Cloud communications firm Twilio cuts 17% of its workforce

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Cloud communications firm Twilio cuts 17% of its workforce

US-based cloud communications company Twilio has announced to lay off about 17 per cent of its global workforce amid cost-cutting measures.

In addition, Twilio will reorganize its internal organization and create two business units — Twilio Communications and Twilio Data & Applications.

“We have to spend less, streamline, and become more efficient. To do that, we’re forming two business units: Twilio Communications and Twilio Data & Applications. And today, I’m unfortunately bearing the news that we’re parting ways with approximately 17 percent of our team,” Twilio co-founder and CEO Jeff Lawson wrote in an email sent to all Twilio employees.

In September last year, Twilio sacked 11 percent of its employees — more than 850 people from its 7,800-strong workforce globally.

All affected employees will receive health coverage and career resources, as well as 12 weeks of base pay plus one week per year of service, according to the company.

Moreover, the company is ending some benefits, such as book and wellness allowances, as well as Twilio Recharge, a four-week paid sabbatical offered to employees every three years.

Twilio also plans to close some of its offices over the next few months.

“As part of our shift to remote work, we plan to close some Twilio offices over the next few months, with the intent of maintaining at least a handful of global hubs and satellite offices,” said Lawson.

Their courage motivates us to build strong India: PM Modi pays tribute to Pulwama heroes

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Their courage motivates us to build strong India: PM Modi pays tribute to Pulwama heroes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and several BJP leaders on Tuesday paid tributes to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in a terror attack on their convoy in Pulwama on this day in 2019.

PM Modi tweeted, “Remembering our valorous heroes who we lost on this day in Pulwama. We will never forget their supreme sacrifice. Their courage motivates us to build a strong and developed India.”

Shah tweeted, “I pay homage to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the ghastly terror attack in Pulwama on this day in the year 2019. The nation can never forget their sacrifice. Their valour and indomitable courage will always remain an inspiration in the fight against terrorism.”

BJP chief J.P. Nadda said, “I pay a heartfelt tribute to all those brave hearts martyred in Pulwama on this day and recall their supreme sacrifice and dedication to our country. Their valour and selfless service to the nation is a source of inspiration for every citizen and will always be remembered”, in his tweet.

On this day in 2019, at least 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives after a suicide bomber drove a car laden with explosives into the convoy. The attack was carried out by the Pakistani terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, which is led by Masood Azhar based in Bahawalpur (Pakistan).

India avenged the Pulwama terror attack by carrying out airstrikes on Jaba Top in Pakistan’s Balakot, destroying Jadish’s terror training camps.

This Valentine’s Day, take a look at LaLiga footballers who rekindled romances with their first loves

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This Valentine’s Day, take a look at LaLiga footballers who rekindled romances with their first loves

There’s no connection like that of first love, and several footballers have understood this over the years by returning to their first Spanish clubs for a second time. This Valentine’s Day, take a look at some of the best player-club relationships that have existed in recent years.

Antoine Griezmann

Between 2014 and 2019, Antoine Griezmann became the leader of Atltico de Madrid’s attack and netted 133 goals to become the fifth-highest scorer in Rojiblanco history. So impressive was Griezmann for club and country, winning the 2018 World Cup with France, that FC Barcelona decided to sign him in 2019 after almost securing his services in 2018. Despite scoring 35 goals in two seasons in Catalonia, he never seemed to fully fit in and a move back to Atleti materialized at the end of the 2021 summer transfer window. “Knowing that Atleti wanted me back, I wanted to return no matter what and this is the best place for me to be happy on and off the pitch,” Griezmann said before his re-debut with Los Rojiblancos, where he is now a permanent member of the squad.

Gerard Pique

Gerard Pique was just 10 years old when he joined FC Barcelona’s academy. After climbing through the various youth categories at La Masia, his first professional contract then came with Manchester United in England. Pique later debuted in LaLiga Santander during a loan spell at Real Zaragoza, where he played 28 times and scored three goals. After making several appearances for Manchester United following that loan experience, Pique then signed with FC Barcelona again ahead of the 2008/09 season, ready to fulfill his dream and play for the first team. After 14 and a half seasons defending the colors of his beloved team in La Liga Santander, winning eight league championships, Gerard Pique announced in December that he was hanging up his boots.

Dani Carvajal

The case of Dani Carvajal is very similar to that of Pique, but this time with Real Madrid. The Spaniard progressed through the Real Madrid academy after joining as a young boy and then made the move to Germany with Bayer Leverkusen. There, he proved that he had what it takes to be a top-level right-back and he was brought back to Real Madrid ahead of the 2013/14 campaign. Since then, he has become one of the club’s most valuable assets and has won three La Liga Santander championships during his nine seasons with Los Blancos. His aim is to keep representing his boyhood club for several years to come.

Diego Simeone

Diego Simeone has spent most of his sporting life with Atletico de Madrid. After arriving ahead of the 1994/95 campaign, the Argentine midfielder was then a key member of the historic side that won the double the following season. A spell in Italy followed before Simeone returned to Atletico de Madrid in 2003 to spend two more years wearing the red and white stripes. In 2011, he came back again, this time as a coach, to lead Los Rojiblancos to a golden age. El Cholo is a living legend at Atletico de Madrid and has lifted three Spanish championships there, two as a coach and one as a player.

Asier Illarramendi

Real Sociedad academy graduate Asier Illarramendi was able to achieve his dream of debuting in La Liga Santander with his local side, doing so in 2010/11 against RCD Espanyol. The following year saw him play 28 matches as he confirmed his status as one of the rising stars of Basque and Spanish football. Real Madrid noticed his potential and signed him, but, following a complicated spell in the capital, the midfielder decided to return home to play for the Txuri Urdin again and to even captain the side. He is one of the faces of Real Sociedad, who he has played more than 200 times in La Liga Santander.

Gerard Moreno

Gerard Moreno signed with Villarreal CF’s academy when he was playing at the Juvenil level and earned his senior debut at the club when they were competing in Spain’s second division. The promotion was secured that season and his LaLiga Santander debut followed before the forward moved to RCD Espanyol and scored more and more goals. Having kept an eye on their academy product, Villarreal CF decided to sign Gerard Moreno back and he couldn’t say no to a team he loves so much. In 2020/21, he netted 23 league goals and was the top-scoring Spaniard in the entire division, while he has more than 100 LaLiga Santander goals from his spells at both clubs.

Ivan Rakitic

Ivan Rakitic is a La Liga Santander legend, having won this competition four times while wearing the shirt of FC Barcelona. However, the club he most treasures are Sevilla FC, where he played his first minutes in Spanish football and where he became club captain. Following a successful stint with Bara, Rakitic decided to return to his first Spanish home to pull the strings of Sevilla FC’s midfield once again.

Fernando Torres

Atletico Madrid has more than a century of history but has few legends quite like Fernando Torres. El Nio, or The Kid in English, came out of the academy to debut with the team at just 17 years of age, doing so when Atleti was struggling in Spain’s second division. Torres helped return them to their place in the top flight and then, after seven seasons, he departed to embark on a successful career with various foreign clubs. After winning almost every title there is to win in football, Torres returned to Atltico de Madrid in 2014/15 to reconnect with his first fanbase, the fanbase he himself was a part of. The striker enjoyed four more campaigns with the club, adding to his goals and appearances tallies to finish his career with 103 strikes across 281 matches in LaLiga Santander.

Iago Aspas

Iago Aspas is a key part of RC Celta’s history and vice versa. The forward who joined RC Celta’s academy aged nine was able to become an immediate hero when he eventually debuted for the senior side. After eight seasons with the Celeste, Aspas went off to try his luck elsewhere, but he was never as happy as when he was wearing his favorite club’s sky blue shirt. As such, he returned home in 2015 and is now the club’s top scorer with 192 total goals in 441 official matches.

Joaquin Sanchez

To speak about Joaqun is to speak about one of the icons of Spanish football and of Real Betis. The 41-year-old is the oldest player taking part in the 2022/23 La Liga Santander season and is Real Betis’ record appearance holder. During his first spell, he exploded onto the scene after coming through the club’s academy. Following time with teams such as Valencia CF and Malaga CF, the winger returned to Real Betis in 2015 to make Spanish football fans smile once more and to win another Copa del Rey in 2022/23.

Jesus Navas

On the other side of Seville, Jesus Navas is still playing football and still playing for Sevilla FC. The winger and full-back reached the first team after progressing through Sevilla FC’s academy and played 10 seasons at the top level of Spanish football. An adventure in England followed before Navas decided to come home and he is now the captain of the current Sevilla FC side. With the Andalusian club, he has played 629 official matches and netted 38 goals.

Aero India: ITI showcases its technology manufacturing prowess

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Aero India: ITI showcases its technology manufacturing prowess

ITI Limited, a public sector enterprise, is demonstrating its cutting-edge technology manufacturing expertise alongside 737 exhibitors who have signed up to take part in the 14th edition of Aero India 2023 at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru.

ITI Limited has rich experience in serving defense and aviation clients. The company is successfully executing a project for the upgradation of IAF’s 3G network to a 4G network, and also has been serving the Indian Army through various projects.

The company is also executing the upgradation of OPS of data centers at six locations for IAF. ITI Limited had successfully executed the first three phases of ASCON project for the Indian Army. Now, the company is providing services to maintain the ASCON network.

As part of the multi-day program, ITI Limited is meeting prospective clients, partners, and collaborators and will look to forge lasting collaborations.

ITI Limited is showcasing its major products like IP Encryptors, Digital Mobile Radio, 4G RAN, Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), Micro PC, Laptops, Data Centre, High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Duct Manufacturing, Smart Energy Meters, Smart Banking Cards, and so on.

Chairman and Managing Director of ITI Limited, Rakesh Chandra Tiwari, said, “ITI Limited brings a spectrum of electronic/telecom manufacturing and digitalized solutions and services based on modern technology, ranging from PCB manufacturing to 3D printing and from Digital Mobile Radio to Data Centres.”

“As India races ahead, indigenous technology production is extremely vital. We are extremely thrilled to be a part of Aero India 2023 and to have a solid platform to showcase our wide portfolio of products,” he added.

ITI Limited has indigenously developed Digital Mobile Radio (DMR). This device uses digital technology along with a time division approach to enable greater levels of efficiency and performance along with improved spectrum usage.

DMR aims to provide an affordable, low-complexity digital standard to replace analog radio. DMR-based VHF/UHF radios are used in many applications such as military communications, police, railways, public safety, traffic control, disaster management, industrial security, and communications, etc. The VHF/UHF radio can be used in direct-to-direct communication in Tier I, Tier II, or in multi-site environments in Tier II, and Tier III modes.

In the Space sector, ITI Limited’s Palakkad Plant was recently appreciated by ISRO for realizing the flight packages with respect to the launch of the LVM3 M2/OneWeb India-1 Mission in a time-bound manner meeting all Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) quality norms.

PM Modi will be forced to face the power of truth: Rahul

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PM Modi will be forced to face the power of truth: Rahul

Sharpening his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the PM will have to face the power of truth.

“Truth is patient. Truth is polite. You will be forced to face the power of truth, Prime Minister,” he said

The Congress leader has been attacking the PM on the Adani row.

Gandhi had told a public meeting in his constituency Wayanad on Monday where he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the last person he would be scared of.

“It doesn’t matter if he has all the agencies with him, because the truth is not with him. One day he will have to face the truth,” Rahul Gandhi said.

At the public meeting, the Congress leader distributed keys to newly-built homes by the party in his constituency to 25 beneficiaries.

Rahul Gandhi used the latter part of his speech to take on Modi, saying that he spoke at length in Parliament about Modi’s equation with Gautam Adani but the PM didn’t reply to any questions.

“The truth will always come out,” he said.

Amy Poehler, Tina Fey to go on a live comedy tour this spring

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Amy Poehler, Tina Fey to go on a live comedy tour this spring

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey will be embarking on their first-ever live comedy tour together, ‘Amy Poehler and Tina Fey: Restless Leg Tour’.

Starting in the spring of 2023, the longtime friends are scheduled to hit four cities on the East Coast. Produced by Live Nation, ‘Restless Leg Tour’ begins in Washington DC on April 28 at DAR Constitution Hall and stops at Chicago’s The Chicago Theatre on May 20 and Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway on June 9 before concluding in Atlantic City at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena on June 10.

The show promises to “celebrate their 30 years of friendship with an evening of jokes, iconic stories, and conversational entertainment,” reports Variety.

Poehler and Fey met in the Chicago improv scene in the 1990s before getting hired on ‘Saturday Night Live’, eventually becoming the first female co-anchors of ‘Weekend Update’. In addition to headlining their own long-running TV sitcoms – Poehler’s “Parks and Recreation” and Fey’s “30 Rock” – the dynamic duo has shared the screen in the comedies ‘Mean Girls’, ‘Baby Mama’ and ‘Sisters’.

Poehler and Fey have hosted the Golden Globes together four times, where their wry observations of Hollywood A-listers – from Leonardo DiCaprio’s penchant for dating younger women to lifetime achievement award recipient George Clooney living in the shadow of his ultra-successful wife, Amal – were ratings and critical hits.

3 dead, 5 injured in Michigan State University shooting

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3 dead, 5 injured in Michigan State University shooting

Three people were killed and at least five were injured in an on-campus shooting at Michigan State University, the university police has confirmed.

The first shots were fired inside a hall at 8:18 p.m. (0118 GMT) at the north end of campus on Monday night, university spokeswoman Emily Guerrant said at a press conference.

Gunshots were later heard at a nearby hall, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Police are searching for the suspect, who is believed to be a short male with a mask.

The university has sent a message asking students to “secure in place immediately.” “Run, hide, fight,” was heard at the scene.

Nearly 30 firetrucks, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles swarmed the campus.

Apple releases fix for iPhone, iPad bug being exploited by hackers

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Apple releases fix for iPhone, iPad bug being exploited by hackers

Apple has issued a new security update to fix a vulnerability in iPhone and iPad’s operating systems that hackers have been exploiting in the wild.

The security patch is available for iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later, according to the company.

“Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution,” said Apple.

The tech giant admitted that it “is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited”.

Apple acknowledged The Citizen Lab at The University of Toronto’s Munk School for its assistance in discovering and alerting the company about the vulnerability.

The Citizen Lab is known for exposing government hacking spyware made by Israel’s NSO Group.

This latest bug was in WebKit, Apple’s browser engine that’s used in Safari.

The iOS 16.3.1 and iPadOS 16.3.1 security updates are now available for download to fix the vulnerability.

Last year, Apple released a major update (iOS 14.5) that allows users to tell apps to stop tracking them, adds 217 new emojis, and fixes a slew of 50 security bugs, according to Motherboard.

The company also released another update to fix two vulnerabilities that hackers were using to exploit iPhones in the wild.

NASA clears Axiom Space’s 2nd private astronaut mission to ISS

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NASA clears Axiom Space’s 2nd private astronaut mission to ISS

NASA and its international partners have approved the crew for Axiom Space’s second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission, targeted for launch in spring 2023, will be the first private space mission to include both private astronauts and astronauts representing foreign governments, as well as the first private mission commanded by a woman.

Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson will command the privately funded mission and John Shoffner of Knoxville, Tennessee, will serve as pilot.

The two mission specialists, Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), are members of the inaugural Saudi national astronaut program, the US space agency said in a statement.

“Private astronaut missions are a key component to enable a successful transition to a model of commercially owned and operated platforms in low-Earth orbit,” said Angela Hart, manager of NASA’s Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Programme.

The Ax-2 crew will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and travel to the space station.

Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend 10 days aboard the orbiting laboratory implementing a full mission of science, outreach, and commercial activities.

“Ax-2 moves Axiom Space one step closer toward the realization of a commercial space station in low-Earth orbit and enables us to build on the legacy and achievements of the station, leveraging the benefits of microgravity to a better life on Earth,” said Michael Suffredini, president and CEO of Axiom Space.

Whitson will become the first female commander of a private space mission, adding to her prior accomplishments, including as NASA’s chief astronaut and the first female commander of the space station.

In addition, she will add to her standing record for the longest cumulative time in space by a NASA astronaut.

“I’m honored to be heading back to the station for the fourth time, leading this talented Ax-2 crew on their first mission,” said Whitson.

The first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) was launched on April 8, 2022, with four private astronauts who spent 17 days in orbit working on 26 science payloads aboard the station.

NRI businessman from Kerala donates Rs 11 cr for earthquake-hit Turkey, Syria

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NRI businessman from Kerala donates Rs 11 cr for earthquake-hit Turkey, Syria

UAE-based entrepreneur from Kerala Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings, has donated Rs 11 crore as aid for earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria.

The aid has been handed over to the Emirates Red Crescent which is helping with relief efforts in the region.

The fund will be used to support rescue efforts by providing medicine and other supplies, relocating those who have lost their homes, and rehabilitating victims and their families.

Hundreds of families have been displaced after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region on February 6, killing more than 34,000 people.

According to the World Health Organization, a natural disaster could affect up to 23 million people.

“This donation is part of our ongoing efforts to provide assistance to the relief work. My heart goes out to all affected by the devastating earthquake, and I hope this contribution will support their needs,” said Vayalil who is also the son-in-law of billionaire business magnate M.A. Yusuf Ali.

Vayalil has often contributed to aid efforts in India, including significant contributions to Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.

In 2018, he sent a flight of medical supplies and protective gear to assist Kerala in its efforts to fight the Nipah virus.

He has also launched a rehabilitation and reconstruction project in which a flood-damaged primary health center in the state was rebuilt as a model family health center.

He also joined The Giving Pledge, an initiative created by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and business magnate Warren Buffett to support good causes around the world.

Chinese football team to play 10 matches to prepare for Asiad

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Chinese football team to play 10 matches to prepare for Asiad

Chinese men’s football team will play ten matches in February and March as part of their preparation for this year’s Hangzhou Asian Games.

The Chinese side, comprised of 24 under-24 players for the Asian Games, departed for Dubai, the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday after completing a 10-day training camp in Foshan, Guangdong province, according to a press release from the Chinese Football Association (CFA), reports Xinhua news agency.

The players have had compact training at the camp under head coach Aleksandar Jankovic, said the release.

“We had two training sessions every day from Monday to Saturday. Only on Sunday afternoon, we had a rest,” the release quoted an unnamed player as saying.

The Chinese side, who played only seven competitive matches over the past three and half years, need high-quality games to whip them into shape, the CFA said in its release.

They will play eight games in Dubai before going to New Zealand to play two more against the hosts.

“The core of the Asian Games team preparations in 2023 is to play more high-quality games,” the release said.

The Asian Games is scheduled from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

India pays its 2023 dues of $30.54 mn to UN

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India pays its 2023 dues of $30.54 mn to UN

India has paid its 2023 annual contribution of $30.54 million to the UN budget, according to a UN spokesperson.

India was among the 43 countries on its “honor roll” so far for having paid their assessments to the budget, Stephane Dujarric, the Spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said on Monday.

India’s contribution was received on Friday according to the UN. India’s share is assessed at 1.044 percent of the total budget of $3.217 billion.

Although that works out to $33.592 million, it is given a credit of $3.052 million that the UN collects from its Indian employees in lieu of the income taxes they would have had to pay.

The rate of budget assessments for each of the 193 member countries is worked out by a complex formula that is based on gross national income (which is the gross domestic product plus income from abroad), debt burden, and an adjustment for per capita income using the principle of the “capacity to pay”.

Although India boasts of being the world’s fifth-largest economy, its assessment is brought down by the low per capita income diminishing its “capacity to pay”.

This puts its assessment lower than some fellow developing countries like Brazil with an assessment of 2.013 percent or Mexico at 1.221 percent.

The assessment for the US is 22 percent, which is the highest that can be set for a country, working out to $707.897 million.

China comes next with an assessment of 15.254 percent or 490.83 million.

Britain, the size of whose economy was overtaken by India, pays $140.775 million or 4.375 percent to be the fifth-largest contributor with Japan being the third and Germany the fourth.

In addition to the main UN budget, countries also have to make contributions based on similar formulas to the budgets for capital, peace-keeping and international tribunals.

GITA guidance at AI stall for G20 delegates in Lucknow

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GITA guidance at AI stall for G20 delegates in Lucknow

A modern GITA guidance, one that uses artificial intelligence, can help in finding a solution to life problems.

The AI stall, set up as part of the exhibition under the first digital economy working group meeting of G20 nations in Lucknow, gives a glimpse into this. GITA is an acronym that means guidance, inspiration, transformation, and action.

“The software has included all verses from the Bhagavad Gita that are used when someone asks a question. The answers are given using AI to help find solutions to problems in life,” said Akash Goel of Tagbin, who had installed the AI technology.

After the user submits a question, the software responds to the query by bringing out the verse from the Bhagavad Gita.

“During his visit, the chief minister spent some time at the virtual reality (VR) games platform,” said Goel.

A special section ‘Lucknow VR Tour’ allowed visitors to witness picturesque city locations in minutes with a virtual experience that makes the user get a real feel. The VR tour is based on the video shoot done during the past week.

The AI avatar stall was much sought after by the students who appeared eager to know the avatar they resembled most or were closest to.

In another stall, the Journey of Digital India and the developments of different software used by India were specially prepared for visitors to know what all came on their cell phones and laptops since 2014.

As part of India’s Presidency of the G20, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is hosting the first Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) meeting in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from February 13 to 15.

Turkey quake toll tops 31,000

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Turkey quake toll tops 31,000

Rescue teams in Turkey have slowed down search efforts for quake victims, one week after the devastating earthquake that has so far killed at least 31,643 people in the country.

Some teams have started debris removal work, while emergency teams intensified efforts to provide necessities such as medical help, food, and shelter for survivors, Xinhua news agency reported.

About 238,500 search and rescue personnel are working in the field, and more than 158,000 people have been evacuated from the quake-hit regions so far, Turkey’s disaster agency said on Monday.

Among at least 574 children pulled from collapsed buildings who had no surviving parents, only 76 were handed to other family members, while 118 were settled in childcare institutions affiliated with the Family and Social Services Ministry, with hundreds of others still under medical treatment, according to Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay.

A total of 9,401 foreign personnel from 77 countries are involved in emergency efforts in the field, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Monday, adding seven more countries are expected to send rescue teams.

In Turkey, tens of thousands of earthquake survivors are now living in tent cities or moving to other provinces for temporary shelter.

Twin earthquakes measuring 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude hit southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6.

Space shooting spree targets were not aliens or ETs: US

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Space shooting spree targets were not aliens or ETs: US

The US does not quite know what it has shot off the skies in the last three instances, but officials assured Americans on Monday that they were not alien airships.

The first object downed was a Chinese spy balloon on February 4. But officials have acknowledged they know little or nothing about the last three objects – two by the US acting alone and one in a joint operation with bordering Canada; not their origin, owner, or purpose.

“I know there have been questions and concerns about this, but there is no – again, no indication of aliens or extraterrestrial activity — with these recent takedowns,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, told reporters.

She added: “Again, there is no indication of aliens or (extra)terrestrial activity with these recent takedowns. Wanted to make sure that the American people knew that, all of you knew that. And it was important for us to say that from here because we’ve been hearing a lot about it.”

US fighter aircraft blew up an airborne object over Alaska on Friday, then one over Canada on Saturday, and a third over Michigan state on Sunday. All of them came in the highly charged environment following the downing of the Chinese spy balloon on February 4.

The Chinese balloon was big, with a payload the size of three school buses. And its origin and ownership became clear overnight as a contrite Beijing owned it up and said it was a civilian-use airship engaged in meteorological studies; and that it had strayed off course into the US.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the three airborne objects downed since. And that has kicked off intense speculation and all kinds of conspiracy theories, a lot of which point to aliens and extraterrestrial beings, feeding off a thriving subculture around UFOs, or UAPs as they are called now, short for Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon.

A top US military commander put these talks on steroids Sunday. “I’ll let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out,” said General Glen VanHerck, Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD at a new conference on Sunday, when asked if the US military was ruling out aliens and extraterrestrial beings as it had got nowhere with other possibilities.

“I haven’t ruled out anything. At this point, we continue to assess every threat or potential threats unknown that approaches North America with an attempt to identify it,” he added.

The US was not any wiser the day after about the three aerial objects it has shot off the skies. John Kirby, the US national security council spokesperson, conveyed the befuddlement at the same White House briefing, saying that a range of entities — including countries, companies, research, and academic organizations — operate objects at these altitudes for purposes that are not nefarious at all, including scientific research”.

Kirby said the three objects were much smaller than the Chinese balloons and were flying at much lower altitudes – 40,000 feet compared to the 60,000 feet of the Chinese balloon.

Oil prices rise modestly as traders assess Russian output cut

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Oil prices rise modestly as traders assess Russian output cut

Oil prices eked out modest gains as market participants weighed Russia’s plan to cut its oil production.

The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for March delivery rose 42 cents, or 0.53 percent, to settle at $80.14 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for April delivery added 22 cents, or 0.25 percent, to close at $86.61 a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on Friday announced that the country plans to cut its oil production by 500,000 barrels per day in March.

Novak said the aim of the cut is to improve the market situation, reiterating the country will not comply with any Western price cap.

Traders also awaited US inflation data as the US consumer price index for January is set for release on Tuesday.

For the week ending Friday, the WTI advanced 8.6 percent, while Brent rose 8.1 percent, based on the front-month contracts.

105 Ukrainian soldiers undergo Leopard 2 tank training in Poland

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105 Ukrainian soldiers undergo Leopard 2 tank training in Poland

A total of 105 Ukrainian soldiers undergo training in Poland to learn how to use the Leopard 2 tanks, the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency has reported, citing Polish military official.

Twenty-one tank crews together with technical personnel and tank maintenance teams began their training in Poland a week ago, said Krzysztof Sieradzki, head of the 10th Armored Brigade’s training group.

The Ukrainian forces train between 10 hours and 12 hours a day using the Polish Leopard 2 tanks and the same model supplied by Canada, Sieradzki was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

According to him, the training will last for about a month. Sieradzki did not rule out that a new group of Ukrainian military personnel would later arrive in Poland for training.

Last month, the German government decided to supply its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and green-lighted requests by other countries to do so.

Poland is set to send a batch of 14 tanks to Ukraine.

NZ declares national state of emergency in response to Cyclone Gabrielle

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NZ declares national state of emergency in response to Cyclone Gabrielle

The New Zealand government declared a National State of Emergency on Tuesday before Cyclone Gabrielle unleashes its full fury.

This is only the third time in New Zealand history that a national state of emergency has been declared, Xinhua news agency reported.

Emergency preparations have been underway as power outages, flight cancellations, and school closures are seen in six North Island regions including Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city.

“This is an unprecedented weather event that is having major impacts across much of the North Island,” said Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty after signing the declaration Tuesday morning.

The declaration will apply to the six regions that already declared a local State of Emergency on Monday.

This declaration will enable the government to support the affected regions, provide additional resources as they are needed, and help set the priorities across the country for the response, McAnulty said.

“A national state of emergency gives the National Controller legal authority to apply resources across the country in support of a national level response,” he said.

This is only two weeks after Auckland and the adjacent region Waikato were inundated by record downpours and floods.

The government has asked residents to prepare sandbags to buffer their homes, store food and water, and be ready for necessary evacuations in the coming days. Many sandbag stations have been set up across Auckland overnight, and locals are encouraged to prepare their own sandbags for extreme situations.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has urged people to “take the severe weather warning seriously” and “stay at home, cancel all unnecessary travels.”

The New Zealand government announced an 11.5 million New Zealand dollars ($7.25 million) Community Support Package on Monday to help people affected by the recent floods and their preparations to respond to Cyclone Gabrielle.

More than 25,000 people have been supported with food, clothing, shelter, bedding, and medication. People have lost their homes and vehicles, families are facing additional challenges getting their children back to school and many families will be facing anxiety and distress from the significant disruption of the floods and impending cyclone, said Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni.

Monday’s package sits alongside a suite of supports that the government has put in place to enhance the emergency response in Auckland.

New Zealand food prices up 10.3% annually

TB Team
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New Zealand food prices up 10.3% annually

New Zealand’s food prices were 10.3 percent higher in January 2023 than they were in the same period of 2022, with grocery food being the largest contributor to this movement, the statistics department Stats NZ said on Tuesday.

In January 2023, the annual increase was due to rises across all the broad food categories measured. Compared with January 2022, grocery food prices increased by 11 percent, restaurant meals, and ready-to-eat food increased by 8.3 percent, and fruit and vegetable prices increased by 16 percent, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Stats NZ.

“Increasing prices for cheddar cheese, barn or cage-raised eggs, and potato chips were the largest drivers within grocery food,” Stats NZ consumer prices manager James Mitchell said.

The second-largest contributor to the annual movement was restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food, Mitchell said.

Monthly food prices rose 1.7 percent in January 2023 compared with December 2022, statistics show.

Hardik Pandya, Natasha Stankovic arrive with son in Udaipur for Valentine’s Day wedding

TB Team
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Hardik Pandya, Natasha Stankovic arrive with son in Udaipur for Valentine’s Day wedding

India T20 cricket team captain Hardik Pandya and Natasha Stankovic are going to marry once again after the couple had a low-key marriage in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. The wedding functions started in Udaipur on Monday and will continue for the next two days. The wedding will take place on February 14, Valentine’s Day.

Earlier, both of them had a court marriage on 31 May 2020. However, this time they will marry according to traditional customs. The function will be held at the Raffles hotel in Udaipur. The couple also has a two-year-old son, Agastya.

Hardik Pandya and Natasha Stankovic reached Udaipur on Monday for the wedding. Family members and Indian cricketer Ishan Kishan have also come with them. The wedding rituals started in the evening and will continue till February 15. The Mehndi ceremony took place on Monday while programs like Haldi and Sangeet will be held on Tuesday.

Hardik got engaged to Natasha on 1 January 2020 and did break the news via social media. Unlike their earlier low-key marriage during the COVID-19 pandemic, this shall be a grand affair. On Monday, Hardik, Natasha, their son Agastya Pandya, and other family members such as cricketer Krunal Pandya and his wife arrived in Udaipur.

Recently actors Siddharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani got married in Jaisalmer. Soon after, Union minister Smriti Irani’s daughter got married in the 500-year-old fort of Nagaur.

Rajasthan has become the main destination for celebrity weddings.

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