Sunday, 31 July 2022
The opportunity for us is putting speech enhancement functionalities into consumer devices: Sonova GVP Martin Grieder
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Vikrant Rona box office collection Day 2: Kiccha Sudeep’s film crosses Rs 50 crore worldwide
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As Latin America Shifts Left, Leaders Face a Short Honeymoon
By BY JULIE TURKEWITZ, MITRA TAJ AND JOHN BARTLETT from NYT World https://ift.tt/qGdmaWi
Behind BJP scramble to debunk Koshyari, fears of Marathi manoos backlash, Uddhav Sena rise
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‘Unfortunately, the Packet Got Caught in the Branch of a Tree’
By Unknown Author from NYT New York https://ift.tt/bX6iB93
Saturday, 30 July 2022
Happy with my performance, keeping things simple helped: Arshdeep Singh
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En defensa del tacto como herramienta de aprendizaje amoroso
By BY SAHAR JAHANI from NYT en Español https://ift.tt/yw8jeiR
Pune: Student dies of suspected cardiac arrest on college trip to Raireshwar Fort
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Hathras: Boy locked in classroom for 2 hours, 10 teachers suspended
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Friday, 29 July 2022
‘Purple Hearts’ Review: A Marriage of Convenience
By BY CLAIRE SHAFFER from NYT Movies https://ift.tt/sBivJbu
Watch: ‘Pragyan aaj kal commentary karne laga kya?’— Rohit Sharma reacts when asked about Ojha’s comment on friendship with Shikhar Dhawan
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Korean group grooves to ‘Ghagra’ song, leaves netizens stunned
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Thursday, 28 July 2022
Domestic opposition to Putin invites jail, dividing activists over the wisdom of staying put to fight.
By BY VALERIE HOPKINS from NYT World https://ift.tt/RmaTtqx
Bengaluru traffic police, Google partner to reduce city’s traffic congestion
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Britain’s Power Grid Warns of a Tight Energy Supply This Winter
By BY ALEX TRAUB from NYT World https://ift.tt/Q9CmYj3
iPhone 14 is coming, and you’d better start saving for Apple’s 2022 lineup
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Stephen Colbert Thinks a New Trump Investigation Has Potential
By BY TRISH BENDIX from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/4livTVW
Wednesday, 27 July 2022
Parliament Monsoon Session: 24 MPs suspended for unruly behaviour as Oppn continues protests in both Houses
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IND vs WI 3rd ODI Live Streaming: When and where to watch India vs West Indies live online
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Rajasthan minister Rajendra Singh Gudha: ‘Gehlot did not fulfil promises made to 6 BSP MLAs who merged with Congress…there is anger and insecurity among us’
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Tuesday, 26 July 2022
Biden’s Drug Czar Is Leading the Charge for a ‘Harm Reduction’ Approach
By BY NOAH WEILAND from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/Igd8O1w
Is Recession Staring Us Down? Already Upon Us? Here’s Why It’s Hard to Say.
By BY BEN CASSELMAN from NYT Business https://ift.tt/yjtF6Jc
Zelensky accuses Moscow of waging ‘gas war’ as Europe’s energy ministers gather in Brussels.
By BY MATINA STEVIS-GRIDNEFF from NYT World https://ift.tt/yUnBVi2
Seth Meyers Mocks Trump for His Imaginary Friends
By BY TRISH BENDIX from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/u94kbBR
Alia Bhatt wraps up Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, see video
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Monday, 25 July 2022
Ukrainian medical workers have paid a steep toll in the war, the Health Ministry says.
By BY CARLY OLSON from NYT World https://ift.tt/MaQzoj6
Chennai This Week: Soulful melodies, a farmers’ fest and some laughter to wind up July
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All you need to know about Commonwealth Games 2022: Indian contingent, schedule, timings, etc.
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Myanmar Military Executes Four Pro-Democracy Activists
By BY RICHARD C. PADDOCK from NYT World https://ift.tt/6Cfw5ep
‘On the pink side of life’: Neetu Kapoor showcases her evergreen style in these pictures
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Covid and Monkeypox: Where New York City Stands
By BY JAMES BARRON from NYT New York https://ift.tt/YwoaclM
Sunday, 24 July 2022
315 kids, adults shelter at school to escape Haiti gang war
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Conceptual Covers That Push the Conversation
By BY LIBBY PETERSON from NYT Times Insider https://ift.tt/9duGeUY
WhatsApp could soon display past participants of group chats after they leave
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BTS’ V, Park Seo-joon attend star-studded party, Lee Min-ho joins. See photos, videos
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Saturday, 23 July 2022
Luxury Rental Buildings Take ‘Working From Home’ to the Next Level
By BY GREGORY SCHMIDT from NYT Real Estate https://ift.tt/ohj3uBa
Mohammed Siraj and other India bowlers’ confidence will increase after successful defence in tight finish, says Yuzvendra Chahal
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Friday, 22 July 2022
Janhvi Kapoor has playdate with Navya Naveil Nanda and Agastya Nanda in dad Boney Kapoor’s adorable throwback photo. See here
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On Twitter, The Times Dips a Toe Into Live Audio
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Tamil Nadu: Exquisite 19th century stolen painting of Maharaja Serfoji II traced to US museum
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Delhi Crime Season 2 teaser: Shefali Shah’s Vartika Singh says ‘crimes kam hi nahi hote’
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Thursday, 21 July 2022
First commercial flight from Delhi to Deoghar on July 30, MPs Manoj Tiwari, Ravi Kishan on board
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Petrol Diesel Price Today: Check fuel rates in your city
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Pasmanda Muslims want ‘sammaan’, not ‘sneh’, says former MP Ali Anwar Ansari in open letter to PM
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Elderly woman calls daughter ‘in hysterics’ after finding human skull, bones in her garden
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This clip of news host telling meteorologist to be ‘happy’ about heatwave reminds netizens of ‘Don’t Look Up’
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Novak Djokovic likely to miss US Open owing to the government’s vaccination mandate
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Sonia Gandhi appears for ED questioning; Congress says govt considers Oppn as enemies
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Russia restarts gas shipments through key pipeline to Germany.
By BY MELISSA EDDY from NYT World https://ift.tt/hq08KNv
Wednesday, 20 July 2022
CWG-bound sprinter Dhanalakshmi and triple jumper Aishwarya Babu fail dope test
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Delhi HC to hear pleas challenging Agnipath scheme on Aug 25
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Sea Turtles Found Stabbed in Japan, but Charges Are Unlikely
By BY HIKARI HIDA AND TIFFANY MAY from NYT World https://ift.tt/981TuWg
Goa govt firm on starting app-based cab services: Minister
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Tuesday, 19 July 2022
Amitabh Bachchan stumped as 5-year-old asks him why he’s working at 80: ‘Go home and chill’
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After hike, Karnataka Milk Federation reduces curd, lassi, buttermilk prices
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Pune sees spike in dengue fever, 50 cases confirmed in two weeks
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‘Kesariya’ draws comparisons to ‘Laree Chootee’ and folk song ‘Charkha’: Fans ask Pritam to ‘put more effort into plagiarism’
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Koffee with Karan ep 3 teaser: Samantha Ruth Prabhu cuts Karan Johar off as he addresses her marriage, Akshay Kumar calls her ‘my jodidaar’
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BJP firm on pre-poll alliance with NDPP for Nagaland polls: Along Kohima
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What is ‘Turkey teeth’, the latest trend dentists are warning against?
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It Looks Awkward, but This Fish Has a Secret Glow
By BY ANNIE ROTH from NYT Science https://ift.tt/I8DHv2x
Monday, 18 July 2022
Surbhi Tiwari on domestic violence case against husband: ‘They wanted me to join politics’
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For Monkeypox Patients, Excruciating Symptoms and a Struggle for Care
By BY SHARON OTTERMAN from NYT New York https://ift.tt/ucWgEIm
Mani Ratnam, Vikram slapped with legal notice over Aditya Karikalan’s look in Ponniyin Selvan
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Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin discharged from hospital, votes in Presidential poll
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Sunday, 17 July 2022
‘The Driver Spent the 20-Minute Trip Telling Me Why I Shouldn’t Be Sad’
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Expelled Delhi BJP spokesperson Naveen Jindal claims attack on security vehicle outside house, police call it an accident
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KKK 12 host Rohit Shetty signs off from Cape Town, is back to India. Cirkus star Ranveer Singh calls him ‘stud’
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Spartak Moscow, who pleaded Messi to join reject Ronaldo, post spoof Instagram chat screenshot
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Saturday, 16 July 2022
Indian-American Naureen Hassan named President of UBS Americas and CEO of UBS Americas Holding
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Biden wanted to isolate Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler. It didn’t work.
By BY BEN HUBBARD from NYT World https://ift.tt/n0eTOJR
Ex-Sri Lankan PM Gotabaya Rajapaksa defends himself, says served motherland to best of his ability
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Topping Biden’s agenda in summit with Arab leaders: Iran and oil.
By BY BEN HUBBARD from NYT World https://ift.tt/8MzCQyD
Friday, 15 July 2022
Gotabaya Rajapaksa; A ‘war hero’ detested by his admirers over Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, once considered a “war hero” by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority for crushing the LTTE and ending the nearly 30-year civil war, is now detested by the same people who dramatically stormed his official residence over Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis following which he fled the country in the middle of the night.
The 73-year-old politician and younger brother of former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a former military officer who attended the counter-insurgency and jungle warfare school in Assam in 1980. He was the first person with a military background to be elected as Sri Lanka’s President in 2019 with a huge mandate.
His resignation comes days after thousands of protesters stormed his official residence, blaming him for the island nation’s unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948.
The economic crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.
Under mounting pressure, President Rajapaksa first dropped his older brother Chamal and the eldest nephew Namal from the Cabinet in mid-April. Later, Prime Minister Mahinda also resigned after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, triggering violence against the Rajapaksa family loyalists in many parts of the country.
President Rajapaksa tried to tackle the crisis for a few weeks along with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe before he was forced to flee his official residence in the face of massive protests over the economic crisis that has brought Sri Lanka to its knees.
From an undisclosed location, President Rajapaksa informed Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena about his decision to step down late Saturday night.
He, however, fled to the Maldives without resigning from his office. From Maldives, he went to Singapore which “allowed” him to enter into the city-state on a “private visit”.
President Rajapaksa sent his resignation letter to the Speaker after reaching Singapore.
Rajapaksa, who served as the defence secretary during his elder brother Mahinda’s tenure as president from 2005 to 2014, was voted to presidency by Sri Lankans who became worried about Islamic extremism in the Buddhist-majority country following the Easter bombings on April 21, 2019 that killed more than 250 people.
Though dubbed as the “war hero”, the role of Rajapaksa in ending the conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) with the death of its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran in 2009 is quite divisive as he stands accused of violating human rights, a charge he vehemently denies.
Rajapaksa took oath as president at the sacred Buddhist temple Ruwanwelisaya in Anuradhapura – an ancient temple built by Sinhalese King Dutugemenu who is best known for defeating an invading Tamil king.
His swearing-in ceremony indicated the president’s leaning towards Sinhalese Buddhist dominance in the island where Hindus and Muslims together constitute approximately 20 per cent of the total population.
Rajapaksa is accused of overseeing torturing and indiscriminate killings of both civilians and combatants, and later of political assassinations.
He and his brother Mahinda are also accused of condoning sexual violence and extrajudicial killings allegedly by Lankan security forces during the war.
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‘Going the right way’ – Dominic Thiem says he is ‘definitely back’ after reaching Bastad QF
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Your credit score can get you cheaper home loans – Check latest interest rates
A credit score is one of the most important factors of your financial profile taken into consideration by lenders when you apply for any loan. It reflects the current status of your financial health and helps the bank assess your repayment capacity. The score is calculated based on your past payments, credit history, and current and old credit accounts.
While applying for a home loan, your credit score is the one thing the lender will check to assess the risk of lending to you. Basis your credit score, the interest rate is also decided. The lender will likely charge you a higher interest rate if you have a low credit score.
A credit score falls between 300 and 900, and most lenders prefer a credit score of 750 and above as a good profile to lend. If you want a home loan easily, your credit score should be closer to 900. Banks and other financial institutions prefer to give home loans to borrowers with a high credit score as they have a lesser probability of defaulting.
A higher credit score will put you in the driver’s seat to negotiate and get a lower interest rate when you apply for a home loan. However, many lenders offer preferential lending rates for prospective borrowers with good credit scores.
Also Read: Rental homes in top 6 cities getting rented out within 6 hours of being listed
The interest rate on a home loan may vary from one institution to another, but if you have a high credit score, you can easily get a good deal. If you have a credit score of 750 and above, banks or other financial institutions might offer you home loans at a competitive interest rate.
If you pay your debts on time, keep your credit exposure low, avoid multiple credit inquiries and pay all your loans and credit card bills on time, your credit score is most likely to be on the higher side. Even if your credit score is low, you can take certain measures to improve it.
Check your credit report once every month. It is easy to check your credit score online on portals like Bankbazaar.com. If any, spot errors and report them to the credit bureaus and ask them to rectify them, if needed. Also, make sure you spend as per your repayment capacity and avoid delaying or defaulting on your debts to any financial institution.
Also Read: You can easily keep tabs on your home loan – Here’s how
Besides, you must also compare the interest rates of different financial institutions when you take a home loan. You can also go through the loan terms and conditions related to repayment, delay charges, tenure, etc.
The table below will help you compare the interest rates based on different credit scores. The banks offer a lower rate of interest based on higher or lower credit scores. You can compare and make a decision based on your requirements related to home loans.
Compiled by Bankbazaar.com
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After a sunny sojourn in Israel, Biden turns to the West Bank.
By BY PATRICK KINGSLEY from NYT World https://ift.tt/TQELhjy
Thursday, 14 July 2022
On Day 2 of his Mideast trip, thorny issues await Biden.
By BY PATRICK KINGSLEY from NYT World https://ift.tt/ODYGZei
Pete Davidson’s latest tattoo is a sweet tribute to ‘first kiss’ with Kim Kardashian
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Masks could return to Los Angeles as COVID surges nationwide
Nick Barragan is used to wearing a mask because his job in the Los Angeles film industry has long required it, so he won’t be fazed if the nation’s most populous county reinstates rules requiring face coverings because of another spike in coronavirus cases across the country. “I feel fine about it because I’ve worn one pretty much constantly for the last few years. It’s become a habit,” said Barragan, masked up while out running errands on Wednesday.
Los Angeles County, home to 10 million residents, is facing a return to a broad indoor mask mandate later this month if current trends in hospital admissions continue, county health Director Barbara Ferrer said this week. Nationwide, the latest COVID-19 surge is driven by the highly transmissible BA.5 variant, which now accounts for 65 per cent of cases with its cousin BA.4 contributing another 16 per cent.
The variants have shown a remarkable ability to get around the protection offered by vaccination.With the new omicron variants again pushing hospitalisations and deaths higher in recent weeks, states and cities are rethinking their responses and the White House is stepping up efforts to alert the public.Some experts said the warnings are too little, too late.
“It’s well past the time when the warning could have been put out there,” said Dr. Eric Topol, head of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, who has has called BA.5 “the worst variant yet”.Global trends for the two mutants have been apparent for weeks, experts said — they quickly out-compete older variants and push cases higher wherever they appear.
Yet Americans have tossed off their masks and jumped back into travel and social gatherings. And they have largely ignored booster shots, which protect against COVID-19’s worst outcomes. Courts have blocked federal mask and vaccine mandates, tying the hands of US officials.“We learn a lot from how the virus is acting elsewhere and we should apply the knowledge here,” said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha appeared on morning TV on Wednesday urging booster shots and renewed vigilance.Yet Mokdad said federal health officials need to be push harder on masks indoors, early detection and prompt antiviral treatment. “They are not doing all that they can,” Mokdad said.
The administration’s challenge, in the view of the White House, is not their messaging, but people’s willingness to hear it — due to pandemic fatigue and the politicisation of the virus response.For months, the White House has encouraged Americans to make use of free or cheap at-home rapid tests to detect the virus, as well as the free and effective antiviral treatment Paxlovid that protects against serious illness and death.
On Tuesday, the White House response team called on all adults 50 and older to urgently get a booster if they haven’t yet this year — and dissuaded people from waiting for the next generation of shots expected in the fall when they can roll up their sleeves and get some protection now.Requiring masks again “helps us to reduce risk,” Ferrer told Los Angeles County supervisors. She is expected to discuss details of the potential new county mandate during a public health briefing on Thursday afternoon.
“I do recognise that when we return to universal indoor masking to reduce high spread, for many this will feel like a step backwards,” Ferrer said on Tuesday. For most of the pandemic, Los Angeles County has required masks in some indoor spaces, including health care facilities, Metro trains and buses, airports, jails and homeless shelters.
The new mandate would expand the requirement to all indoor public spaces, including shared offices, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, retail stores, restaurants and bars, theatres and schools.It’s unclear what enforcement might look like. Under past mandates, officials favored educating people over issuing citations and fines.
Sharon Fayette ripped off her mask the moment she stepped out of a Lyft ride in Los Angeles on Wednesday and groaned when informed another universal mask requirement might be coming. “Oh man, when will it end?” she wondered about the pandemic.Fayette said she was exhausted by shifting regulations and dubious another mandate would be followed by most residents. “I just think people are over it, over all the rules,” she said.
Barragan said he learned a harsh lesson about the effectiveness of masks when he went without a face covering at a film industry mixer last month in Los Angeles.“I thought it would be fine because we were all outdoors,” said Barragan, 35. A few days later he started feeling sick and, sure enough, tested positive.He’d avoided catching the virus for more than two years because he was religious about masking up. “The one time I took it off, I caught it!” he laughed.
The nation’s brief lull in COVID deaths has reversed. Last month, daily deaths were falling, though they never matched last year’s low, and deaths are now heading up again.
The seven-day average for daily deaths in the US rose 26 per cnt over the past two weeks to 489 on July 12.The coronavirus is not killing nearly as many as it was last fall and winter, and experts do not expect death to reach those levels again soon. But hundreds of daily deaths for a summertime respiratory illness would normally be jaw-dropping, said Andrew Noymer, a public health professor at the University of California, Irvine.He noted that in Orange County, California, 46 people died of COVID-19 in June.“That would be all hands on deck,” Noymer said. “People would be like, There’s this crazy new flu that’s killing people in June.’” Instead, simple, proven precautions are not being taken. Vaccinations, including booster shots for those eligible, lower the risk of hospitalisation and death — even against the latest variants.But less than half of all eligible US adults have gotten a single booster shot, and only about one in four Americans age 50 and older who are eligible for a second booster have received one.
“This has been a botched booster campaign,” Topol said, noting that the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention still uses the term “fully vaccinated” for people with two shots of Moderna or Pfizer.“They haven’t gotten across that two shots is totally inadequate,” he said.Noymer said if he were in charge of the nation’s COVID response he would level with the American people in an effort to get their attention in this third year of the pandemic.He would tell Americans to take it seriously, mask indoors and “until we get better vaccines, there’s going to be a new normal of a disease that kills over 100,000 Americans a year and impacts life expectancy”. That message probably wouldn’t fly for political reasons, Noymer acknowledged.
It also might not fly with people who are tired of taking precautions after more than two years of the pandemic. Valerie Walker of New Hope, Pennsylvania, is mindful of the latest surge but is hardly alarmed.“I was definitely concerned back then,” she said of the pandemic’s early days, with images of body bags on nightly news broadcasts.
“Now there’s fatigue, things were getting better and there was a vaccine. So I would say from a scale between one and 10, I’m probably at a four.” Even with two friends now sick with the virus, and her husband recently recovered, Walker says she has bigger problems.“Sometimes when I think about it I still put a mask on when I go into a store, but honestly, it is not a daily thought for me,” she said.
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Vikram Garga appointed Group Head Marketing at Apollo Tyres
Leading tyre manufacturer Apollo Tyres has appointed Vikram Garga as Group Head, Marketing for the Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA) region. He would spearhead the regional marketing team and would be responsible for marketing and product strategy for all product categories, dealer programmes, brand positioning and monitoring performance in conjunction with sales.
Satish Sharma, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA), Apollo Tyres said, “Vikram joins us in a senior leadership role for the region, and given his strong track record of providing strategic and operational leadership in FMCG and Automotive Industry, he would be a key asset for us going forward.”
Prior to joining Apollo Tyres, Garga was the VP and Head of Strategy, Insights and Analytics, and Innovation at Mahindra & Mahindra – Automotive and Farm Equipment Business. Earlier he was the Head of Marketing for Passenger Vehicles and Pick-Ups; he was part of the re-launch of the iconic brand, Thar in 2020, where he led digital marketing transformation, as well as the new Mahindra SUV strategy. Garga has also spent a large part of his career with Castrol, where he has held roles such as VP, Sales for Industrial and Heavy Duty and Global Brand Director for the Commercial Vehicle category, amongst other country and global roles.
The company says Garga comes with a rich experience in developing and executing Sales and Marketing Strategy and delivering profitable growth across multiple consumer focused categories. He has led innovation in category creating, developed products, integrated marketing communications and activation programmes including go-to-market strategy at a global level. He has extensive experience in building global and local brands across their life stages. Garga comes with experience of working in multi-culture, multi-competitive environments across Australia, South-east Asia, China, Europe and American markets, managing global brands and implementing category strategy across B2C and B2B segments.
In his new role, Garga will be based out of Apollo Tyres’ corporate headquarters in Gurugram, India and will report to Satish Sharma, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA).
“I have witnessed the company’s impressive journey from close quarters in the past few years. I am looking forward to driving and innovating the marketing strategy for best business results and creating greater value for our customers and business partners across India and new growth markets of Asia, Middle East and Africa,” added Garga.
from | The Financial Express https://ift.tt/zYMsTSR
Delhi couple held at IGI Airport with 45 guns worth Rs 22.5 lakh
A married couple was arrested at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport here for allegedly trying to smuggle 45 hand guns into the country, customs officials said on Wednesday.
The officials who made the arrest said a ballistic report will confirm whether the guns are real or not.
“But in a preliminary report, the National Security Guard (NSG) has confirmed that the guns are fully functional,” an official said.
The accused, who arrived here from Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, had been placed under surveillance by the officials.
The husband and wife duo were accompanied by their infant daughter. The male passenger was carrying two trolley bags, which were handed to him by his elder brother who had arrived from Paris almost at the same time and day as the couple’s flight from Vietnam landed here, the customs department said in the statement.
The elder brother, after handing over the trolley bags, “slipped out of the airport,” it said.
The woman passenger too was an active part of this plan as she helped her husband remove and destroy the tags of both the trolley bags that contained the guns, the statement said.
“Further, examination of these two trolley bags carried by passenger -1 (male passenger) resulted in the recovery of 45 pieces of assorted brand guns having approximate value of Rs 22.5 lakh,” it said.
The two were arrested and their child was handed over to her grandmother, the statement said.
Both the passengers have also admitted their previous involvement in smuggling 25 pieces of assorted guns from Turkey with an approximate value of Rs 12.5 lakh,” it added.
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‘MLA kaun hai’: On camera, AAP lawmaker rebukes IPS officer for conducting searches ‘without informing her’
Aam Aadmi Party’s Ludhiana South MLA Rajinderpal Kaur Chhina on Wednesday pulled up an IPS officer in full public view for conducting searches on alleged anti-social elements in her constituency, without keeping her in the loop, reported The Indian Express. The search was conducted in Ludhiana’s Shimlapuri area by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) (Industrial Area B) Dr Jyoti Yadav as a part of the Punjab police’s ongoing drive to crack down on criminals across the state.
The MLA was further annoyed by the fact that her party counterpart from the adjacent Atam Nagar constituency, MLA Kulwant Singh Sandhu, was accompanying the police in the search operation, while she did not have any knowledge about it, according to IE. Chhina asked Yadav whether the ACP had the authority to lead search operations in her area.
“MLA kaun hai? (Who is the MLA),” Chhina is seen asking the top cop in the video, to which the ACP replies, “You are the MLA.”
Admonishing the officer in the presence of other officials and onlookers, Chhina was heard saying in Punjabi: “Mainu inform kita?” (Did you inform me?) After the ACP Yadav tried to explain that she was acting on the orders of the Ludhiana police commissioner, Chhina said, “Main tuhanu ki puch rahi haan… main jo puch rahi haan mainu ohda jawaab do..” (Just answer my question).”
While speaking to IE, the officer clarified that she was not required to inform the local MLA, and called out the MLA for behaving rudely with her. Reacting to the incident, ACP Yadav told IE, “Her behaviour with me wasn’t polite at all but I tried to maintain my calm. Being an IPS officer, I tried to maintain my dignity and replied politely. But respect is always mutual. We conducted the search operation on orders of the Commissioner of Police and we are not supposed to inform any politician before doing our duty. The inputs from elected representatives of people are always welcome but misbehaviour cannot be tolerated”.
However, Chhina, while defending her actions, told IE, “The MLA of some other constituency (Sidhu) was accompanying police in my area but I wasn’t informed. It was only after local shopkeepers complained that I got to know about it. It was not entirely the ACP’s fault, she was misguided. I only asked her for an answer.”
The other AAP MLA, Sidhu, backed the officer and said that her party colleague’s behaviour towards an officer on duty was “uncalled for.” Ludhiana Commissioner of Police Kaustubh Sharma told IE that officers are not obliged to inform any politician about their work.
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HDFC Bank, AU Small Finance among banking stocks to buy; analysts see up to 50% potential rally
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty 50 were trading with gains on the weekly futures & options expiry session on Thursday. S&P BSE Sensex rose more than 300 points to breach 53,800 while Nifty 50 regained 16,000. Domestic markets along with global markets have been trading volatile recently amid multiple headwinds including inflation, rising interest rates, and crude oil prices. Analysts have been suggesting sticking to stock-specific trade while headline indices remain stuck in a tug of war between bulls and bears. Bank Nifty was closing in on the 35,000 mark. Angel One has picked three banking stocks that investors can buy. These include HDFC Bank, Federal Bank, and AU Small Finance Bank.
HDFC Bank: BUY
Target price: Rs 1,700 per share
Upside: 25%
HDFC Bank is the largest private sector lender in the country with a loan book of Rs 13.68
lakh crore in Q4FY2022 and a deposit base of Rs 15.6 lakh crore. HDFC Bank share price is down 10% so far this year to now trade at Rs 1,360 per share. The target price set by Angel One translated to an upside of 25%.
Analysts said that while operating numbers of HDFC Bank were below expectations, the lender posted an improvement in asset quality as GNPA/ NNPA reduced by 9/5bps QoQ to 1.17% and 0.32% of advances. “Restructured advances at the end of the quarter stood at 1.14% of advances. Given best-in-class asset quality, and an expected rebound in retail credit growth we are positive on the bank given reasonable valuations at the 2.3xFY24-adjusted book, which is at a discount to historical averages,” they said.
AU Small Finance Bank: BUY
Target price: Rs 848
Upside: 50%
The bank is a small finance lender with a loan AUM of close to Rs 47,831 crore at the end of the January-March quarter. “It has a well-diversified geographical presence across India. AU has very high exposure to high margin retail business, which accounted for 80% of AUM at the end of FY2022,” Angel One said. So far this year, the stock has gained 4.6%, outperforming the benchmark indices. The stock now trades at Rs 565 per share, hinting at 50% upside to the target price.
“Reducing cost of funds will also help NIM expansion going forward. We believe that the worst is over for the bank and expect continued improvement in asset quality in FY2023, which should lead to a rerating,” the brokerage firm said.
Federal Bank: BUY
Target price: Rs 120
Upside: 22%
Federal Bank had advances total of Rs 1.45 lakh crore and deposits of Rs 1.81 lakh crore at the end of March 2022. In the previous quarter, Federal Bank posted a good set of numbers as NII/ advances increased by 7.4%/9.9% YoY. Provisioning for the quarter was down by 10% from the previous year because of which net profit was up by 13.1%. Shares of Federal Bank have zoomed 12.67% so far this year. The target price of Rs 120 suggests another 22% upside.
“Overall asset quality for the quarter improved in Q4FY22, which was in line with our expectations,” Angel One said. “We expect asset quality to improve further in FY2023 given normalization of the economy. We expect the Federal bank to post NII/PPOP/PAT CAGR of 24.9%/29.1%/42.7% between FY2022- 24 and remain positive on the bank,” they added.
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Wednesday, 13 July 2022
Meri Trustline to help children bring down intimate content, tackle cyberbullying: Meta
NGO Rati Foundation has started a helpline service “Meri Trustline” that will help children to bring down content from social media that they feel is intimate or private, social media giant Meta said on Tuesday. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has provided support to the NGO to launch helpline number 6363176363.
It will offer support to children who are in distress over online safety concerns such as cyberbullying and loss of control over sensitive media including self-generated child sexual abuse material. Children seeking help will be provided technical support through the helpline that will “include assistance in taking down content that the child feels is intimate/private.” It will provide them emotional support in the form of counselling, social support, informational support by providing factual and expert knowledge in the matter of their concern, legal support and referral support to connect victims with organisations across India, including law enforcement agencies, according to the statement.
“Online safety of children is a serious issue, and we are committed to build an environment where children feel safe across our platforms. With the launch of Meri Trustline, we are supporting the Rati Foundation to take a lead in this industry-first initiative that will enable reporting online threats to children across the industry,” Meta vice president and global head of safety Antigone Davis said.
Meri Trustline service is available in both Hindi and English to children and other stakeholders, including caregivers, parents/guardians, teachers, siblings, young-adults, and allies. “India’s youth are rapidly coming online and as per a Kantar report, 60 per cent of all internet users in India will be under 19 by 2025. The Rati Foundation aims to ensure that all young people in India have access to systems of safety as they explore the internet. We are extremely happy to have Meta’s support in Meri Trustline that will ensure greater online safety for children,” RATI Foundation co-founder and director Uma Subramanian said.
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Officials work to negotiate solution to free up Ukrainian grains.
By BY MATINA STEVIS-GRIDNEFF from NYT World https://ift.tt/JDo7l9q
Pune city receives over 100 mm rainfall in two days, more spells predicted today
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Delhi HC raps Centre over PMO’s one-page affidavit in PM Cares petition, demands detailed response in four weeks
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday took strong exception to the Centre filing a one-page reply to a petition demanding that the PM Cares Fund be declared as a ‘State’ under law. Observing that the PM Cares Fund is “an important issue”, the High Court asked the Centre to file a more detailed and thorough reply to the petition.
“You have filed a reply. One page reply to such an important issue. Nothing beyond that? There is not even a whisper of what the petitioner is arguing. The issue is not so simple. You file a reply. We want an extensive reply,” the bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad noted.
The High Court directed the authorities to file a comprehensive response within four weeks and listed the matter for hearing on September 16.
Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, representing the government, said that the arguments put forward by the petitioner are relevant to be decided. To this, the bench responded, stating that a detailed response needs to be filed and a verdict be passed dealing with the issue at hand. “Let an adequate reply be filed as this will definitely go to the apex court and we have to conclude and give a verdict and deal with the issue raised,” the court said.
In his petition filed in 2021, Samyak Gangwal had sought to declare the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM Cares Fund) a ‘State’ under Article 12 of the Indian Constitution. The petition also demanded to publish its audit reports on the PM Cares website from time to time. The High Court had earlier issued notice to the Centre on the petition.
In a brief reply to the petition filed last year, the Centre had argued that the Trust’s fund neither comes under the Consolidated Fund of India nor is it a Fund of the Government of India. ” Irrespective of whether the Trust is a ‘State’ or other authority under Article 12 of the Constitution of India or whether it is a ‘public authority’ within the meaning of section 2[h] of RTI Act, section 8 in general and that of provisions contained in sub section [e] and [j], in particular, is not permissible to disclose third party information.” Pradeep Kumar Srivastava, the Under Secretary at the PMO, said in his reply to the petition.
Asserting that the Centre has not even chosen a file to reply in case, the petitioner’s counsel Shyam Divan pointed out several mistakes in the PMO’s response, which Solicitor General Tushar Mehta dismissed as a typographical error. Chief Justice Sharma said, “I have seen it, and that is why a proper and thoroughgoing response is required.”
According to the petition submitted by Gangwal, the PM CARES Fund was established by the Prime Minister in March 2020 for the honourable goal of providing help to citizens following the COVID outbreak, and it was the recipient of significant donations.
However, the petition adds that a copy of the Trust Deed was made public by the PMCARES Fund in December 2020 on its website which states that it was not created by or under the Constitution of India, any law passed by the Parliament, or any State Legislature.
“It is questionable that a Fund, a) which has been established by the Prime Minister of India, (b) where Trustees are the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Home Minister and the Finance Minister of India, and (c) which has its office at Prime Minister’s Office South Block, New Delhi-110011 has been alleged to be a fund over which there is no Government Control,” the petition stated.
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45 Years Ago Tonight, a Blackout Struck New York City
By BY JAMES BARRON from NYT New York https://ift.tt/NUkIF8x
Tuesday, 12 July 2022
TS ECET 2022 exam postponed due to heavy rainfall; check details
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Gujarat High Court issues notice to government on introducing Bhagavad Gita in schools
The Gujarat High Court on Monday issued a notice to the state government on a petition challenging a resolution introducing the Bhagavad Gita in schools as a prayer programme and verse recitation among other activities. The high court, however, declined to stay the resolution and sought the state government’s reply by August 18.
A division bench of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Ashutosh Shastri issued the notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Jamiat Ulama-E-Hind (JUEH) challenging the education department’s resolution on introducing the Bhagavad Gita in schools as prayers and through activities like recitation of shlokas etc from this educational year.
The JUEH challenged the resolution on the grounds of Constitutional validity and claimed it was in contravention of the National Education Policy (NEP).
The bench also directed the petitioner’s counsel to serve a copy of the PIL on the Assistant Solicitor General as the Central government has also been made a respondent.
The Gujarat education minister announced the move to introduce the Gita in schools in Gujarat in March this year.
Appearing for JUEH, lawyer Mihir Joshi said values and principles of Indian culture and the system of knowledge can certainly be prescribed in the school curriculum, but “the question is whether it should be done by giving primacy to the values and principles of the holy book of only one religion.” The issue is whether one holy book can be prescribed in this manner, he argued.
“Indian culture comprises a vast array of what it comprises. The submission before the court is that there is no question of giving primacy to the religious book of one religion for stating that the values and principles as prescribed in that book alone shall be taught,” Joshi said.
He argued that the principles underlying the NEP to guide both the educational system at large and individual institutions are “ethics, human and constitutional values and pluralism, respect for diversity, pride in India’s rich and diverse ancient and modern culture and knowledge systems and traditions”.
Joshi further said that Articles 25 and 28 of the Constitution provide for the freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion, and directives that no religious instructions shall be provided in a state-run educational institution.
“The state education department’s resolution issued a directive to include Indian culture and Indian knowledge system from 2022-23 by including the value and principles of Srimad Bhagavad Gita in class 6-12 in such a matter that the children understand and take an interest,” Joshi said.
For classes 6-8, the Gita shall be introduced in educational subject textbooks in the form of stories, reading materials, etc.
In classes 9-12, the Gita shall be introduced in the first language textbooks in the form of stories, reading material etc. It shall have to be introduced in prayers. Various activities such as Gita-based shlok recitation, debates, elocution, dramas, drawings, etc. shall be organised, he said quoting the resolution.
“As far as the curriculum is concerned, the Right to Education (RTE) says that there is a statutory organisation which will frame it and recommend it to the state government,” he said.
Joshi sought a stay on the implementation of the resolution, arguing that the direction given to the Gujarat Council of Educational Research and Training (GCERT) to prepare a curriculum for the purpose is without jurisdiction and contrary to statutory provisions.
The HC, however, declined to grant the stay, saying it will not consider the prayer without an affidavit.
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ITR Filing FY 2021-22: Know last date, list of documents required to file your Income Tax Return
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Is crypto worth investing in 2022? Experts react
Crypto markets have disappointed investors and traders alike this year. Many crypto platforms come crashing down in 2022 while several top coin prices have touched new lows. Amid extreme volatility and rising inflation, it has become important for users to decide whether cryptos are worth investing in now or should retail investors look behind cryptocurrencies. However, experts’ views differ on these questions.
While some experts think crypto should not be considered as an asset for investment, some believe that crypto may still be considered to diversify one’s portfolio. But not without doing proper research.
“Investors should always keep diversification in mind when it comes to choosing assets. Crypto-assets aren’t bereft of volatility risk. Investors should assess their risk appetite and invest accordingly,” said Sharat Chandra, VP, Research and Strategy at blockchain-based identity management platform EarthID.
Gaurav Mehta, founder of crypto tax platform Catax, believes cryptos will stay but one should look at the real reasons behind the current disruption to make proper decisions
“Cryptocurrency is here to stay. To make the proper decisions and participant in ongoing changes of global financial fabric, we should not look beyond but rather beneath the current market disruption for right bets,” he said.
ALSO READ | Top 5 crypto news today
According to Ashish Singhal, Co-founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange CoinSwitch, the current crash should serve as a wake-up call for investors.
“For retailer investors, the recent developments should be a wake-up call to focus more on research and look at crypto as a part of a well-rounded portfolio and not a get rich quick scheme. The risk is clearly higher and one needs to factor that in while making investment decisions,” said Singhal.
Not a retail investment product
Meanwhile, a large number of investors and traders in India already seem to have lost interest in virtual digital assets following the announcement of flat 30% tax on income and 1% TDS on transfers.
ALSO READ | Have revolutionary ideas become the undoing of crypto?
Some experts believe that crypto is not still worth considering a retail investment product.
“Crypto is not – at least today – a retail investment product. Most retail investors have been brought in by classic pump and dump operators who have been seeking the greater fool,” said Utkarsh Sinha, Managing Director at Bexley Advisors, a boutique investment bank firm.
“If anything promises you overnight success, chances are it’s not sustainable, as the current crash has demonstrated. Retail investors must always remember that time-in-market consistently beats timing the market when it comes to making good returns,” he added.
(Cryptos and other virtual digital assets are unregulated in India. They are considered extremely risky for investment. Please consult your financial advisor before making any investment decision)
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Monday, 11 July 2022
India projected to surpass China as world’s most populous country during 2023
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Radhakishan Damani’s DMart stock jumps 4% on six-fold rise in Q1 profit; should you buy, sell, hold?
Radhakishan Damani’s Avenue Supermarts (DMart) share price jumped nearly 4 per cent to Rs 4,091.90 apiece on Monday, after the company reported nearly six-fold rise in Q1 profit. Avenue Supermarts posted a 490.30 per cent year-on-year rise in standalone net profit at Rs 680 crore for the June quarter compared with Rs 115 crore in the same quarter last year. Analysts say despite Avenue Supermarts best quarterly results ever where all Street estimates in terms of revenue, profit were beaten, the strong results have already been factored in the recent up trend. Analysts have mixed views on the stock after the company released its Q1FY23 earnings.
Edelweiss Research said that DMart reported standalone revenue growth of 95 per cent on-year. This was driven by close-to-nil covid-related disruption, back-to-school/college season and the onset of monsoon. Management highlighted QoQ improvement in traction in general merchandise & apparel (GM&A); however there is still some overhang of covid and inflation, and the traction still lags pre-covid, it said. The research firm has downgraded it to ‘hold’ on limited upside potential.
Motilal Oswal Financial Services has given ‘neutral’ rating to the stock with downside of 11 per cent at Rs 3,500 apiece. It noted that DMART’s strong growth footprint and cost optimization led to a healthy EBITDA/PAT CAGR of 19%/26%. But revenue per square feet remains under pressure due to the impact of inflation on the discretionary category and higher store sizes.
Prabhudas Lilladher has given ‘buy’ rating to the stock, as “it currently trades at 110x/85x our FY23E/FY24E earnings,” it said. The research firm noted that in spite of inflationary pressures, DMart witnessed positive volume growth in addition to value growth of discretionary products in relatively older stores.
Pavitraa Shetty, Co-founder & Trainer, Tips2Trades, told FinancialExpress.com that technically, levels close to 3580-3600 will be great for a buy from a medium to long term perspective. A daily close above resistance of 4100 should lead to 4500 in the coming weeks.
The stock recommendations in this story are by the respective research analysts and brokerage firms. Financial Express Online does not bear any responsibility for their investment advice. Capital markets investments are subject to rules and regulations. Please consult your investment advisor before investing.
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Inside the Amazon Journey That Left a Journalist and Activist Dead
By BY JACK NICAS AND VICTOR MORIYAMA from NYT World https://ift.tt/oXv4nK8