after “Genda phool”.

The song has Badshah and Payal Dev on the vocals. It is written by Badshah, composed by Payal Dev, produced by Aditya Dev.

Talking about the upcoming song, Payal had earlier said: ” ‘Toxic’ was actually the first song that Badshah and I had decided to collaborate on. ‘Genda phool’ happened much later but was released first as the video was shot beforehand.”

WHO warns of COVID-19 ‘second peak’ as lockdowns ease

Telugu Bullet
-
0
WHO warns of COVID-19 ‘second peak’ as lockdowns ease

Countries could see a “second peak” of coronavirus cases during the first wave of the pandemic if lockdown restrictions were lifted too soon, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

Mike Ryan, the WHO’s head of emergencies, told a briefing on Monday that the world was “right in the middle of the first wave”, the BBC reported.

He said because the disease was “still on the way up”, countries need to be aware that “the disease can jump up at any time”.

“We cannot make assumptions that just because the disease is on the way down now that it’s going to keep going down,” Ryan said.

There would be a number of months to prepare for a second peak, he added.

The stark warning comes as countries around the world start to gradually ease lockdown restrictions, allowing shops to reopen and larger groups of people to gather.

Experts have said that without a vaccine to give people immunity, infections could increase again when social-distancing measures are relaxed.

Ryan said countries, where cases are declining, should be using this time to develop effective trace-and-test regimes to “ensure that we continue on a downwards trajectory and we don’t have an immediate second peak”.

Also on Monday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said that a clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on COVID-19 patients has come to “a temporary pause”, while the safety data of the anti-malaria drug was being reviewed.

According to the WHO chief, The Lancet medical journal on May 22 had published an observational study on HCQ and chloroquine and its effects on COVID-19 patients that have been hospitalized, reports Xinhua news agency.

The authors of the study reported that among patients receiving the drug, when used alone or with a macrolide, they estimated a higher mortality rate.

“The Executive Group of the Solidarity Trial, representing 10 of the participating countries, met on Saturday (May 23) and has agreed to review a comprehensive analysis and critical appraisal of all evidence available globally,” Tedros said in a virtual press conference.

The developments come as the total number of global COVID-19 cases has increased to 5,508,904, with 346,508 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

Riteish’s special b’day post for his father, late Vilasrao Deshmukh

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Riteish’s special b’day post for his father, late Vilasrao Deshmukh

On the 75th birth anniversary of late politician Vilasrao Deshmukh, his son Riteish Deshmukh posted a special video on social media.

In the video, the actor is seen putting his hand through the sleeves of his father’s outfit. He also hugged his father’s kurta.

“Happy Birthday PAPPA… Miss you everyday!! #vilasraodeshmukh75,” Riteish wrote.

Genelia D’Souza too took to social media to remember her father-in-law.

She posted a picture of Vilasrao’s statue.

“Riaan’s teacher asked him ‘What are you most proud of’. His answer was ‘My Ajoba’. You are our pride Pappa. We feel your presence every day and know that you are looking after us wherever you are. You live in us and we celebrate you every single day. Happy Birthday Pappa,” Genelia captioned the image.

Vilasrao Deshmukh, who served two terms as the Chief Minister of the state of Maharashtra, died due to multiple organ failure in 2012.

New York Stock Exchange trading floor to reopen

Telugu Bullet
-
0
New York Stock Exchange trading floor to reopen

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is set to reopen its trading floor on Tuesday after a two-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But the exchange was likely to look and feel very different as new rules come into effect, the BBC said in a report.

The NYSE is one of the few bourses to still feature floor trade – most have shifted to fully-electronic trading.

Under the new measures only a quarter of the normal number of traders will be allowed to return to work.

Traders must also avoid public transport, wear masks and follow strict social distancing rules, with newly fitted transparent barriers to keep people apart.

They will also be screened and have their temperatures taken as they enter the building.

Anyone who fails pass the check will be barred until they test negative for COVID-19 or self-quarantine in accordance with US government guidelines.

To return to their jobs, floor traders will also reportedly have to sign a liability waiver that prevents them from suing the NYSE if they get infected at the exchange.

The new regulations also mean that the NYSE’s high-profile opening bell events and stock market debut celebrations have been put on hold as visitors are banned.

Media organisations that usually broadcast from the trading floor won’t be allowed back until further notice, the BBC reported.

NYSE president Stacey Cunningham tweeted that reopening was an important step towards restarting the US economy after lockdowns across the country.

The exchange’s trading floor was closed from March 23 and temporarily moved to fully-electronic trading as a precautionary measure to help protect workers.

The 228-year-old exchange last closed its doors on 29 October 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy.

The NYSE also shut for four sessions in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

Smith can be as good as Don Bradman: Brett Lee

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Smith can be as good as Don Bradman: Brett Lee

Former Australia speedster Brett Lee believes compatriot Steve Smith can become as good as legendary Aussie batsman Don Bradman as there have been talks of Smith having numbers just like the Don. Lee made this comparison while talking to former Zimbabwe cricketer Pommie Mbangwa on popular social media platform Instagram.

Lee was asked to pick one between Smith and India skipper Virat Kohli and the Australian replied: “They are two different players. Kohli is technically sound, he hits through the V, he used to knick off earlier in his career, but he has tightened up the area outside the off stump, doesn’t knick off as much now.

“He is disciplined and super fit… a great leader of his side. Smith, obviously what he has been through in the last couple of years, he has seen a rise with the way he played in the last 12 months. He is also a different batsman. He is very flamboyant, does 22 touches before he faces up.”

Mbangwa insisted that Lee should pick one out of the two and the former fast-bowler put his weight behind his countryman and said he can become as good as Bradman.

Lee also stated that Smith has come back strongly after serving the one-year ban for his part in the infamous Cape Town ball-tampering scandal and that is one of the reasons why he is choosing him over Kohli.

“At the moment, I would pick Smith over Kohli because of what he has been through and what he has to overcome,” Lee told Mbangwa.

“I might go with Kohli tomorrow as it depends on the mood. They are two great players and hard to split.

“I think Smith can be as good as Don Bradman, there have been talks of him becoming just like Bradman looking at the number.”

Global mobile phone shipments to decline 14.6% in 2020: Gartner

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Global mobile phone shipments to decline 14.6% in 2020: Gartner

Due to impacts of Covid-19, shipments of total mobile phones are forecast to decline 14.6 percent in 2020, while smartphone shipments will achieve a slightly slower decline of 13.7 percent year over year to total 1.3 billion units this year, according to a Gartner forecast on Tuesday.

“While users have increased the use of their mobile phones to communicate with colleagues, work partners, friends and families during lockdowns, reduced disposable income will result in fewer consumers upgrading their phones,” Ranjit Atwal, Senior Research Director at Gartner, said in a statement.

“As a result, phone lifetimes will extend from 2.5 years in 2018 to 2.7 years in 2020,” said Atwal.

In 2020, affordable 5G phones were expected to be the catalyst to increase phone replacements, but now it is unlikely to be the case.

5G phones are now forecast to represent only 11 percent of total mobile phone shipments in 2020.

“The delayed delivery of some 5G flagship phones is an ongoing issue,” said Annette Zimmermann, Research Vice President at Gartner.

“Moreover, the lack of 5G geographical coverage along with the increasing cost of the 5G phone contract will impact the choice of a 5G phone.”

Overall, spending on 5G phones will be impacted in most regions apart from China, where continued investment in 5G infrastructure is expected, allowing providers in China to effectively market 5G phones.

The combined global shipments PCs, tablets and mobile phones are on pace to decline 13.6 percent in 2020, according to the forecast.

PC shipments are expected to decline 10.5 percent this year. Shipments of notebooks, tablets and Chromebooks are forecast to decline slower than the PC market overall in 2020.

“The forecasted decline in the PC market, in particular, could have been much worse,” said Atwal.

“However, government lockdowns due to COVID-19 forced businesses and schools to enable millions of people to work from home and increase spending on new notebooks, Chromebooks and tablets for those workers. Education and government establishments also increased spending on those devices to facilitate e-learning.”

Gartner said that 48 percent of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 30 percent pre-pandemic.

Overall, the work from home trend will make IT departments shift to more notebooks, tablets and Chrome devices for work.

“This trend combined with businesses required to create flexible business continuity plans will make business notebooks displace deskbased PCs through 2021 and 2022,” said Atwal.

Scientists spot 29 new genes behind problem drinking

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Scientists spot 29 new genes behind problem drinking

Scientists have identified 29 new genetic variants linked to problem drinking, tripling the number of known genetic risks associated with alcohol disorders.

The team from Yale University in the US identified the new variants after a genome-wide analysis of more than 435,000 people.

“The new data triple the number of known genetic risk loci associated with problematic alcohol use,” said study senior author Joel Gelernter from Yale University in the US.

In genetics, a locus (plural loci) is a specific, fixed position on a chromosome where a particular gene or genetic marker is located.

The study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, includes genome-wide analysis of people of European ancestry contained in four separate biobanks or datasets.

“This gives us ways to understand causal relations between problematic alcohol use traits such as psychiatric states, risk-taking behaviour, and cognitive performance,” said study lead author Hang Zhou.

“With these results, we are also in a better position to evaluate the individual-level risk for problematic alcohol use,” Gelernter noted.

For the study, the researchers looked for shared genetic variants among those who met criteria for problematic alcohol use, including alcohol use disorder and alcohol use with medical consequences.

The analysis found 19 previously unknown independent genetic risk factors for problematic alcohol use and confirmed 10 previously identified risk factors.

The information allowed researchers to study shared genetic associations between problematic drinking and disorders such as depression and anxiety.

They also found genetic heritability of these variants was enriched in the brain and in evolutionarily conserved regulatory regions of the genome, attesting to their importance in biological function.

Thousands still flying into Canada despite restrictions

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Thousands still flying into Canada despite restrictions

While US and international flights coming into Canada have been significantly curtailed since the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of passengers were still arriving each week at the country’s airports despite restrictions, it was reported.

According to the Canada Border Services Agency, 356,673 air travellers came into the country from the US last year during the week of May 11-17. In the same time period this year, there was a nearly 99 per cent drop, CBC News said in a report on Monday.

Yet 3,691 people still entered Canada that week.

International travel also in that time period saw a 97 per cent decrease from last year’s total of 374,775.

This year, during that same week, 10,845 people arrived at one of the four Canadian airports that accept international flights — Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

In total, since March 23, 76,072 passengers from the US and 193,438 international travellers have arrived in Canada, the Agency revealed.

Two months ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that for air travel specifically, as of March 18, the government was barring foreign nationals from all countries except the US from entering Canada.

But an order later that month exempted a number of individuals, including immediate family members of a Canadian citizen, emergency service providers, temporary foreign workers and international students.

The ban came at a time when the vast majority of COVID-19 cases were deemed to be travel-related.

Since those restrictions have been implemented, travel-related cases of COVID-19 have dropped significantly, said the CBC News report.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), as of Monday, 81 per cent of all COVID-19 cases were related to community transmission.

Meanwhile, 19 per cent of cases were the result of someone becoming exposed while travelling or being exposed to a traveller coming to Canada. Nine per cent of cases were those who reported to have travelled outside of Canada.

Anyone arriving in Canada by air or land must complete a contact tracing form to help PHAC monitor and enforce the 14-day quarantine or isolation requirement.

Failing to comply with the Quarantine Act can lead to a fine of up to C$750,000 and/or imprisonment for six months.

Ronaldo shows off silken skills, scores basket during training

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Ronaldo shows off silken skills, scores basket during training

Cristiano Ronaldo fans are dying to watch the Portugal superstar in action after a lengthy break due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has brought the world to Portugal superstar standstill.

As the Italian Serie A plots a return soon, the teams have started training and reigning champions Juventus have also hit the ground running.

The Turin-based club shared a short video on their official Twitter handle showing Ronaldo flaunting his enviable skills. The 35-year old former Manchester United and Real Madrid star forward is seen tossing a football effortlessly into thin air to score a basket.

The ever-expressive Ronaldo pumped his fists after that effort as the post read: ” Facile facile, @cristiano.”

Juventus’ players have been carrying out individual training sessions in small groups, all whilst keeping their distance at Continassa.

But last week, the Italian giants informed that all its first-team players tested negative for COVID-19 and that training will resume in “larger groups” in the next few days.

All football in Italy has been suspended since March as a precautionary measure against coronavirus pandemic and the authorities are now targetting mid-June as a possible return date for Serie A which remains suspended at least until June 14.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has set the date of commencement for the start of 2020-21 season as September 1, adding that the current Serie A season will have to be completed by August 20.

Tata Trusts brings in CMC, CIHS for Covid critical care training

Telugu Bullet
-
0
Tata Trusts brings in CMC, CIHS for Covid critical care training

Tata Trusts and the Tata group have tied up with Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore and Care Institute of Health Sciences (CIHS) Hyderabad to assist health care professionals to augment skills in critical care in the management of Covid-19.

The Trusts’ intervention follows the Chairman, Ratan N. Tata’s statement that “urgent emergency resources need to be deployed to cope with the needs of fighting the Covid-19 crisis, which is one of the toughest challenges the human race will face.”

The curated 22-hour on-line training programs are meant for specific staff chosen by identified hospitals and are provided free of cost.

Tata Trusts believes that ICU Physicians and Intensivists, specialized in critical care management, will require the support of a wider cohort of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff to treat Covid-19 patients.

The intent of the training programs is to meet this need by acquainting non-ICU professionals with the fundamental principles and practices of critical care.

The training includes essentials of interventions and procedures in ICUs, the orientation of critical care skills like airway management and ventilator management, and how to triage a criticality as mild, moderate or severe and refer cases to appropriate facilities.

The programs will also cover essentials of managing variegated facilities for Covid-19 management, such as isolation centers, quarantine centres, and management o There are two different methodologies of training available either through live webinars or prepared modules accessible on laptops, desktops or mobile phones.

CMC Vellore’s method trains and develops master trainers, who in turn can coach wider groups in their respective facilities. CIHS Hyderabad’s method directly trains small groups.

Both the institutions have designed their programs such that participants can provide the required support to their Intensivist and ICU colleagues should the need arise.

This is the fourth such intervention of Tata Trusts to support India in its Covid-19 response.

Four government hospital buildings, two in Uttar Pradesh and two in Maharashtra are being upgraded into Covid-19 treatment centres. The facilities, including both in-patient and out-patient wings, are permanent and will enduringly enhance health care in their locations, even after the immediate purpose is met.

The Trusts have already begun donating to State Governments and individual hospitals Personal Protection Equipment, including coveralls, N95/KN95 masks, surgical masks, gloves and goggles. Thus far, PPE supplies have gone out to about 26 states and Union Territories.

Tata Trusts has also done pan-India community outreach to induce adoption of health practices, as promoted by the Government of India, in rural areas to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Beginning March 31, the exercise is expected to have already reached about 21 million people in 21 states.

1...1,6711,6721,673...2,191Page 1,672 of 2,191