Dhoni asked me to keep it at the stumps for hat-trick delivery: Kuldeep

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Dhoni asked me to keep it at the stumps for hat-trick delivery: Kuldeep

Kuldeep Yadav in September 2017 became the first Indian since Kapil Dev in 1991 to take a hat-trick in an ODI match. In the second ODI against Australia, Kuldeep dismissed Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar, and Pat Cummins off consecutive deliveries to all but confirm India’s victory in the match.

He said that former India captain M.S. Dhoni, who was keeping wickets for India at the time, had asked him to bowl at the stumps for the hat-trick delivery.

“I spoke to Virat Bhai and asked him if I could bowl from the other end. He said once Chahal’s spell was over, I could bowl from that end. I struck a very good rhythm and started bowling in the spot,” Kuldeep said in a recent interaction on his Indian Premier League (IPL) side Kolkata Knight Riders’ website.

“I got my first wicket of Matthew Wade and then in the next ball, I plucked Ashton Agar. For the third ball, I asked Mahi Bhai (M.S. Dhoni) what to bowl. When you have so many variations, you get confused. He just let me do whatever I felt was right but suggested that I kept it to the stumps.

“I kept a slip and gully in place. Luckily I bowled a good ball and got the edge. Getting a hat-trick at Eden Garden, that too in the first year of international cricket, is a big thing and this was one of the biggest moments of my life,” Kuldeep recalled.

Kuldeep would go on to pick a hat-trick again, this time in December 2019 against the West Indies. He thus became the first Indian bowler to have two ODI hat-tricks to his name.

Didn’t hack Paytm Mall, claims ‘John Wick’

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Didn’t hack Paytm Mall, claims ‘John Wick’

A cybercriminal group with the alias ‘John Wick on Thursday said in a tweet that it did not hack Paytm Mall, even as the group claimed responsibility for briefly hacking the Twitter account linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal website.

“This account is hacked by John Wick (hckindia@tutanota.com), We have not hacked Paytm Mall,” John Wick posted after taking over the Twitter account.

The authenticity of the claims could not be immediately verified.

The development comes after cyber-risk intelligence firm Cybele on August 30 wrote in a blog post that “John Wick” was able to upload a backdoor/Adminer on Paytm Mall application/website.

The group gained unrestricted access to the entire databases of Paytm Mall, Cyble said in the blog post.

“According to the messages forwarded to us by the source, the perpetrator claimed the hack happened due to an insider at Paytm Mall. The claims, however, are unverified, but possible,” Cyble said.

Paytm Mall said that the claims are “absolutely false”.

“We would like to assure that all users, as well as company data, is completely safe and secure. We invest heavily in our data security, as you would expect,” a Paytm Mall spokesperson said in a statement.

“We have been investigating the claims of a possible hack and data breach, and haven’t found any security lapses yet.

“We also have a Bug Bounty programme, under which we reward responsible disclosure of any security risks. We extensively work with the security research community and safely resolve security anomalies,” the spokesperson said.

US Open: Djokovic rallies past Edmund, advances to 3rd round

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US Open: Djokovic rallies past Edmund, advances to 3rd round

World no.1 Novak Djokovic lost a tie-breaker for the first time this year but rallied past Kyle Edmund to advance from the second round of the US Open. Djokovic won the match 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. He next faces Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, who beat USA’s Michael Mmoh 6-2, 6-2, 7-5.

Djokovic, who is chasing his fourth US Open title, lost an intense first set that went on for more than an hour. He had previously won all 10 tiebreaks he played this year.

After the set, however, the Serbian took over and Edmund was hardly a match for the rest of the match. Djokovic hit 16 aces and lost only 12 points on his first serve. “I’m actually glad I did drop a set and got tested the way I did today against Kyle. I expected it to be a tough, tough task,” said Djokovic after the match. “I’m really glad having an early kind of tough match in the tournament,” Djokovic said, “because it kind of serves me better, I think, for the rest of the tournament.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas meanwhile beat Maxime Cressy 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 to mark his debut at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. He thus progresses to the third round of the US Open for the first time in his career where he will face Borna Coric. He remains on course to face Alexander Zverev, who beat 19-year-old Brandon Nakashima 7-5, 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-1. 12th seed Dennis Shapovalov beat South Korean Kwon Soon-woo 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

India records highest 1-day spike of 83,883 Covid-19 cases

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India records highest 1-day spike of 83,883 Covid-19 cases

With 83,883 fresh coronavirus infections in 24 hours, India’s tally mounted to 3,853,406 on Thursday, while the death toll climbed to 67,376 with 1,043 more fatalities, said the Health Ministry.

Out of total confirmed cases, 8,15,538 are the active cases, while a total of 2,970,492 have recovered from the virus so far. With 68,584 recoveries in a day, the recovery rate has increased to 77.09 percent.

The number of patients recovering is on a steady rise over the past several months. As the daily recoveries increase, India has registered more than 60,000 recoveries each day, the seventh day in a row.

The ministry said that 12 states and union territories like Andaman and Dui, Delhi, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar, West Bengal, etc., have reported a recovery rate more than the national average.

Two states — Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, alone account for around 30 percent of the total recoveries.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit with a total of 8,08,306 cases and 24,903 deaths; followed by Andhra Pradesh with 4,45,139 cases and 4,053 deaths. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, and Bihar come next.

According to the fresh data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India conducted a record 11,72,179 tests in a single day on Wednesday, taking the total number of samples tested so far to 4,55,09,380.

On the global front, India still remains the third worst hit nation with the Covid-19 pandemic while the US and Brazil lead the board with 6,113,160 and 3,997,865 total cases, respectively.

OPPO plans to launch Diwali limited edition smartphone

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OPPO plans to launch Diwali limited edition smartphone

After launching the OPPO F17 series that has several industry-first features created by the Hyderabad R&D team, the smartphone brand OPPO is planning to launch a Diwali limited edition smartphone in the country.

The device will be crafted specifically for the desi consumers and will have a localized user interface (UI), Tasleem Arif, Vice President, and R&D Head, OPPO India, told IANS on Thursday.

“Festivals are an important part of Indian culture and we have always sought to celebrate the joyous occasions with our consumers,” Arif said.

Last year, we announced unique offers for our users across our product portfolio and we are “committed to bringing in a similar experience for our users this year as well”.

OPPO’s latest offering F17 Pro comes packed with innovative features.

The OPPO R&D team at Hyderabad has worked around camera features to introduce beauty solutions and imaging effects, specifically designed and tuned for the Indian skin tone, using the algorithms of the AI Beautification 2.0.

“We have worked closely with IIT Hyderabad and other premier institutes to make these localized camera solutions, which address the requirements of the Indian customers particularly,” Arif said.

With AI Beautification 2.0, OPPO introduced customized beautification features that are tailored to the user’s preference in the county.

“For example, for females, the algorithm will keep Indian bindi, while delivering a more natural skin tone with fuller and more pronounced eye features. For males, the algorithm can also dial up the face with fuller beards, deeper eyebrows, and richer pronounced eye features,” he explained.

In addition, F17 Pro’s size is based on 20:9 ratios that is tailor-made and based on consumer research so that Indian users can get a firm grip on their phone.

“Our team at the Hyderabad R&D center has also ensured that the OPPO F17 Pro comes with the ability to capture slow-motion videos at 240fps even in a 720p mode,” Arif informed.

It uses Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) paired with optimized and Proprietary Software Algorithms to provide a premium video recording experience.

The Hyderabad R&D Centre is OPPO’s largest overseas R&D location contributing to many new functions.

Earlier this year, the company made history by successfully conducting the first-ever 5G WhatsApp video call at its Hyderabad center.

Manchester United complete Van de Beek signing

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Manchester United complete Van de Beek signing

Manchester United announced the signing of Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax. The 23-year-old Dutchman has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with an option to extend by a further year.

The transfer fee is reported to be around 39 million Euros, which is subject to an increase to 44 million Euros if certain clauses are met.

A product of the famed Ajax youth academy, Van de Beek made his first-team debut in 2015. In total, he played 175 official matches for Ajax, scoring 41 times.

With Ajax, Van de Beek won the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup in 2019 and made it to the semifinals of that year’s UEFA Champions League. He has also played 10 times for the Netherlands national team.

“I cannot begin to explain how incredible an opportunity it is to join a club with such an amazing history. I would like to thank everyone at Ajax. I grew up there and I will always have a special bond with the club,” said Van de Beek.

“I am now ready to take the next step in my career and perform at the highest level and there is no higher standard than Manchester United. Everyone has told me how amazing the Old Trafford atmosphere is and I am looking forward to experiencing that, once it is safe for the fans to return.”

Samsung unveils 5G-powered flexible laptop with latest Intel chip

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Samsung unveils 5G-powered flexible laptop with latest Intel chip

Samsung on Thursday unveiled its first 5G-powered flexible laptop with the latest Intel 11th Gen Core processor that meets the requirements of the Intel Evo platform for advanced computing and specifications, enabling exceptional responsiveness, more efficient battery life, and instant wake.

The 2-in-1 Galaxy Book Flex 5G is powered by the new 11th Gen Intel Core Mobile PC chip with Intel Iris Xe graphics, along with Wi-Fi 6 and 5G connectivity for an unparalleled laptop experience, the company said in a statement.

The device comes with a 13MP world-facing camera, a first among Samsung 2-in-1 lineup, and a sophisticated S Pen.

“Thanks to our close collaboration with Intel, Galaxy Book Flex 5G provides users with a powerful performance, next-generation connectivity, effortless productivity, and premium entertainment features, all in the form function of their choosing,” said Michael Lee, Corporate VP and Head of New Computing Biz Group at Samsung Electronics.

Galaxy Book Flex 5G offers bright and brilliant visuals, while games up to 60 frames per second.

The Galaxy Book Flex 5G also has a 720p front-facing camera.

The laptop, which weighs 1.26 kgs, comes with a high capacity of 69.7 Wh battery. It offers 16 GB memory and 512 GB storage.

The Galaxy Book Flex 5G also comes with the S Pen stylus and enhanced features that allow users to interact with their other Galaxy devices.

UP sports training camps to begin from October 1

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UP sports training camps to begin from October 1

Sports training camps in Uttar Pradesh will start on October 1.

The Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Upendra Tiwari, said that sports activities will be back on the track once the situation normalizes.

The Minister said that those who are interested in participating in these training camps should register themselves on the ‘Khelo India’ app.

He said that there will be total adherence to the guidelines issued by central and state governments related to social distancing and other safety protocols.

Usually, the sports training camps in Uttar Pradesh start from April and continue till January but due to the pandemic, this year sports activities were suspended.

The sports minister said that now the calendar has been extended till March so that the sportspersons get extra time for training and the trainers get remuneration as well.

He said the government will renovate the old ‘akhadas’ and traditional training centers.

“The government is working on up-gradation of stadiums and mini stadiums established in urban and rural areas respectively. He also said that the government is working swiftly on the ‘one district one sports’ scheme in the state.

Google makes Covid symptom search trends available for researchers

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Google makes Covid symptom search trends available for researchers

Google has made a vast dataset of search trends available for researchers in the US to study the link between symptom-related searches and the spread of Covid-19.

The Covid-19 Search Trends symptoms dataset includes aggregated, anonymized search trends for more than 400 symptoms, signs, and health conditions, such as cough, fever, and difficulty breathing.

The dataset includes trends at the US county-level from the past three years in order to make the insights more helpful to public health, and so researchers can account for changes in searches due to seasonality, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

Using the dataset, researchers can develop models and create visualizations based on the popularity of symptom-related searches.

“This sample visualization is based on search volume for fever across the U.S. This visualization does not reflect the dataset’s user interface but shows what can be generated,” Google said.

Researchers could use this dataset to study if search trends can provide an earlier and more accurate indication of the reemergence of the virus in different parts of the country.

The dataset is available in Google Cloud’s COVID-19 Free Public Dataset Programme and is downloadable from Google Research at Open COVID-19 Data GitHub repository.

“No personal information or individual search queries are included,” Google said.

This early release is limited to the US at the moment and covers searches made in English and Spanish.

S.Africa launches app to prevent ‘2nd wave’ of Covid-19

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S.Africa launches app to prevent ‘2nd wave’ of Covid-19

South Africa has launched a new smartphone app in an effort to prevent a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Health said.

“Technology is key to slowing the spread of the virus and accelerating our return to everyday life,” the Department was quoted by the COVID Alert SA website as saying on Wednesday, adding that contact tracing is one of the most critical aspects of combating the disease.

COVID Alert South Africa is a cutting-edge mobile application that uses the Exposure Notification system created by Apple and Google in line with global best practices, reports Xinhua news agency.

It uses Bluetooth technology to notify users if they have been in contact with coronavirus, including strangers in retail stores, in public transport, or in any public space.

“It gives everyone the chance to understand their exposure to the virus so that we can protect every member of the community, especially those most at risk,” said the website.

“It is an important tool to combating the pandemic, as it can help slow the spread of the virus and save lives.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa also welcomed the launch of the app, saying it is “a significant milestone in our country’s fight against coronavirus, and will play an important role in preventing a second wave of infections”.

“The more South Africans download the app, the more effective it will be in stopping the second wave of Covid-19 infection,” said the president.

“But even as we use the app, we must still wear cloth masks, wash or sanitize our hands regularly, maintain social distancing, and take all other precautions to keep safe,” he added.

South Africa has so far recorded 630,595 Covid-19 cases, with 14,389 deaths.

Twitter account of PM Modi’s personal website hacked for Bitcoins

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Twitter account of PM Modi’s personal website hacked for Bitcoins

Twitter on Thursday said it has fixed the account of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal website that was briefly hacked in the wee hours and tweets asking people to donate Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were posted on it.

Twitter said it has secured the compromised account known as @narendramodi_in.

The affected account is linked to PM Modi’s personal website and has more than 2.5 million followers.

“We are actively investigating the situation. At this time, we are not aware of additional accounts being impacted,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement.

According to Twitter, this breach was not due to a compromise of its systems or service.

“There is no indication or evidence of any correlation between this account compromise and the incident that took place in July,” the company said in a statement shared with IANS.

Twitter faced a mega crypto hack in July that spread a Bitcoin scam by hijacking accounts of high-profile celebrities, politicians, and businesses as a result of a phone spear-phishing attack.

“I appeal to you all to donate generously to PM National Relief Fund for Covid-19, Now India begins with cryptocurrency, Kindly Donate eth (Ethereum) 0xae073DB1e5752faFF169B1ede7E8E94bF7f80Be6 (sic),” read one tweet from the hackers.

Ethereum is the second-largest cryptocurrency platform by market capitalization, behind Bitcoin.

Another tweet read: “I appeal to you all to donate generously to PM National Relief Fund for Covid-19, Now India begin with crypto currency, Kindly Donate Bitcoin to 0xae073DB1e5752faFF169B1ede7E8E94bF7f80Be6 (sic) #eth #crypto”.

The tweets were later taken down by Twitter.

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

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

The accounts of major public figures including US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Apple, and Uber were simultaneously hacked by attackers to spread a cryptocurrency scam.

Minor abducted, gang raped by four youths, 2 held

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Minor abducted, gang raped by four youths, 2 held

A minor girl, who was on her way to a photo studio, was allegedly abducted and gang-raped by four boys on Wednesday in Sarvodaya Nagar under the CB Ganj police circle.

Two of the accused have been arrested and the police are searching for the remaining two.

According to reports, the girl was going to a photo studio to get her photograph clicked for school form when she was picked up by four boys and taken to a secluded place where they raped her by turns.

The girl, a student of class 11, has identified the four accused as her neighbors.

The girl was also beaten with an iron rod as the boys filmed the act on their mobile phones.

She was threatened with dire consequences if she informed anyone of the incident.

However, when the girl returned home, she informed her father and he took her to the police station to lodge a complaint.

SP (City) said that a case has been registered under relevant sections of IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the two remaining accused would be arrested at the earliest.

The girl will be sent for medical examination, he said.

S.Korea reports 195 new Covid-19 cases

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S.Korea reports 195 new Covid-19 cases

South Korea reported 195 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, raising the total number of infections to 20,644.

The daily caseload fell below 200 in 17 days, but it has continued to grow in triple digits since August 14 due to cluster infections in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi province linked to church services and a massive rally held on August 15, reports Xinhua news agency.

Of the new cases, 69 were Seoul residents and 64 from Gyeonggi province.

The country also reported three more fatalities, takin the death toll ti 329.

The total fatality rate stood at 1.59 percent.

A total of 173 more patients were discharged from quarantine after making full recovery. The total recovery rate was 75.22 percent.

Since January 3, the country has tested more than 2 million people.

N.Korean premier inspects recovery work from flood damage

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N.Korean premier inspects recovery work from flood damage

North Korean premier Kim Tok-hun made a field survey on the recovery work from flood damage in Kimhwa and Phyonggang counties of Kangwon province, state media reported on Thursday.

According to ta report by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim also a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party, made rounds of houses under construction in the township and the site in Choso Co-op Farm of Kimhwa county where a recovery campaign is underway.

He stressed the need for local officials to provide people with stable living conditions, solve difficulties of the inhabitants in the flood-affected areas, as well as work hard and carefully to eradicate the flood damage as early as possible.

The premier also urged the officials to accelerate the rehabilitation projects, including the army-civilian joint operation to build houses and repair roads, Xinhua news agency quoted the KCNA report as saying.

Over the past two months, North Korea has suffered from heavy rains, powerful typhoons, and severe floods, which have caused damages to houses and farmland.

Typhoon Bavi landed at the country last week, causing flooding and destruction in many areas.

With typhoon Maysak heading toward the Korean Peninsula, the North Korean government has taken urgent measures to prevent the possible damage.

The typhoon is expected to hit the country later on Thursday.

“A warning has been issued in the country that Typhoon No. 9 (Maysak), coming from the Philippines, is likely to affect the country.

“As such, we are taking active measures to prevent damage in the country’s eastern regions,” Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling party, said in a report.

Sonu Sood sends relief for flood-hit Varanasi boatmen

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Sonu Sood sends relief for flood-hit Varanasi boatmen

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has done it again. When a social activist sought help from him for Varanasi boatmen who were going without food due to floods, the actor was prompt in reaching out.

Social activist Divyanshu Upadhyaya on Tuesday tweeted to actor Sonu Sood about families of 350 boatmen who ply boats on the Ganga River in Varanasi, were going without food because they were unable to ply boats due to floods.

Within an hour, Sonu Sood responded to the tweet and wrote, “No member of these 350 families of Varanasi Ghats will sleep hungry after today.”

Thereafter, Sood’s associate, Neeti Goel, called Upadhyay and assured him that ration kits will be made available to them in Varanasi itself within one hour.

“We got 350 ration kits from the actor within no time. Each kit contained 5 kg flour, 5 kg rice, 2 kg gram, a packet of spice, and other eatables. Out of 350, 100 kits were immediately distributed among the families of the boatmen on Wednesday,” said a member of Upadhyaya’s team.

Divyanshu Upadhyay, who runs a non-profit organization called Hope, said that the payment to the local vendor has been done by Sood.

Upadhyay said that during the lockdown, ‘Hope’ had been distributing relief items among the boatmen fraternity, but the 200 relief hampers that they had, proved to be insufficient.

“I tweeted to Sonu Sood because I had heard of the immense work he has been doing to help people and he promptly responded to our call and took action,” he said.

Sharman Joshi wants more comedy films, shows in OTT space

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Sharman Joshi wants more comedy films, shows in OTT space

Actor Sharman Joshi feels there is less comic content available on OTT platforms.

“Comedy is on top of my mind right now. I want to make people laugh with my films. Also, during the lockdown, I have realized that there is hardly any comedy happening on OTT platforms. There’s only a stock of old comedy movies and shows. I tried to find out comedy projects to watch, but hardly got anything new and exciting. So I started watching ‘Friends’ again. So, I really feel more comedy films and shows should be made,” Sharman told IANS.

Sharman has showcased his comic skills in films like “Style”, “Golmaal” and “3 Idiots”. His upcoming comedy film “Aankh Micholi” also belongs to the genre.

According to him, there is an overdose of thrillers on the webspace.

“It was fun watching thrillers when they initially came in. Some of them are so well made. But, I personally feel that now there is an overdose of thrillers in the digital space. It is very important to have projects that lighten up our mood and make us feel happy,” he added.

Speaking of Sharman’s projects on OTT platforms, the film “Graham Staines, Ek Ankahi Sachai: The Least Of These” recently released in Hindi on ShemarooMe Box Office. It revolves around Australian missionary, Graham Stuart Staines, who was murdered along with his two sons in India.

“The film is based on a real-life story. It is a very thought-provoking movie. It teaches us several lessons, especially about tolerance.

“We should not harm others. There should be absolute freedom to choose your religion and philosophy. One should not impose one’s ideology on someone else,” Sharman concluded.

At $2.3 trillion, Apple more valuable than UK’s top share index

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At $2.3 trillion, Apple more valuable than UK’s top share index

The market cap of Apple has touched $2.3 trillion, surpassing the entire value of all the companies in the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index, also called the FTSE 100 which is the UK’s top share index.

While Apple’s market value is around $2.3 trillion (1.7 trillion pounds), all the companies in the FTSE 100 have a combined value of 1.5 trillion pounds, reports the BBC.

“Apple shares fell back on Wednesday, but remained ahead of the London index at the close of trading on Wednesday”.

Demand for Apple’s shares reportedly boosted by the company’s decision to divide its shares to make it easier for individuals to invest in the company.

Apple’s board of directors had approved a four-for-one stock split, effective from August 31.

Weathering the Covid-19 pandemic, tech giant Apple last month scripted history by becoming the first American firm to hit the $2 trillion mark by valuation.

Apple stock rose to cross the threshold — $467.77 per share — that helped it touch the $2-trillion mark.

The iPhone maker passed the $1 trillion mark for the first time nearly two years ago.

If Apple were a country, it would be classified as the ninth richest one with such market valuation.

ASUS unveils laptops with Intel 11th Gen Core chips

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ASUS unveils laptops with Intel 11th Gen Core chips

Taiwanese company ASUS has announced the first-ever lineup of laptops featuring the new Intel 11th Generation Intel Core processors including a laptop that has been verified on the Intel Evo platform laptop design.

Equipped with the Intel 11th Gen chips and ‘Iris Xe’ graphics, the latest ASUS laptops break the boundaries of performance for thin and light laptops and empower users with ultimate experiences in productivity, creativity, gaming, entertainment, and collaboration, the company said in a statement late on Wednesday.

An integrated Intel WiFi 6 and Thunderbolt 4 provide fast, reliable connectivity.

New ‘Iris Xe’ graphics deliver discrete-level graphics performance for next-generation media experiences.

“By empowering users with the latest display, audio, software and network connection technology, ASUS delivers incredible innovations and changes the way users relate to their devices,” ASUS co-CEO Samson Hu said at the ‘Built for Brilliance’ virtual launch event.

ZenBook Flip S which is touted as the world’s thinnest OLED convertible laptop is the first ASUS laptop to be verified on the Intel Evo platform.

Other laptops in the 2020 lineup are targeted for verification, pending further tuning and testing.

Laptops with Intel Evo verification bring together the perfect combination of premium performance and responsiveness, efficient battery usage and stunning visuals.

“ASUS has a great lineup of laptops with Intel Core processor technology and experiential innovations we’ve achieved together through Project Athena including ASUS’ first Intel Evo platform verified design, ASUS Zenbook Flip S,” said Chris Walker, corporate vice president, Mobile Computing Platforms, Intel.

The new PC lineup is also powered by Microsoft Windows to provide an intuitive and user-friendly experience, the company said.

The laptops include ZenBook Flip S, ZenBook S, ZenBook 14, ZenBook 14 Ultralight and ZenBook Pro 15.

Hotel, tourism sector returning back to normal

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Hotel, tourism sector returning back to normal

The hospitality and tourism businesses that were most affected by the corona are now returning back to normal and is expected to further improve after the relaxations given in the Unlock 4 guidelines.

Despite tourists returning back to hotels, resorts, and hill stations gradually, experts feel that it will take around two to three years for these sectors to be fully back on track.

Former ITC CEO and advisor to the Tourism and Hospitality National Committee of CII, Deepak Haksar told IANS that tourists have started going for outings which have led to the improvement in the tourism and hospitality sector.

He said, “There has been an increase in the number of tourists opting for domestic leisure travel. They have started visiting places Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, etc. which has increased the demand for hotels and resorts in these places. As of now, the industry will have to depend on domestic tourists only as international tourists are still restricted from traveling.”

Haksar said that the hotel business in India is driven by the demand of business travelers and tourists. Apart from this, the business also depends on meetings, conventions, and events that are still under restrictions so the sector will still take time to revive.

The government has allowed organizing social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, and political events from September 21 under the process of Unlock 4, however, the number of people gathering should not exceed 100.

Hotel Association of India Vice President and Emeritus Chairman of Radisson Group of Hotels, South Asia, K.B. Kachroo said the situation has improved during Unlock 3 and 4 as tourists are increasing. The occupancy in big hotels was eight to nine percent before Unlock 1 while it has now gone up to 30-35 percent and in some of the hotels it has even gone up to 60 percent.

Talking about the loss in which the tourism and hospitality sector suffered due to corona, Kachroo said the revenue will fall short by about 50 percent in 2020-21 as compared to the previous year.

Haksar said that the tourism and hospitality sector is expected to revive by 2022-23 as it has already suffered a loss of around Rs 10 lakh crore in the current fiscal.

The hotel industry has also demanded for relief from the government. Kachroo said, “This sector has been worst affected by the corona pandemic, so the government should announce some relief. If the government doesn’t extend help for the sector, it won’t be able to revive.”

Dow jumps over 450 points, best gain since mid-July

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Dow jumps over 450 points, best gain since mid-July

US equities finished noticeably higher, with the Dow jumping more than 450 points on its best day since mid-July.

On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 454.84 points, or 1.59 percent, to 29,100.50, marking its best single-day rise since July 14. It was also the first close above 29,000 since February for the blue-chip index, Xinhua news agency reported.

The S&P 500 rose 54.19 points, or 1.54 percent, to 3,580.84. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 116.78 points, or 0.98 percent, to 12,056.44.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq both wrapped up the session at records, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq topping the 12,000 thresholds for the first time.

Ten of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors closed higher, with utilities and materials up 3.12 percent and 2.28 percent, respectively, outpacing the rest. Energy dipped 0.42 per cent, the lone declining group.

The moves came despite data showing US companies added fewer jobs than expected last month.

US private-sector companies added 428,000 jobs in August, payroll data company Automatic Data Processing (ADP) reported on Wednesday. Wall Street economists had forecast an increase of 1 million private-sector jobs, according to Econoday.

“The August job postings demonstrate a slow recovery,” said Ahu Yildirmaz, vice president and co-head of the ADP Research Institute, adding “businesses across all sizes and sectors have yet to come close to their pre-COVID-19 employment levels.”

US-listed Chinese companies traded mostly lower, with six of the top 10 stocks by weight in the S&P US Listed China 50 index ending the day on a downbeat note.

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