Worldwide public Cloud revenue to rise 6.3% in 2020: Gartner

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Worldwide public Cloud revenue to rise 6.3% in 2020: Gartner

Driven by the need to support remote workers and cut costs amid Covid-19, worldwide public cloud services market is likely to grow 6.3 percent in 2020 to total $257.9 billion, up from $242.7 billion in 2019, according to a Gartner forecast on Thursday.

Desktop as a service (DaaS) is expected to have the most significant growth in 2020, increasing 95.4 percent to $1.2 billion.

DaaS offers an inexpensive option for enterprises that are supporting the surge of remote workers and their need to securely access enterprise applications from multiple devices and locations.

Software as a service (SaaS) remains the largest market segment and is forecast to grow to $104.7 billion in 2020.

The continued shift from on-premises license software to subscription-based SaaS models, in conjunction with the increased need for new software collaboration tools during Covid-19, is driving SaaS growth, Gartner said.

The second-largest market segment is Cloud system infrastructure services, or infrastructure as a service (IaaS), which is forecast to grow 13.4 percent to $50.4 billion in 2020.

“The use of public cloud services offer CIOs (chief information officers) two distinct advantages during the Covid-19 pandemic: cost scale with use and deferred spending,” Sid Nag, Research Vice President at Gartner, said in a statement.

“CIOs can invest significantly less cash upfront by utilizing Cloud technology rather than scaling up on-premises data center capacity or acquiring traditional licensed software.”

Gartner said that Cloud spending in many regions is expected to grow rapidly as economies reopen and more normal economic activity resumes, with regions such as North America expecting to return to higher spending levels as early as 2022.

Sunny Leone is back to ‘boring home gym’

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Sunny Leone is back to ‘boring home gym’

Actress Sunny Leone is not quite excited about working out in her home gym. She described the idea as boring.

Sunny shared a black-and-white video on Instagram where is seen working out on a stationary cycle.

“All gyms have closed again! So back to the boring home gym! Just when we felt things might return to a little normalcy. NOPE!!! As you can see my level of excitement is too high! Lol but better this then getting COVID,” Sunny captioned the video.

The actress recently shared a post, which was all about dancing. In the boomerang video, she could be seen with a group of dancers. Keeping in mind the Covid-19 guidelines, all the dancers wear masks, except Sunny.

On the work front, Sunny will next be seen in “Veeramadevi” and “Koka Kola”.

Pakistan played like a ‘local team’ in 1999 WC, says Sohail

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Pakistan played like a ‘local team’ in 1999 WC, says Sohail

Former Pakistan batsman Aamer Sohail believes the Wasim Akram led-side played like a local team in the 1999 World Cup where they finished as runners-up.

In the final, Australia first restricted Pakistan for a paltry 132 which they chased down with utmost ease.

“From my cricketing experience and my observation, I can say that we played the entire World Cup like a local team. We had one line-up in a match and a different line-up in the next match with changing batting orders,” Sohail said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Sohail, who captained Pakistan in six Tests in 1998 and in 22 ODIs between 1996 and 1998, further said that the team management made a mistake by including Shahid Afridi as an opener as the all-rounder back then could “neither bowl nor bat” in demanding conditions.

“When I was a captain in 1998, we had decided with the selectors that we should have regular openers for the World Cup who can stay at the wicket and play out the new ball,” Sohail said.

“Unfortunately, they opted for Shahid Afridi, he had the ability on flat low-bouncing tracks where he would take on the bowlers and bring the opposition under pressure.

“But in demanding conditions, that is a big gamble. He was neither able to bowl nor able to bat. If I was the captain instead of Wasim Akram, I would have preferred Mohammad Yousuf,” he added.

Afridi didn’t have a great World Cup as he could score only 93 runs in seven innings he played in the tournament.

Ganesh Lakshminarayanan new CEO of Airtel’s enterprise business

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Ganesh Lakshminarayanan new CEO of Airtel’s enterprise business

Bharti Airtel on Thursday announced the appointment of Ganesh Lakshminarayanan as the CEO of its enterprise business.

In his new role, Lakshminarayanan will be responsible for further strengthening Airtel’s market leadership in the B2B segment and accelerate growth as enterprises undergo digital transformation to become future-ready, said an Airtel statement. He will report to Ajay Chitkara, Director of Airtel Business.

The new CEO takes over from Ashish Arora, who will now be the CEO of Airtel’s Global Business and look at expanding Airtel’s global networks, including submarine cable systems, to serve international and domestic customers.

Commenting on the appointment, Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO, Bharti Airtel said: “Airtel has always been a destination for top talent and I am delighted to welcome Ganesh to the Airtel Business team. Digital transformation of India has thrown up massive growth opportunities and Airtel is well-positioned to leverage these.”

“I am confident that Ganesh’s rich experience will add immense value to our growth plans,” he said.

Want to llive longer? Follow a plant-based protein diet

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Want to llive longer? Follow a plant-based protein diet

If you want to lead a healthy, long life, read on. Researchers have found that diets high in protein, particularly plant protein, are associated with a lower risk of death from any cause.

Diets high in protein, particularly protein from plants such as legumes (peas, beans, and lentils), whole grains, and nuts, have been linked to lower risks of developing diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

While regular consumption of red meat and high intake of animal proteins have been linked to several health problems, the study published in the journal The BMJ, said.

But data on the association between different types of proteins and death are conflicting.

So researchers based in Iran and the US set out to measure the potential dose-response relation between intake of total, animal, and plant protein and the risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

They reviewed the results of 32 studies that reported risk estimates for all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in adults aged 19 or older.

All studies were thoroughly assessed for bias (problems in study design that can influence results).

Mathematical models were then used to compare the effects of the highest versus lowest categories of protein intake, and analyses were done to evaluate the dose-response relations between protein intake and mortality.

During a follow-up period of up to 32 years, 113,039 deaths (16,429 from cardiovascular disease and 22,303 from cancer) occurred among 715,128 participants.

The results show that a high intake of total protein was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with low intake.

Intake of plant protein was associated with an eight percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 12 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.

Intake of animal protein was not significantly associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality, the study said.

A dose-response analysis of data from 31 studies also showed that an additional three percent of energy from plant proteins a day was associated with a five percent lower risk of death from all causes.

“These findings have important public health implications as intake of plant protein can be increased relatively easily by replacing animal protein and could have a large effect on longevity,” the researchers said.

“While further studies are required, these findings strongly support the existing dietary recommendations to increase consumption of plant proteins in the general population.”

Flipkart acquires Walmart India, launches wholesale business

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Flipkart acquires Walmart India, launches wholesale business

Ecommerce platform Flipkart on Thursday announced the acquisition of 100 percent interest in Walmart India to leverage the strong wholesale capabilities of the company as it launched Flipkart Wholesale, a new digital marketplace designed to help transform the Kirana retail ecosystem in the country.

Flipkart Wholesale will launch its operations in August 2020 and will pilot services for the grocery and fashion categories. It will be headed by Adarsh Menon, a veteran at Flipkart.

The announcement marks the consolidation of American retail giant Walmart’s business in India which controls Flipkart.

Walmart India operates the Best Price cash-and-carry business which currently supports more than 1.5 million members, including Kirana, horses and other MSMEs, and has long-standing supplier diversity and development programs.

Sameer Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer at Walmart India, will remain with the company to ensure a smooth transition, after which time he will move to another role within Walmart, Flipkart said.

“For over a decade, we’ve been committed to India’s prosperity by serving kiranas and MSMEs, supporting smallholder farmers and building global sourcing and technology hubs throughout the country,a Judith McKenna, President, and CEO, Walmart International, said in a statement.

“Today marks the next big step as Walmart India’s pioneering cash-and-carry legacy meets Flipkart’s culture of innovation in the launch of Flipkart Wholesale.”

Kirana’s and MSMEs are central to India’s retail ecosystem and Flipkart Wholesale will focus on meeting their needs by providing small businesses a wide selection at significant value, powered by technology to make their lives easier.

In addition, kiranas and MSMEs will benefit from access to easy credit options and opportunities for new income generation through various Flipkart initiatives, creating new ways to catalyze growth, the e-commerce major said.

“The acquisition of Walmart India adds a strong talent pool with deep expertise in the wholesale business that will strengthen our position to address the needs of kiranas and MSMEs uniquely,” said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart Group.

“With this development, the Flipkart Group will further build upon the synergies across its businesses to drive greater value and choice for end-consumers and businesses alike.”

SpiceJet allowed to operate flights between India, US

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SpiceJet allowed to operate flights between India, US

Airline major SpiceJet has been allowed to operate flights between India and the US.

Accordingly, the Centre has designated the airline as an Indian scheduled carrier to operate between India and the US.

The designation allows for the international expansion of the airline. However, commence dates or destinations have not been revealed.

“It gives me immense pleasure to share that SpiceJet has been designated as an Indian scheduled carrier to operate between India and the US,” said Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet on Thursday.

“This designation would help us plan for our international expansion in a much better and calibrated manner. I have always maintained that there is an opportunity in every adversity and the present crisis situation has seen SpiceJet rise to the occasion and play a pivotal role.”

According to Singh, from operating over 4,300 cargo flights to carrying over 24,000 tonnes of cargo to operating over 400 charter flights to bring thousands of stranded Indian nationals back home, SpiceJet has worked non-stop during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Presently, only Air India operates flights between India and the US.

Aus vs Ind: 14-day quarantine puts T20I series under scanner

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Aus vs Ind: 14-day quarantine puts T20I series under scanner

While India is set to play their first major international series in the post-COVID-19 era against Australia at the end of the year, the schedule for the same may need slight tweaking as Cricket Australia is looking for a window to fit in the three-match T20I series which was earlier set to be played in October prior to the now postponed T20 World Cup.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley made it clear that the ‘14-day quarantine period is well defined’ for the visiting Indian team keeping in mind the government regulations, the schedule has seen a bit of a tumble as there seems to be no space for the T20I series in the current scenario.

Speaking to IANS, a BCCI official said that the matter is being discussed, and considering that the 14-day quarantine is a must as per Cricket Australia and the government there, it is getting difficult to fit in the T20I series.

“The protocols in place in Australia are necessary on account of the pandemic and it’s perfectly understandable. There are no two ways about that. We are all dealing with the challenges that the pandemic poses to us and the commitment with other boards regarding dates is a challenge that will prove difficult to meet in these circumstances and accordingly the dates and length of the tours may need to be tweaked and that may mean amending the number of matches. A 14-day quarantine means it would get reduced from the total length of the tour,” the official explained.

“We were apprised that work is being done on the schedule before it is finalized. They are looking at fitting in the T20I series. India also plays England after returning from Australia and that schedule is also being worked out while the pink-ball Test is fixed for Ahmedabad. We need to see how the other venues are placed and the distance from hotels to the grounds and things like that with an eye on the current scenario due to the pandemic. Hopefully, we will have further clarity before the end of the year as working in tandem with the government is a must.”

Explaining the gap between the Australia tour and the England team arriving for the Tests in India and also sandwiching in the T20Is, the official said: “The ODI series in Australia at present ends on January 17 and even if the teams get a two-day breather before starting the T20I series, that would mean that the first T20I can only be played by January 20. Having games on alternate days at the same venue would mean the T20I series ending on January 24. That would see India heading home on January 26 at the earliest.

“Even if we imagine that quarantine rules won’t exist in India till then, you cannot have a Test series without at least a gap of 7-10 days as the boys need a minimum time to adapt back not just from white-ball to read, but also the change in timing. So, the England series moves into February.”

Samsung to arm engineering students in new-age tech in India

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Samsung to arm engineering students in new-age tech in India

Samsung on Thursday announced a new industry-academia programme under which, its R&D institute here will collaborate with students and faculty at engineering colleges in India on new-age technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G to help solve real-world problems.

Called ‘Samsung PRISM’ (Preparing and Inspiring Student Minds), the projects under the programme will be taken up by a team of students and a professor, with a mentor from the Samsung R&D Institute Bangalore (SRI-B) training and guiding them, the company said in a statement.

“This program will draw from the strength of our academia and engineering students’ community, which undoubtedly is the best in the world,” said Dipesh Shah, Managing Director, SRI-B.

SRI-B is Samsung’s largest R&D facility outside of Korea. It has signed MoUs with 10 engineering colleges to date and will add more colleges over the next few months.

The Samsung institute will collaborate with students and faculty at these engineering colleges, giving them research as well as development projects to be executed over four to six months.

Each engineering college can have multiple teams, and students will be selected on the basis of a test conducted by SRI-B.

Samsung said that students will be encouraged to publish papers and file patents jointly with SRI-B.

“As we move forward, we want to blend the programme with the academic calendars of engineering colleges across the country, and also encourage students and faculty to publish quality papers and file patents,” said Shah.

SRI-B organized a pilot program last year in which 150 teams worked on unique R&D projects.

Eng vs WI: Archer has been bowling seriously well in nets, says Pope

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Eng vs WI: Archer has been bowling seriously well in nets, says Pope

England batsman Ollie Pope has issued a warning to the West Indies team with respect to fast-bowler Jofra Archer ahead of the third and final Test beginning Friday at the Old Trafford.

Archer was axed from the team for the second Test after he broke the bio-secure bubble in Southampton. Following two negative COVID-19 tests, Archer rejoined the squad and remains in contention for a place in the playing XI, after head coach Chris Silverwood said they will be playing their strongest attack.

Pope stated the players are happy with the return of Archer and also gave an insight as to how he has been during net sessions.

“Jofra Archer has been bowling seriously well in the nets, with pace and accuracy, and it’s great to have him back with the squad,” Pope wrote in his column for Sky Sports.

“As someone who has played a similar number of Tests to Jofra, I can relate to how difficult it can be to adapt to the added scrutiny that comes with being an international cricketer.”

Pope was pointing towards Archer’s admission recently where he had said he was being judged like a criminal in the aftermath of the mistake he committed. He had also revealed receiving racist messages on social media while being under self-isolation in Manchester.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain had earlier raised concerns regarding Archer’s frame of mind ahead of the third Test.

“It can’t be healthy, and I’m sure the ECB understands they have a duty of care towards him now,” Hussain wrote in his column for Daily Mail.

“Someone has to put an arm around his shoulder, and make sure he’s OK, and it was good to hear that Joe Root and Ben Stokes have done just that.

“As things stand, I don’t see how he can play in Friday’s third Test when England will need him to be on top of his game,” he added.

Covid vax likely to work with multiple doses: Bill Gates

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Covid vax likely to work with multiple doses: Bill Gates

People might have to take multiple doses of a potential Covid-19 vaccine to protect themselves from the disease, said Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates.

The billionaire philanthropist told CBS News on Wednesday that “none of the vaccines at this point appear as they’ll work with a single dose.”

Over 150 Covid-19 vaccines are currently at different stages of development, with a few now advancing to the late-stage clinical trial.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has donated $300 million towards the global effort to beat Covid-19.

In a blog post, Gates had earlier said that developing a safe and effective vaccine is an urgent need to combat the pandemic.

“We need to make billions of doses, we need to get them out to every part of the world, and we need all of this to happen as quickly as possible,” he wrote.

The world will need to manufacture and distribute at least seven billion doses of the vaccine — or possibly 14 billion if it is a multi-dose vaccine – to beat the pandemic, he said.

This is because, in order to stop the pandemic, the vaccine will have to be made available to almost every person, Gates said.

Kitchen ammunition? As easy as five ingredients

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Kitchen ammunition? As easy as five ingredients

The Indian way of nutrition offers a combination of power-packed foods that not only improve immunity but also ensures ‘Sarvagunn Sampann’ health.

Kavita Devgan, Nutrition Expert, Tata Nutrikorner suggests one should integrate these five proven spices to your diet to help build immunity, build optimum health, and ward off common infections.

Turmeric:

Is there anything turmeric cannot do? Seems not. Turmeric is a strong flu-fighter and has anti-inflammatory properties that act as immunity enhancers and can help the body ward off viral infections. So add it to all your ‘takes’ and drink ‘Haldi Doodh’ (Turmeric milk) at night. You could even make Haldi-ghee-pepper-jaggery balls and eat one every day.

Tip:

Just make sure that you use Haldi sourced from Salem that has 3 percent curcumin and natural oils intact.

Trend:

The West is going gaga over Turmeric lattes, try it!

Kasuri Methi (Fenugreek)

This lesser-known spice doesn’t just add an amazing flavor to your dishes, but is also a wonderful source of fiber and is known to be effective in decreasing cholesterol and inflammation in the body. It keeps the digestion happy, which is essential for good immunity while keeping your blood sugar in check.

Tip:

Make sure you source it right and pick superior Kasuri methi sourced from Nagaur that has fewer stems.

Trend:

Drink Fenugreek water on an empty stomach to lose weight and target belly fat naturally.

Coriander Powder

Dhaniya powder is very good for relieving flatulence and aiding better digestion of food by facilitating better bowel movement. This is probably why it has been used extensively in our cooking since ancient times. Good gut health not only protects against cold and virus but aids in faster recovery from an infection.

Tip:

Coriander powder from the Kumbhraj region of Madhya Pradesh is very good as it contains natural oils.

Garam Masala

This blend of ground whole spices is full of antioxidants that help in boosting digestion and fighting inflammation in the body; thus keeping our immunity optimum. Plus it is full of antioxidants and also fights bloating and flatulence.

Tip:

Make sure you source garam masala that has all these spices in it: Coriander, Turmeric, Chilli, Fennel, Black Pepper, Cumin, Salt, Ginger Powder, Mustard, Green Chilli Powder, Fenugreek (leaves), Cinnamon, Coriander (Leaves), Cloves, Allspice, Asafetida, Cardamom, Mace.

Black pepper

Black pepper is both an antioxidant and an antibacterial agent, it contributes to overall wellness tremendously. It also has vitamin C, which naturally boosts immunity, and works as an excellent antibiotic.

Tip:

Stop compromising on the quality of spices that you buy, only buy pepper which comes with the backing of a brand you can trust.

Three more valuable tips for a ‘Sampann’ monsoon diet:

Instead of relying on highly processed lentils that are stripped of nutrients, opt for branded unpolished dals to score more fiber, protein, and antioxidants and definitely eat two servings of lentils every day

Do not fall for fads, instead trust in the Indian way of nutrition that has been with us for ages and suits our bodies best

Cut down on your sugar intake drastically. It has no nutrients, no protein, no healthy fats, and no enzymes, it is just empty calories that can have a disastrous effect on our immunity

Kohli throws light on international journey in 1000th Instagram post

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Kohli throws light on international journey in 1000th Instagram post

Team India skipper Virat Kohli has expressed gratitude towards his fans for their love and support as he shared his 1000th post on Instagram on Thursday.

“”2008 2020. With many learnings along the way, I’m grateful for your love and support you guys have shown me. Here’s to the #1000thPost,” Kohli said on Instagram along with an image.

In the photoshopped image, a young Kohli is seen fist-bumping with the current version of the Indian skipper.

Kohli is one of the most followed Indians on Instagram with 69.4 million followers. He remains the only cricketer in the top-10 list of the highest-earning athletes on Instagram.

The 31-year-old, who made his international debut in 2008, has so far played 86 Tests, 248 ODIs, and 82 T20Is in which he has scored 7240, 11867, and 2794 runs respectively. He has 70 international hundreds to his name (27 in Tests and 43 in ODIs). The right-handed batter is currently at the No.1 spot in ODIs, No.2 in Tests, and No. 10 in T20Is in ICC Rankings.

Kohli captained India to victory in a Test series in Australia last year and in his captaincy, India has developed one of the most potent fast bowling units in the world.

Microsoft weathers pandemic, revenue up 13% in June quarter

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Microsoft weathers pandemic, revenue up 13% in June quarter

Microsoft weathered the pandemic-hit quarter that ended on June 30, with posting $38 billion in revenue which was up 13 percent (year-on-year) and registered $11.2 billion in net income as the tech giant closed several retail stores owing to the Covid-19 fears.

Microsoft’s Azure Cloud growth, however, slowed to 47 percent from 59 percent from the previous quarter.

“The last five months have made it clear that tech intensity is the key to business resilience. Organizations that build their own digital capability will recover faster and emerge from this crisis stronger,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement late Wednesday as he announced results for the company’s fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2020.

“We are the only company with an integrated, modern technology stack – powered by cloud and AI and underpinned by security and compliance – to help every organization transform and reimagine how they meet customer needs,” he added.

Microsoft shares fell as much as 3 percent in extended trading, although quarterly revenue guidance was already lighter than expected.

“Our commercial cloud surpassed $50 billion in annual revenue for the first time this year. And this quarter our Commercial bookings were better than expected, growing 12% year-over-year,” informed Amy Hood, executive vice president and CFO of Microsoft.

The sales in Intelligent Cloud was $13.4 billion and increased 17 percent.

Server products and cloud services revenue increased 19 percent, driven by Azure revenue growth of 47 percent.

The revenue in Productivity and Business Processes was $11.8 billion and increased by 6 percent.

Office Commercial products and cloud services revenue increased 5 percent, driven by Office 365 Commercial revenue growth of 19 percent.

“Office consumer products and cloud services revenue increased 6 percent and Office 365 Consumer subscribers increased to 42.7 million,” informed Microsoft.

The revenue of LinkedIn that has announced to lay off nearly 1,000 people increased 10 percent.

“Dynamics products and cloud services revenue increased 13 percent, driven by Dynamics 365 revenue growth of 38 percent.

Revenue in More Personal Computing was $12.9 billion and increased 14 percent.

Xbox content and services revenue also increased 65 percent in the June quarter while Surface laptop revenue increased 28 percent.

Microsoft returned $8.9 billion to shareholders in the form of share repurchases and dividends in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2020.

Modi 100% focused on his own image: Rahul in latest video

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Modi 100% focused on his own image: Rahul in latest video

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday once again attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-China border face-off saying he is 100 percent focused on building his own image and “one man’s image is not a substitute for a national vision”.

“Prime Minister is 100 percent focused on building his own image. India’s captured institutions are all busy doing this task. One man’s image is not a substitute for a national vision,” he said in a tweet attaching the third video of the series.

In the video, the Congress MP from Kerala’s Wayanad said, “Psychologically you will have to deal with the Chinese from a position of strength.”

Emphasizing how India should respond to China, he said that if you deal with them from a position of “strength” you can work with them, you can get what you need and it can be actually done. “But if they sense weakness then you had it. And the first thing is you are not going to take on China without a vision,” the Congress leader said, adding that he doesn’t mean a national vision, but an international vision.

Talking about China’s ambitious ‘belt and road’ project, Rahul Gandhi said, “Belt and Road is an attempt to change the nature of the planet. India has to have a global vision and if they have now to become an idea, and it has to become a global idea the thing that is going to protect India is actually thinking big.”

On India’s border issue with China, he said, of course, we have this border issue and we have to resolve this. “But we have to change our approach, we have to change how we think, this is the point at which where the road parts, if we go this way we become a major player and if we go another way we become irrelevant. And that is why I am aggravating because I can see that a huge opportunity is being lost,” he said.

Attacking the government, the Congress leader said, “Why because we are not thinking in the long term, we are not thinking big and we are disturbing our internal balance, we are fighting among ourselves.”

Pointing out at the political scenario in the country, he said, just look at the politics, all day long Indians are fighting Indians, it is because there is “no clear cut” vision going forward. “And I know that the Prime Minister is an opponent and my responsibility is to question him and put pressure on him so he does his work. His responsibility is to give the vision and it’s not there and I can tell you it’s not there and that is why China is in there today,” he added.

Last Friday (July 17), Rahul Gandhi released his first video and questioned the government’s foreign policy. He slammed the Narendra Modi government over the face-off with China in Ladakh. He said China chose this time to intrude in our land as India’s foreign policy, economy, and relationship with neighboring countries are disrupted.

In his second video released on Monday (July 20), the Congress leader said Modi fabricated a “fake” strongman image to come to power and now his biggest strength is “India’s biggest weakness”.

Tesla to build its next Gigafactory near Texas

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Tesla to build its next Gigafactory near Texas

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the electric car maker will build its new Gigafactory near Austin, Texas.

The new factory will produce the Cybertruck, along with the Tesla Semi, Model Y, and Model 3 for customers in the Eastern US, said Musk during the company’s second-quarter earnings call on Wednesday.

Tesla will invest $1.1 billion in the new factory within the first five years.

In exchange, Travis County will rebate 70 percent of the property taxes the company will pay, reports TechCrunch.

The new factory in Texas will be open to the public, and there will be a boardwalk and hiking and biking trails.

“We are going to make it a factory that is going to be stunning right on the Colorado River. So we are actually going to have to have a boardwalk over you, hiking, biking trail. It is going to basically be an ecological paradise,” Musk said.

Tesla has promised Texas officials it will employ at least 5,000 people and about 25 of those workers are categorized as “qualifying” jobs and would be paid a minimum of $74,050.

It will be the company’s fourth U.S. factory, along with its vehicle assembly plant in California, a solar facility in New York, and a battery plant in Nevada. Tesla also builds vehicles near Shanghai, China, and is building a new factory near Berlin.

Iqbal Khan on stigma related to red light area

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Iqbal Khan on stigma related to red light area

Actor Iqbal Khan says people tend to forget humanity when it comes to those living in red light areas, because of a societal stigma attached to such places.

He realized this while working on the web series “Ratri Ke Yatri”, which narrates five dramatic and thought-provoking stories set in red light areas. The show features characters that are seeking something in their lives — from love and physical pleasure to refuge and closure — when they visit a red light area.

“Each episode features a character who ends up in the red light area for a different reason. While shooting for the series, I realized that given the stigma surrounding this subject, we sometimes forget that people in red light areas are fellow human beings,” said Iqbal, who plays the role of a conman who makes a living by robbing people.

“As a society, we’re trained to look down upon them but at the end of the day, they are just as human as anybody else. This journey personally taught me that a little kindness goes a long way and eventually, the show tells the viewers not to be quick to judge others,” he added.

Directed by Anil V. Kumar, the MX Player series also features Sudhir Pande, Anju Mahendru, Barkha Sengupta, Parag Tyagi, Avinash Mukherjee, Shiny Doshi, Renee Dhyani, Mansi Srivastava, Reyhna Pandit, and Akashdeep Arora.

LAC: Chinese not retreating, India readies for long haul

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LAC: Chinese not retreating, India readies for long haul

The disengagement between India and China hit a roadblock in eastern Ladakh as Chinese troops have not moved back from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in line with the consensus arrived at during the disengagement talks between both the countries. Seeing this, the Indian Army prepares for a long haul and harsh winter for the high-altitude region.

A massive logistical exercise has started to provide adequate rations and other supplies to its soldiers as the friction areas still remain volatile.

China is not complying with the roadmap for a complete pullback, which was drawn out during the Corps Commander level meet on July 14. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops have not moved back.

The Indian security establishments said that the Chinese retreated a bit and then returned; so there is a need for “constant verification” of the consensus achieved during the meetings between the Indian and Chinese military delegates.

It has been found that the Indian and Chinese troops have pulled back at Pangong Lake by 2km and Finger 4 is empty. However, the Chinese are still camping on the ridgeline. This clearly indicates that the Chinese had camped at Finger 4 that had traditionally been under the Indian control.

The Chinese had come in eight km into the Indian territory, all the way till Finger 4 from Finger 8. India maintains that the LAC runs through Finger 8. Mountain spurs jutting into the lake are referred to as fingers.

In Galway Valley, which is called Patrolling Point 14, the distance between Indian and Chinese troops is three km. At Patrolling Point 15, the distance between troops is around 8km.

But in Hot Springs, that is Patrolling Point 17, 40-50 troops on both sides are just 600-800 meters apart. The Chinese Army had retreated as per the consensus but again returned.

Seeing the Chinese approach, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while reviewing the Indian Air Force’s operational capabilities and deployments at forwarding locations on Wednesday urged the force to stand ready to handle any eventuality on the border with China.

Singh had said during his address at the inaugural session of the three-day Air Force Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi that started on Wednesday.

The minister, during his visit to Ladakh last week, said that India wants peace but there is no guarantee of the final outcome of talks with China. Singh also reviewed the ground situation in the hostile border areas.

India and China are engaged in military and diplomatic deliberations to de-escalate the tense situation in the border areas in Ladakh. The countries are locked in a 10-week-long stand-off at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented along the border.

The Indian delegation’s main agenda at the meet was the complete PLA pullback from the Pangong Lake, Depsang, and other areas in eastern Ladakh.

China had changed the status quo on the LAC at various places, moving inside the Indian territories. India has objected to it and is taking up the matter with China at all levels.

On June 15, as many as 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed in a violent clash in the Galway Valley.

Doctor held for rape attempt on corona patient in UP

TB Team
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Doctor held for rape attempt on corona patient in UP

A government doctor at Aligarh’s Deen Dayal hospital was arrested on Wednesday on charges of molesting and attempting to rape a 25-year-old woman, who was recuperating in the isolation ward after being tested positive for coronavirus.

According to reports, Doctor Tufail Ahmad, 30, was booked and later arrested from a hotel where he had quarantined himself after completing his duty in the isolation ward.

The victim said in her complaint that Tufail visited the women’s ward on Tuesday night and allegedly touched the private parts of the patient on the pretext of examining her.

On Wednesday morning, the doctor again visited her and repeated the same act.

The case was filed against him on the basis of a complaint lodged by the girl, who works in a private company in Delhi and had come to her home in Aligarh where she developed symptoms of coronavirus.

She was admitted to the hospital on Monday with Covid-19 symptoms and the test report confirmed the positive status a day later.

After examining the CCTV footage, the police said that the doctor went to the isolation ward without wearing a PPE kit and gloves.

Circle officer of the Civil Lines police station, Anil Samaniya, said that the doctor has been booked under section 376 (2) d (takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman in his custody) of IPC at the Quawarsi police station.

Additional City Magistrate, Ranjeet Singh, said that a report has been sought from the Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of the hospital and it will be submitted to the state government for further action.

Apple giving special iPhones to spot bugs, Google ‘disappointed’

TB Team
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Apple giving special iPhones to spot bugs, Google ‘disappointed’

Apple is giving away special iPhones with privileged access to security researchers to spot new vulnerabilities and report those back to the company but this will not help Google teams which are busy finding bugs in Apple devices.

Part of Apple’s new security program, the Security Research Device (SRD) is intended for use in a controlled setting for security research and is “provided on a 12-month renewable basis and remains the property of Apple”.

At the moment, security researchers looking to find vulnerabilities on an iPhone have to jailbreak the devices but that comes with several limits like older devices.

Apple said on Wednesday that the new program would make it easier for security researchers to start finding vulnerabilities with special iPhone hardware.

“They are not meant for personal use or daily carry and must remain on the premises of program participants at all times. Access to and use of SRDs must be limited to people authorized by Apple,” said the company.

The move, however, will not help Google’s Project Zero team that has found bugs in Apple devices in the past.

“It looks like we won’t be able to use the Apple ‘Security Research Device’ due to the vulnerability disclosure restrictions, which seem specifically designed to exclude Project Zero and other researchers who use a 90-day policy,” tweeted a “disappointed” Project Zero team lead Ben Hawkes.

“I think we first asked Apple for a security research test device in 2014 or early 2015. And since then we’ve reported over 350 security vulnerabilities to Apple”.

Hawkes, however, said they will continue to research Apple platforms and provide Apple with all of their findings.

Apple said that that shell access is available for security researchers and they will be able to run any tools and choose entitlements.

“If you use the SRD to find, test, validate, verify, or confirm a vulnerability, you must promptly report it to Apple and, if the bug is in third-party code, to the appropriate third party. If you didn’t use the SRD for any aspect of your work with a vulnerability, Apple strongly encourages (and rewards, through the Apple Security Bounty) that you report the vulnerability, but you are not required to do so”.

If you report a vulnerability affecting Apple products, Apple will provide you with a publication date (usually the date on which Apple releases the update to resolve the issue).

Not all security researchers are eligible and the participation in the Security Research Device Programme is subject to review, said Apple.

“Device availability is limited. Devices will not be available for all qualified applicants in the initial application period. Qualified applicants who do not receive a device during this period will automatically be considered during the next application period in 2021,” said Apple.

To be eligible, one must be a membership Account Holder in the Apple Developer Programme, have a proven track record of success in finding security issues on Apple platforms, or other modern operating systems and platforms.

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