Boiler explosion at a thermal power plant in Tamil Nadu

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Boiler explosion at a thermal power plant in Tamil Nadu

Six people died and 16 suffered burn injuries in a boiler explosion at a thermal power plant in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu this morning.The blast took place at a power plant of the central government-owned NLC India Limited in Cuddalore, about 180 km from state capital Chennai. This is the second blast at the power plant in two months.All those injured were rushed to the Apollo Hospital in Chennai, officials said.

“The boiler was not in operation. We are investigating the incident,” R Vikraman, one of the directors of the power plant, said.”Among the sixteen injured, six are regular employees and 10 are contract workers. We are collecting details of those who died,” he added.

In a tweet, Union Home Minister Amit Shah condoled the deaths. “Anguished to learn about the loss of lives due to a blast at Neyveli power plant boiler in Tamil Nadu. Have spoken to CMOTamilNadu and assured all possible help. CISFHQrs is already on the spot to assist the relief work. Praying for the earliest recovery of those injured,” he wrote.

The company generates 3,940-megawatt electricity. The plant where the blast took place accounts for 1,470 megawatts. The company employs 27,000, including 15,000 contractual workers.

Several deaths linked to accidents at industrial units have been reported in the last two months.

On Monday, two people were killed and four were hospitalized after gas leaked at the Visakhapatnam unit of the firm Sainor Life Sciences.

In May, 11 people, including two young children, were killed and over 1,000 were hospitalized after gas leaked overnight at the LG Polymers facility in Vizag. The incident was compared by many to the 1984 Bhopal Gas leak, one of the worst industrial disasters in history when gas leaked from a pesticide plant operated by Union Carbide and killed over 3,500.

Depression more prevalent during menopause transition: Study

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Depression more prevalent during menopause transition: Study

Depression has been shown to be prevalent during menopause, affecting as many as 70 percent of women transitioning into menopause, say, researchers.

The study, published in the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), not only confirms the high prevalence of depression but also the greatest risk factors for it in postmenopausal women, as well as any relationships with anxiety and fear of death.

“The findings are consistent with existing literature and emphasize the high prevalence of depressive symptoms in midlife women, particularly those with a history of depression or anxiety and chronic health conditions,” said study researcher Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.

With the decrease in hormone production during menopause, women are more prone to a number of psychological problems, including depression, anxiety, irritability, nervousness, sadness, restlessness, memory problems, lack of confidence and concentration, and a loss of libido.

At the same time, as women age, the fear of death becomes more pronounced.

Depression and anxiety, which are the most common psychological problems that occur during the menopause transition, likely increase that fear, the researchers said.

For the current findings, the research team picked 485 postmenopausal Turkish women aged between 35 and 78 years.

The researchers sought to determine the frequency of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women, the variables affecting it, and the levels of anxiety and fear of death.

They then evaluated the relationship between all these variables and postmenopausal depression.

They found that depression in postmenopausal women is a common and important health problem that requires further study.

In this specific study, 41 percent of the participants were confirmed to experience some form of depression.

In addition, the researchers identified those risk factors that most affected depression in postmenopause.

These included being a widow or separated from one’s spouse, alcohol consumption, any medical history requiring continuous medication, the presence of any physical disability, physician-diagnosed mental illness, and having four or more living children.

“Women and the clinicians who care for them need to be aware that the menopause transition is a period of vulnerability in terms of mood,” Faubion said.

15% VAT hike comes into effect in Saudi

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15% VAT hike comes into effect in Saudi

Saudi Arabia’s decision to raise the value-added tax (VAT) rate to 15 percent came into effect on Wednesday on all goods and services subject to it in markets across the Kingdom, after a royal decree was issued on May 11, state media reported.

The Saudi General Authority of Zakat and Income called on all taxpayers who are registered in the VAT to verify the readiness of their facilities, and learn about all transitional provisions related to raising the tax rate, by reviewing the guidelines, Gulf News quoted the state-media report as saying.

The authority also urged citizens and residents to ascertain the items of the tax invoice, including store name, date of purchase, tax number, and VAT, calling for cooperation with and reporting any violation business if these elements are not available, through its website and app.

The adjusted tax applies to all supplies of taxable goods or services imported into the Kingdom.

In early May, Saudi Arabia announced it would triple its VAT from 5 percent to 15 percent as part of measures to shore up its economy hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and low oil prices.

The government also said it will suspend the cost of living allowance as part of the austerity steps.

Saudi Arabia is one of the most affected Middle Eastern countries with 190,823 COVID-19 and 1,649 deaths.

No Chinese goods in food ministry now: Paswan

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No Chinese goods in food ministry now: Paswan

Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan has said that his ministry has closed the door for Chinese products. Paswan said that no Chinese goods will come to his department anymore and a circular to this effect has already been issued.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Paswan said that from now on foreign products will also be tested as per the standard set by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

After this decision, the purchase of goods directly by his Ministry and the departments and organizations under his Ministry will not include products from China.

The Food Corporation of India and the Central Warehousing Corporation also come under the Union Food and Public Distribution Ministry.

The circular issued by the ministry on June 23 stated that no goods manufactured in China would be purchased from the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal or any other source.

This decision comes after the incident in Galway Valley in Ladakh in which 20 Indian soldiers, including an officer, were killed in a clash with Chinese troops last month.

After the incident, there is a wave of anger all over the country against China and people are boycotting Chinese goods.

Paswan said “Rules are being framed to check foreign goods standards. These rules will apply not only to Chinese products but also to products coming from other countries.”

He said the way Indian goods are tested on foreign standards in the same way, foreign goods will be tested in India. “We will stop foreign goods if our standards are not met,” Paswan said.

Paswan has been active in delivering foodgrains to every nook and corner of the country by implementing the free grain distribution scheme – Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) during the corona crisis. So far, 1,03,53,715 tonnes of foodgrains have been distributed, which is 87 percent of the total quota for three months.

The scheme has been extended till November. Expressing happiness, Paswan said this will provide great relief to more than 80 crore poor people of the country in this hour of crisis.

Paswan said there is enough stock of foodgrains in the country. He urged the states to lift the grains for the months ahead to ensure smooth distribution under PMGKAY.

Mohena Kumari tests COVID-19 negative

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Mohena Kumari tests COVID-19 negative

Television actress Mohena Kumari has finally tested COVID-19 negative after a month-long battle with the virus.

The actress took to Instagram to share the news with her fans on Wednesday.

“We finally tested Negative of coronavirus… after a month! We’d like to thank all the Doctors and Health care professionals for doing the best they could with whatever information was available to the world about this virus, at AIIMS RISHIKESH.”

She also shared a message of gratitude towards the doctors and healthcare professionals on the occasion of Doctor’s Day on Wednesday.

“Today we celebrate the work of Doctors and Healthcare professionals in our country. In my life, I have met some wonderful doctors, nurses, compounders, and other medical staff… I’d like to thank all of them for their Honest Efforts to help people to ease or eradicate their pain.”

“I really hope and pray that all doctors are doing the same for people of all ages, strata, and religion. People put immense faith in doctors and we always hope for doctors to reciprocate that with selfless care and humanity. I’d like to wish all the selfless, honest, diligent, and hardworking doctors a very Happy National Doctors Day. Thank you for your service. #doctorsday2020” wrote the “Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai”.

Mohena Kumari had tested COVID-19 positive at the beginning of June. Her husband Suresh Rawat, father-in-law Satpal Maharaj, who is Uttarakhand’s tourism minister, and mother-in-law were also found to be COVID 19 positive.

On June 13, the family returned home from the hospital despite still being COVID-19 positive. They have been living in isolation at home since then.

Marginal hike in price of non-subsidized LPG cylinder (Ld)

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Marginal hike in price of non-subsidized LPG cylinder (Ld)

The price of non-subsidized LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) cylinders has been marginally increased with effect from Wednesday.

In Delhi, non-subsidized LPG cylinders will be costlier by Re 1. According to the Indian Oil website, the price of a 14.2-kg non-subsidized gas cylinder in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai have been increased from Rs 593 to Rs 594, from Rs 616 to Rs 620.50, from Rs 590.50 to Rs 594 and from Rs 606.50 to Rs 610.50, respectively, from July 1.

However, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder has been reduced by Rs 4 from Rs 1,139.50 to Rs 1,135.50 in Delhi while in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai its price has been increased.

The price of a 19-kg LPG cylinder for commercial use has been increased from Rs 1,193.50 to Rs 1,197.50 in Kolkata, from Rs 1,087.50 to Rs 1,090.50 in Mumbai and from Rs 1,254 to Rs 1,255 in Chennai.

Thai cafe sues US govt for spreading COVID-19

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Thai cafe sues US govt for spreading COVID-19

A cafe in Thailand’s Chiang Mai province has filed a damage lawsuit against the US government for allegedly spreading the COVID-19 pandemic, it was reported on Wednesday.

Sawant Wianthong, the owner of Ooh Cafe at DK Park food center, filed the case in court on June 26 seeking 450,000 baht ($14,572) in damage compensation, plus a 7.5 percent interest per annum, for which he held the US government accountable, reports Xinhua news agency.

He said his cafe had closed and lost considerable incomes during the last three months due to lockdown measures against the pandemic in the province.

Thailand has imposed anti-pandemic measures under a health emergency rule nationwide.

The country has so far reported 3,173 COVID-19 cases, with 58 deaths.

ZEE5 announces TikTok rival HiPi for Indian users

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ZEE5 announces TikTok rival HiPi for Indian users

Entertainment app ZEE5 on Wednesday announced a short video-sharing platform HiPi in a bid to take on TikTok which is among the 59 Chinese apps banned by India in view of security risk.

ZEE5 said it has partnered with over 300 creators initially to bring curated content on the platform which will be launched “within 30-60 days”.

“It is on beta right now. It will be live very shortly. It is undergoing user testing to refine the final nuances of how the application behaves. We are taking feedback from the close groups and making refinement to the product,” Rajneel Kumar, Business Head, Expansion projects and Head Products at ZEE5, told IANS.

HiPi will be first available for Android users before rolling out on iOS. The platform will be available within the ZEE5 which is “on a journey to build a super-app”.

ZEE5 already has original content, movies, fun kids content, Live TV and news, music, and games on the platform.

HiPi will be free for users as it will be an advertisement-driven platform, not subscription-based, Kumar said, adding that all data of users will be stored in the country.

“We have put a lot of emphasis on content moderation in order to build a safe environment,” he said.

The verified content creators on the platform will be able to share revenue on the basis of traction of their videos, he said.

HiPi will also have other social media features like the ability to “Follow” and “Like” content, Kumar said.

Trump again slams China over COVID-19 pandemic

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Trump again slams China over COVID-19 pandemic

US President Donald Trump has once again slammed China over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which America is struggling to contain amid a sudden surge in the number of new confirmed cases across several states.

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday night, Trump said: “As I watch the Pandemic spread its ugly face all across the world, including the tremendous damage it has done to the USA, I become more and more angry at China. People can see it, and I can feel it.”

Trump’s tweet came amid the escalated tension between Washington and Beijing since the last few months and also on the same day when China announced retaliation against the US after it announced revokation of Hong Kong’s special status, reports Efe news.

Washington revoked Hong Kong’s special status amid the threat of the dual-use technologies falling into the hands of the Chinese Army.

Moreover, less than two weeks ago, Trump signed a legislation favour of the Uyghur rights which seeks sanctions against the Chinese officials alleged of torturing the group and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang province.

These measures come amid the continuous tensions between the two countries due to trade dispute and coronavirus crisis, for which Trump blamed China and even renamed the virus as “Chinese Virus,” and “Kung Flu”.

As of Wednesday morning, The US accounted for the world’s highest number of infections and fatalities with 2,629,372 and 127,322, respectively, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

Furthermore, the pandemic has created economic strain on the country and its management.

According to surveys, the pandemic has reduced Trump’s re-election possibilities.

A poll published on June 26 indicated that Trump’s approval ratings were at their worst level (40 per cent) following protests against police brutality in the US and amid a surge in coronavirus infections in the country.

A record 58 per cent of voters disapprove of the job Trump’s doing at the White House, according to a new survey conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion together with the National Public Radio and PBS NewsHour.

Four killed, 17 injured in NLC India boiler blast in TN

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Four killed, 17 injured in NLC India boiler blast in TN

Four workers were killed and 17 others injured when a boiler in a thermal power unit (TPS II) of NLC India Ltd exploded on Wednesday, officials said.

The NLC India’s integrated mining-cum-power plant is located in Neyveli in the Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu.

The injured have been admitted to NLC India hospital.

It is the second major boiler blast in NLC India. In May, four persons were killed when a boiler in the TPS II exploded.

The company’s TPS II consists of seven units of 210 MW each.

The cause of the boiler blast is yet to be ascertained.

Tectonic disruption in the e-commerce and retail space: eBay India

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Tectonic disruption in the e-commerce and retail space: eBay India

In an interview with IANS, Vidmay Naini, Country Manager, eBay India said the unprecedented times have called for a tectonic disruption in the e-commerce and retail space.

The e-commerce industry has witnessed a huge spike in demand and order volumes. Consumers are seen ordering in things that they would usually buy from a physical store, for example, products in the grocery and personal care category, he added.

He added that consumers have also been making use of the lockdown to develop new hobbies hence an upward trend in demand for products in the Origami, home & gardening activities as well as cooking and baking essentials has been observed at eBay.

“The one thing that I have derived from all this is that online shopping is here to stay and the recent digital – adoption will be permanent. The convenience and safety offered by moving online will continue to be as important as it is today because consumers might still be paranoid about stepping out in crowded areas like malls”, he added.

eBay’s focus in India is to facilitate Cross Border Trade (CBT) for Indian sellers. “Our CBT business has been in operation for over a decade wherein we provide our platform(s) to help Indian sellers list and sell merchandise to over 174 million buyers who shop on various global platforms of eBay whether in the US, UK, Germany, Australia, etc”, he added.

“Currently, our focus is purely on B2C cross border business. We would not want to speculate the future or make any statement on plans for e-commerce within India”, Naini said.

Given the current situation and the suppression in the economic activity, MSMEs are trying to revive their businesses and get back up. More and more businesses are realizing the significance of expanding to global markets, he added.

Q: What is eBay India’s emphasis on cross border trade?

A: eBay’s focus in India is to facilitate Cross Border Trade (CBT) for Indian sellers. Our CBT business has been in operation for over a decade wherein we provide our platform(s) to help Indian sellers list and sell merchandise to over 174 million buyers who shop on various global platforms of eBay whether in the US, UK, Germany, Australia, etc.

Our efforts are largely focused on building the enablers for sellers on the platform like eBay’s global shipping (an aggregation of global logistics providers), expanding the business development teams across the country (to bring new sellers onboard). We are committed to fostering the culture of entrepreneurship in India and all Indian sellers, MSMEs, artisans & brands can fulfill their global aspirations with the help of the eBay platform as we offer true partnership & a dynamic marketplace with global reach.

I would also like to add that we believe our seller’s success is our success. We feel proud to support small business owners (SMBs, MSMEs & Artisans). In a nutshell, we not only provide a dynamic marketplace to sell to other countries but also, we provide all the support which is needed from our end to nurture and grow seller’s business at eBay.

Q: How many sellers from India are on the platform?

A: There is a diversity of sellers on eBay who wishes to take advantage of retail e-commerce export. We have a mix of small, medium, and large business selling globally today on our platform who have been able to turn their dreams into business successes. We have over 10,000 active Indian sellers- SMBs, artisans, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, & large enterprises who leverage the eBay platform to sell internationally. These sellers are everywhere – metros, non-metros, and smaller cities/towns.

Q: Will eBay look at e-commerce within India?

A: Currently, our focus is purely on B2C cross border business. We would not want to speculate the future or make any statement on plans for e-commerce within India. We are committed to enabling the B2C cross border business which is to my mind is a massive opportunity for Indian sellers. Also, all our energies and synergies are aimed towards building a robust system for Indian sellers to take local Indian products to global markets.

Q: How are MSMEs responding to global trade opportunities?

A: MSME contributes 30 percent of India’s GDP & close to half of the country’s total export. They are the backbone of the Indian economy; while they can tap new markets in-country, they have enormous potential for an enhanced CBT.

Given the current situation and the suppression in the economic activity, MSMEs are trying to revive their businesses and get back up. More and more businesses are realizing the significance of expanding to global markets. At eBay, we make sure that Indian sellers are cognizant of the opportunity and have the necessary insights to address the global demand.

Q: What are the changes expected in consumer behavior as digital gains traction?

A: The unprecedented times have called for a tectonic disruption in the e-commerce and retail space. Consumer behavior is consistently evolving. There is a significant shift in what the consumers shop for and how. The e-commerce industry has witnessed a huge spike in demand and order volumes. Consumers are seen ordering in things that they would usually buy from a physical store. For example, products in the grocery and personal care category.

Consumers have also been making use of the lockdown to develop new hobbies hence an upward trend in demand for products in the Origami, home & gardening activities as well as cooking and baking essentials has been observed at eBay. However, the category that saw a significantly high never-seen-before uptick was the WFH Essentials category. eBay sellers witnessed a surge in orders of -webcams, headsets, Wi-Fi adapters, office furniture, and speakers, etc.

The one thing that I have derived from all this is that online shopping is here to stay and the recent digital – adoption will be permanent. The convenience and safety offered by moving online will continue to be as important as it is today because consumers might still be paranoid about stepping out in crowded areas like malls. The current situation calls for a new order and a new normal. Hence, more and more efforts should be driven towards creating a congenial and user-friendly platform for better customer experience.

Bengal BJP chief allegedly attacked by Trinamool men

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Bengal BJP chief allegedly attacked by Trinamool men

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh was allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress-backed miscreants at Rajarhat-New Town located on the north-eastern fringes of Kolkata.

The incident took place when the state BJP president went there with his supporters to talk to people in the locality.

“I went there with some of my supporters to talk to people and had tea at Rajarhat market area. But Trinamool supporters stopped me on the way and heckled my party men. When my security personnel tried to stop them, the miscreants also heckled them. I have shifted to a new house in the area. Local Trinamool supporters must be having some serious problems with that. I don’t understand why,” Ghosh said.

He further alleged that some of his party members were beaten by Trinamool-backed goons. “They also vandalized some of our vehicles,” he said.

“My party colleagues will lodge a complaint with the local police. I will also inform the Kolkata Police commissioner about the incident,” Ghosh added.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress’ Lok Sabha leader Sudip Bandopadhyay said that it was a small incident. “Every day I hear about such allegations from the state BJP. But we don’t need to worry. It was a very small incident,” he said.

Senior Congress leader and the party’s Lok Sabha MP from Berhampore in Murshidabad Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury condemned the attack on the state BJP chief. “This is absolutely uncalled for. I condemn such attacks,” he said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said: “Such incidents of Trinamool-sponsored political hooliganism are happening everywhere in Bengal. The ruling formation here is attacking all their political opponents.”

How COVID-19 virus can infect human brain cells

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How COVID-19 virus can infect human brain cells

Researchers have found that organoids (tiny tissue cultures made from human cells that simulate whole organs) known as “mini-brains” can be infected by the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The results, published in the ALTEX: Alternatives to Animal Experimentation, suggest that the virus can infect the human brain cells.

“This study is another important step in our understanding of how infection leads to symptoms, and where we might tackle the Covid-19 disease with drug treatment,” said study lead author William Bishai from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US.

Early reports from Wuhan, China, the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, have suggested that 36 percent of patients with the disease show neurological symptoms, but it has been unclear whether or not the virus infects human brain cells.

In their study, the Johns Hopkins researchers demonstrated that certain human neurons express a receptor, ACE2, which is the same one that the novel coronavirus uses to enter the lungs.

Therefore, they surmised, ACE2 also might provide access to the brain.

When the researchers introduced coronavirus particles into a human mini-brain model, the team found evidence of infection by and replication of the pathogen.

According to the researchers, the human brain is well-shielded against many viruses, bacteria, and chemical agents by the blood-brain barrier, which in turn, often prevents infections of the brain.

“Whether or not the SARS-CoV-2 virus passes this barrier has yet to be shown. However, it is known that severe inflammations, such as those observed in Covid-19 patients, make the barrier disintegrate,” said study senior author Thomas Hartung from the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The impermeability of the blood-brain barrier also can present a problem for drug developers targeting the brain, the study said.

“The mini-brains — which model the growing human brain — contain the ACE2 receptor from their earliest stages of development,” the study authors wrote.

Therefore, the findings suggest that extra caution should be taken during pregnancy.

As of Wednesday morning, the overall number of global COVID-19 cases has increased to over 10.4 million, while the deaths have soared to more than 509,000.

The US accounted for the world’s highest number of infections and fatalities with 2,629,372 and 127,322, respectively, according to Johns Hopkins University.

India records 5.85 lakh corona cases with 17,400 deaths

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India records 5.85 lakh corona cases with 17,400 deaths

India recorded a spike of 18,653 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 5,85,493, with the number of fatalities mounting to 17,400, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday.

A total of 3,47,978 people have recovered and discharged from hospitals. The recovery rate is 59.07 percent among the COVID-19 patients.

According to the Health Ministry data, 507 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the COVID-19 death toll to 17,400.

With a spike of 4,878 cases, Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state in the country. The state has a total of 1,74,761 cases, including 7,855 deaths.

Tamil Nadu is on the second spot with 90,167 confirmed cases, of which, 1,201 people have died, 50,074 have recovered and 38,892 are active.

Delhi with a total of 87,360 cases, including 2,742 deaths and 58,348 recoveries.

States with more than 10,000 cases include Gujarat with 32,557 cases and 1,846 deaths, Uttar Pradesh (23,492), Rajasthan (18,014), Madhya Pradesh (13,593), West Bengal (18,559), Haryana (14,548), Karnataka (15,242), Andhra Pradesh (14,595) and Telangana (16,339) cases.

The number of diagnostic labs is continuously increasing. India now has 1,049 diagnostic labs dedicated to COVID-19. These include 761 labs in the government sector and 288 private labs.

The overall number of global COVID-19 cases has increased to over 10.4 million, while the deaths have soared to more than 509,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Wednesday morning, the total number of cases globally increased to 10,434,835, while the fatalities stood at 509,779, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

Google Search brings AR dinosaurs to living room

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Google Search brings AR dinosaurs to living room

Google Search is allowing users to bring 10 dinosaurs from the franchise film, Jurassic World, with the help of augmented reality (AR).

The search engine giant has partnered with Universal Brand Development, Amblin Entertainment, and Ludia to bring the dinosaurs to Google Search, Archana Kannan, Group Product Manager, AR Experiences at Google said in a blog post on Tuesday.

“Jurassic World” dinosaurs that are viewable in AR include Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Pteranodon, and Parasaurolophus.

Here’s how to access the feature.

On Android, search for “dinosaur” or one of the 10 dinosaurs on the Google app or any Android browser and tap “View in 3D.” You can see 3D content on devices running with Android 7 and above and you can see AR content on ARCore-enabled devices.

One can easily explore all dinosaurs using the carousel format.

On iOS, search for “dinosaur” or one of the 10 dinosaurs on the Google app or on Google.com with Chrome or Safari.

Google said that the 3D and AR content is available on devices running iOS 11 and above.

“You can also create AR videos –or recreate your favorite scenes from the “Jurassic World” movies — with the recording option,” Kannan said.

Rahul assures nurses to raise compensation issue before govt

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Rahul assures nurses to raise compensation issue before govt

Former Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday assured the nurses working as the frontline fighters against the COVID-19 pandemic that he will take up their issues with the government. He told them that he will write on their behalf to the government to compensate the families of the nurses who died while performing their duties.

As part of the series of interactions, Rahul Gandhi held a conversation with nurses on the Doctor’s day.

While interacting with the former Congress Chief, Vipin Krishnan, a nurse working at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, who along with his wife, has been infected with corona, informed him that two nurses in the national capital died due to COVID pandemic. “Rahul ji I would like to bring something to your attention. Two nurses have died in Delhi, they were from South India. However, they are yet to receive the compensation of Rs one crore announced by the Delhi government,” Krishnan told the Congress MP from Kerala’s Wayanad. Krishnan further said that the government should do something for them. “I want to bring this to your notice since you are the opposition leader,” he said.

Responding to the AIIMS staff, Rahul Gandhi said, “I’ll write a letter and see if we can expedite that.” Krishnan to a question of the Rahul Gandhi over the condition of the medical facilities in Delhi and India said, “I would like to highlight some statistics. We have 1.2 million registered allopathic doctors in India. We have around 3.7 million registered nurses in India. When we are coming to the ratio, it is 1:1500 for doctors and 1.7:1000 nurses in India. The WHO recommended ratio is 1:1000 doctors and 3:1000 nurses when coming to the recommendations of the WHO.

“Running short in the scenario of human resources, but still we are fighting hard. But in our country, the scenario is entirely different. There is a sea of difference between government hospitals and private hospitals in India,” Krishnan said.

To this, Rahul Gandhi asked Krishnan, what difference does he see. Krishnan said, “When we look into the private sector, there is a lot of discrimination. Private nurses are saying that their salaries are being cut. How will they care for their families during this pandemic? In such a situation, I think the government must help them and pay their entire salaries.”

Rahul Gandhi also asked about testing not being allowed in many hospitals in Delhi to which the AIIMS nurse said, “This is indeed a sad state of affairs. I want to inform you about some statistics. On May 27, the infection rate in Delhi was 13.7 percent we were doing 7,000 tests per day. By June 12-13, our infection rate had crossed 30 percent and we are doing under 5,000 tests per day.

“This is surprising given that our deaths and infection rates are increasing, but we have reduced testing. I don’t understand what is happening,” Krishnan said.

The Congress leader then said that a doctor from a private hospital had told him that it becomes impossible for them to work if they cannot test Covid-19 patients.

Slamming the government, Rahul Gandhi said, “I think a little bit is that the governments are trying to manage the perception, they are trying to give a sense that the problem is not as bad as it is.

“But I believe that we have to face the problem, so we should accept the problem, define the problem accurately, and then fight the problem. I don’t know how you react to that,” he said. To this, the AIIMS staffer said, “You are absolutely correct. We have a pandemic situation and AIIMS Director (Randeep Guleria) has said that we will peak in June-mid July.

“Even the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has stated that they are expecting 5.5 lakh cases. We are having 10,000 beds in Delhi. Can you imagine the depth of the situation where 5.5 lakh people are coming, of course, they won’t come at the same time, but average one lakh patients a day. I can’t imagine the depth of the situation. What will he do?” Krishnan questioned.

In earlier interactions, Rahul Gandhi had conversations with former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Nobel Laureate Abhijeet Banerji, epidemiologist Johan Geseicke and industrialist Rajiv Bajaj.

Carlyle to acquire 25% stake in Airtel’s Nxtra for $235 mn

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Carlyle to acquire 25% stake in Airtel’s Nxtra for $235 mn

The Carlyle Group will acquire around 25 percent stake in Airtel’s data center business ‘Nxtra’ for $235 million.

The post-money enterprise valuation of Nxtra is around $1.2 billion and Carlyle will hold a stake of approximately 25 percent in the business upon completion of the transaction, with Airtel continuing to hold the remaining stake of around 75 percent, Airtel said in a statement.

“Bharti Airtel and Comfort Investments II, an affiliated entity of CAP V Mauritius Limited, an investment fund managed and advised by affiliated entities of The Carlyle Group today announced an agreement under which Comfort Investments II will invest $235 million in Nxtra Data Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Airtel engaged in the data center business,” it said.

The transaction is subject to the necessary regulatory approvals, including approval from the Competition Commission of India.

Headquartered in New Delhi, Nxtra from Airtel offers secure data center services to leading Indian and global enterprises, hyperscalers, start-ups, SMEs, and governments.

Nxtra’s nation-wide portfolio of 10 large data centers and more than 120 edge data centers provide customers with co-location services, cloud infrastructure, managed hosting, data backup, disaster recovery, and remote infrastructure management.

Extra is building multiple large data centers across the country to capture the significant growth opportunities in India. Last year, the Company commissioned a state of the art datacenter in Pune and is building more across Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Extra will use the proceeds from this transaction to continue scaling up its infrastructure and offerings across the country.

Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel, commented: “At Airtel, we have built a robust data center portfolio that is future-ready and scalable. For us, the security and data privacy requirements of our customers are our top priorities, which we have established as a key differentiator for our data center offerings.”

He added that rapid digitization has opened up a massive growth opportunity for data centers in India and we plan to accelerate our investments to become a major player in this segment.

“We are delighted to have Carlyle as a strategic partner in this exciting journey, particularly given their experience in this industry, and look forward to working with them,” Vittal added.

Neeraj Bharadwaj, Managing Director of the Carlyle Asia Partners advisory team, commented: “India is set to become one of the largest markets in the world for digital services. Airtel, with its proven track record of solid execution and customer focus, is well-positioned to leverage the potential growth of data centers in India. We look forward to collaborating with Airtel to unlock the full potential of Extra.”

Jameela Jamil: Lockdown made me less ignorant

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Jameela Jamil: Lockdown made me less ignorant

Actress Jameela Jamil feels the COVID-19 lockdown has helped her become a less ignorant person.

In an interview with Grazia magazine, Jameela spoke about how the ongoing pandemic changed her perspective about life, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“For the last couple of years, I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to learn and I think that contributed to a lot of the mistakes I’ve made. This has given me space to really investigate, learn, read, and educate myself. I was so busy (before), I didn’t have time to really know what I was talking about all the time and I feel very grateful for this pause in being able to, hopefully, become a less problematic, less ignorant person,” Jameela said.

She added: “I think I’ll come out of this a more calm, thoughtful, and careful person, more aware of the damage of having a 280-character Twitter word count. Now I have the podcast and YouTube channel. I don’t have to compact all of my thoughts and that’s amazing. Now I have time and space for nuance and context.”

Pak death row convict released after 21 years

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Pak death row convict released after 21 years

A Pakistani man, who spent the last 21 years on death row for a crime he was convicted of committing when he was a juvenile, has been released, according to a non-profit.

According to the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), the non-profit, human rights law firm, Muhammad Iqbal was only 17 years old in 1998 when he was arrested and consequently sentenced to death a year later, Dawn news reported on Wednesday.

In 2000, Pakistan passed the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance (JJSO), making it illegal for juveniles to be handed the death sentence.

A presidential notification of 2001 subsequently provided remission to all juveniles sentenced prior to the ordinance.

However, Iqbal continued to languish on death row despite his proven juvenility, the JPP said in a statement on Tuesday.

A letter, it added, was written by the Punjab government to the Lahore High Court in 2003, listing Iqbal as one of the prisoners entitled to remission.

Several human rights groups and US special rapporteurs sent a letter to the Pakistani government in March seeking leniency, asking that Iqbal’s death sentence be commuted. The letter stated that he was charged with murder and robbery when he was just 17m Dawn news quoted the non-profit as saying.

“Two decades later, the Lahore High Court had finally acknowledged that Iqbal was wronged and did not deserve to be on death row,” it said.

His death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in February 2020 and Iqbal was released from jail on Tuesday after it was established that he has already served a life term.

Mexican flag carrier files for bankruptcy

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Mexican flag carrier files for bankruptcy

Mexican flag carrier, Aeromexico announced that it has filed for bankruptcy in the UnS due to the financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have initiated a voluntary procedure to implement financial restructuring under the Chapter 11 process in the US,” Xinhua news agency quoted the airline, one of the largest in Latin America, as saying in a statement on Tuesday.

“The legal process will not disrupt the airline’s operations,” it said.

Chapter 11 is a form of bankruptcy in which the carrier can maintain operation while reorganizing its business affairs, debts, and assets.

Citing economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer Andres Conesa said that “our industry faces unprecedented challenges due to significant declines in demand for air transportation globally”.

The Mexican carrier is the latest Latin American airline to seek reorganization amid the pandemic.

The region’s two other largest airlines — Santiago-based LATAM Airlines and Colombia’s Avianca — also filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in the US in May.

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