Budget 2018-19

  Airtel has to pay Rs 1,050 crore and Vodafone Idea Rs 2,000 crore, says report. The telecom department has asked Vodafone Idea and  Bharti Airtel  to pay within three weeks Rs 3,050 crore as penalties for allegedly breaking licence terms by denying Reliance Jio Infocomm their networks, the Economic Times reported Friday two weeks after the government announced a relief package for the industry. Airtel has to pay Rs 1,050 crore and Vodafone Idea Rs 2,000 crore for the alleged violation of norms on points of interconnection (PoIs) in 2016, said the newspaper. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had recommended fines in 2016; the telecom department accepted its recommendations in June 2019 but had not served the notices till now. Vodafone  and Idea merged in August 2018. The union cabinet on September 15 approved a relief package for its cash-strapped telecoms sector including a four-year moratorium on airwaves payments due to the government. The measures...

  The tenth Hurun India rich list has Mukesh Ambani topping it for the 10th year in a row with Rs 7.18 trillion wealth – only 9 per cent up over 2020 India produced 179 more super-rich people this year led by Adani Group’s  Gautam Adani  who amassed a whopping wealth of Rs 3.65 trillion or more than Rs 1,000 crore daily, and the number of such individuals has crossed the 1,000-mark. Geographically, five more cities are home to super-rich taking the total number of super-rich cities to 119 and these 1,007 individuals cumulatively added 51 per cent more wealth in 2021. The average wealth increased by 25 per cent this year that also saw the livelihoods of thousands of people being hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The tenth Hurun India rich list has  Mukesh Ambani  topping it for the 10th year in a row with Rs 7.18 trillion wealth — only 9 per cent up over 2020 — followed by the Adani family with Rs 5.05 trillion, up 261 per cent from Rs 1.40 trillion, making him al...

  Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while maintaining his stance on the issue, on Thursday said that the Citizenship Amendment Act will not be implemented in the state. Kerala Chief Minister  Pinarayi Vijayan , while maintaining his stance on the issue, on Thursday said that the Citizenship Amendment Act will not be implemented in the state. Addressing the public after a virtual inauguration ceremony, the CM said, “CAA will not be implemented in Kerala.” “This is the left government’s stand which we have made clear from the beginning,” he added. Vijayan further said that in our country, citizenship was never decided based on religion. “Belonging to one religion is not a criterion for citizenship here; people have a right to believe in any religion or live without believing in any religion,” he said. Slamming the BJP-led central government for CAA, the CM said, “Central government has brought in the  Citizenship Amendment Act  which can distinguish people on the...

  The nearest month any increase could occur is November since OPEC+’s last meeting decided the October volumes OPEC+ is considering going beyond its existing deal to boost production by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) when it meets next week, sources said, at a time when oil prices are near a three-year high and consumers are pressing for more supply. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries andallies led by Russia, known as  OPEC+ , meets on Monday to review output policy. In July, the group agreed to boost output by 400,000 bpd a month to phase out 5.8 million bpd in cuts. Four OPEC+ sources said producers were considering adding more than that deal envisaged, but none gave details on how much more, or when supply would increase. Another OPEC+ source suggested an increase of 800,000 bpd for one month was possible, with zero the next month. The nearest month any increase could occur is November since OPEC+’s last meeting decided the October volumes. “We cannot exc...

  Jewellers launch offers for festive season, when gold demand peaks in the country. Jewelers in India have started selling gold for a little over $1 online after the pandemic upended sales, forcing them to reassess traditional ways of doing business. Sales crashed last year in the second-biggest consumer after a nationwide lockdown shuttered stores across the country. But it also led to a bump in India’s nascent market for online gold sales. That’s pushed jewelers such as Tata Group’s Tanishq, Kalyan Jewellers India Ltd., PC Jeweller Ltd. and Senco Gold and Diamonds to launch offers to sell gold for as little as 100 rupees ($1.35) either directly on their websites or through tie-ups with digital gold platforms. Consumers can take delivery once they have invested enough for at least 1 gram of gold. Digital gold sales aren’t new to India, with mobile wallets and platforms like Augmont Gold For All, and World Gold Council-backed  SafeGold  offering the product. Jewelers had...

  Joe Biden said  climate change  is everybody’s crisis and America must get serious about the code red danger posed by global warming As President  Joe Biden  visited one disaster site after another this summer from California wildfires to hurricane-induced flooding in Louisiana and New York he said climate change is everybody’s crisis and America must get serious about the code red danger posed by global warming. In many ways, the president is making up for lost time. Biden and Democrats are pursuing a sweeping USD 3.5 trillion federal overhaul that includes landmark measures to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in what would be the most consequential environmental policies ever enacted, after years of fits and starts. Sidelined after the former administration withdrew from the landmark Paris climate accord the 2015 global effort to confront climate change the US has returned to the arena, with Biden promising world leaders in April th...

  Pakistan does get more than half its LNG under long-term contracts, which provides some protection against the volatile spot market Pakistan only started importing liquefied natural gas six years ago, but its growing dependence on the super-chilled fuel is starting to turn into a nightmare. The surge in global gas prices due to shortages in Europe has pushed Asian LNG to records for the time of year. That’s forced Pakistan to pay the most ever for spot shipments to top up supply under long-term contracts, or even forgo them altogether. The shortfall means the nation will “definitely” suffer power outages over the winter, Iqbal Z. Ahmed, the chairman of  Pakistan GasPort , which owns and operates one of the nation’s import terminals, said in an interview. “It will hit exports, industry and general morale more than anything else. Electricity is not a luxury.” Pakistan’s Ministry of Energy did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The energy crisis playing out from the ...

  Pfizer has submitted research to the U.S Food and Drug Administration on the effectiveness of its  COVID-19 vaccine  in children but the shots may not be available until November Pfizer has submitted research to the U.S Food and Drug Administration on the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine in children but the shots may not be available until November. The company said Tuesday it provided health regulators with data from a recent study of its vaccine in children 5 to 11 years old. Officials had said previously they would file an application with the FDA to authorize use in the coming weeks. Once the company files its application, US regulators and public health officials will review the evidence and consult with their advisory committees in public meetings to determine if the shots are safe and effective enough to recommend use. That process may mean the shots may not be available until closer to Thanksgiving, according to a person familiar with the process but not au...

  Pakistan has seen 35 attacks that left at least 52 civilians dead in August, the highest since February 2017, according to data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal Deadly terrorist attacks in  Pakistan  have increased to the highest level in over four years as U.S. troops left Afghanistan and the Taliban took power, a sign of growing instability in the region that could hurt business and investments. Pakistan has seen 35 attacks that left at least 52 civilians dead in August, the highest since February 2017, according to data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal. Most of the violence has been attributed to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an offshoot of the Afghan militant group that has been encouraged by developments next door. The Pakistani militant group “has been emboldened further by what happened in Afghanistan,” Umar Karim, a visiting fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, said over the phone. “The terrorist group had already been ...

  According to the SKM, people gathered at more than 500 locations in Punjab to express their support to the bandh Several trains were cancelled, highways and key roads blocked and many thousands stranded for hours on Monday as a nationwide 10-hour shutdown against the Centre’s three agri laws disrupted lives across parts of India, particularly in the north. The 6 am to 4 pm Bharat Bandh, which saw demonstrations and rallies in many places, passed off relatively peacefully with no reports of injuries or serious clashes. The impact was felt the most around Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, the centre of the farm protests, and also in large pockets of Kerala, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha. Farmer Protest  blocked highways and arterial roads and squatted on tracks in several places from morning as the shutdown called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions, got underway. The blockade was lifted at 4 pm. The SKM claimed in a ...

  Microsoft in August 2020 began talks on the proposed acquisition but the deal collapsed by September. Microsoft Corp’s near-acquisition of social media app  TikTok  last year was the “strangest thing I’ve ever worked on,” Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said on Monday. TikTok had been ordered by then-U.S. President Donald Trump to separate its U.S. version from Chinese parent ByteDance because of national security concerns about the collection of U.S. users’ data. Microsoft in August 2020 began talks on the proposed acquisition but the deal collapsed by September. Trump’s divestment push ended by the time he left office in January and no potential suitor ending up acquiring TikTok. Speaking at the Code Conference in Beverly Hills, California, Nadella said he was looking forward to bringing  Microsoft ‘s security, child safety and cloud expertise to TikTok. “It’s unbelievable,” Nadella said of the experience during an on-stage interview. “I learned so many thi...

  Petrol price on Tuesday was hiked by 20 paise per litre and diesel by 25 paise as international oil prices neared USD 80 per barrel mark for the first time in three years. Petrol price on Tuesday was hiked by 20 paise per litre and diesel by 25 paise as international oil prices neared USD 80 per barrel mark for the first time in three years. The price of petrol was hiked to Rs 101.39 a litre in Delhi from Rs 101.19 and to Rs 107.47 per litre in Mumbai, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. Diesel rates went to Rs 89.57 a litre in Delhi and Rs 97.21 in Mumbai. Prices differ from state to state depending on the incidence of local taxes. This is the first price increase in  petrol price  in more than two months and the fourth in case of diesel. The increase followed international oil prices rising for the fifth consecutive day and global benchmark Brent heading for USD 80 per barrel. Tuesday was the first increase in petrol price since state-owne...

  A bench of President RK Agrawal and Member Dr SM Kantikar directed the hotel to pay a compensation of Rs 2 crores to the woman. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has directed a  luxury hotel  chain to pay Rs 2 crore as compensation to a woman observing that “she lost her expected assignments and suffered a huge loss which completely changed her lifestyle and shattered her dream to be a top model.” A bench of President RK Agrawal and Member Dr SM Kantikar directed the hotel to pay a compensation of Rs 2 crores to the woman. “For the aforesaid discussion, the complaint is allowed partly and we are of the considered view that it would meet the end of justice in case the Complainant is granted compensation of Rs 2,00,00,000,” the consumer court said. “There is no doubt that the women are very cautious and careful with regard to their hair. They spend a handsome amount on keeping the hair in good condition. They are also emotionally attached to thei...

  Search engine giant Google has confirmed that the Locked Folder in Photos is set to arrive on all Android devices soon. Search engine giant Google has confirmed that the Locked Folder in Photos is set to arrive on all Android devices soon. The feature was released exclusively on newer Pixel phones in June.  Google  hasn’t provided an exact date for when the feature is releasing more widely, reports The Verge. The Photos Locked Folder will roll out soon to devices running Android 6.0 and newer. Once it is live, users will be able to set up this folder after they receive a notification from Google Photos. Google Photos Locked Folder hides selected pictures/videos from the application’s main grid, search, and “apps that access your device photos.” Additionally, these photos will not be backed up or shared and require a device screen lock to access. Even users will not be allowed to take screenshots when they are inside a secure space. “With Locked Folder in @ googlephotos ...

  ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ boost, will benefit 200 Indian firms, create 8,000 jobs The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on Thursday that it has placed an order with the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) for 118 indigenous Arjun Mark 1A main battle tanks (MBTs) for the army. The Arjun Mark 1A has been developed by the Central Vehi­cles Research and Develop­ment Establishment (CVRDE) in Chennai — a Defence Rese­arch & Development Organisa­tion (DRDO) laboratory — and will be manufactured in the OFB’s Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi. “This production order to HVF, Avadi opens up a large avenue in defence manu­fact­uring for over 200 Indian ven­dors including MSMEs (micro, small and medium enter­pri­ses), with employment oppor­tunities to around 8,000 peo­ple,” an MoD statement said. “The order, worth Rs 7,523 crore, will provide a further boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative in the defence sector and is a big step towards achie­ving ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, envisioned by Prime Mini...

  US Vice President Kamala Harris said that there were terror groups working in the country and asked Islamabad to take action so that it does not impact on America and India’s security US Vice President  Kamala Harris , during her maiden meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has “suo moto” referred to Pakistan’s role in terrorism, saying that there were terror groups working in the country and asked Islamabad to take action so that it does not impact on America and India’s security. Prime Minister Modi held the meeting with Vice President Harris at the White House on Thursday during which they decided to further cement the Indo-US strategic partnership and discussed global issues of common interest, including threats to democracy, Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific. When the issue of terrorism came up, the Vice President suo moto referred Pakistan’s role in that regard (of terrorism), Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told reporters when asked if the issue of Pakist...

  Agriculture is India’s real strength, said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday, adding the government intends to diversify it into the energy and power sector Agriculture is India’s real strength, said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways  Nitin Gadkari  on Wednesday, adding the government intends to diversify it into the energy and power sector. “India’s fuel energy security can be well supported by Agriculture as it provides opportunities for concepts such as waste to wealth and waste to energy and ultimately leading to the benefit of all,” said Gadkari while virtually addressing Bio-Energy Summit 2021 ‘Farm-2-Fuel: Sustainable Bioenergy Solutions for Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. The Minister said these targets will be achieved through a five-phased strategy which includes adopting biofuels and renewables, implementing energy efficiency norms, improving refinery processes, increasing domestic production and achieving demand sub...

  Nearly 17 years after the deadly  2004 tsunami , the Quad summit will mark a high point in a steady year-long elevation against the backdrop of China’s growing economic and military strength and Covid Nearly 17 years after the deadly 2004 tsunami, when outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister  Scott Morrison  and US president Joe Biden meet September 24 for the first ever in-person leader level summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, it will mark a high point in a steady year-long elevation against the backdrop of China’s growing economic and military strength and Covid-19. Covid-19 vaccine production and distribution, supply chain resilience in critical and emerging technologies like semiconductors and 5G telecom networks are tipped to be top of the agenda. For India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Quad meeting will be bookended by a Covid-19 summit convened by Biden and Modi’s own s...

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has commended Indian Diaspora for distinguishing itself across the world as he received a warm welcome from the community on his arrival here. Prime Minister  Narendra Modi  has commended Indian Diaspora for distinguishing itself across the world as he received a warm welcome from the community on his arrival here. He was greeted by groups of Indian Americans at the airport soon after his plane landed here Wednesday and later at the hotel where he had an interaction with the members of the community. Grateful to the Indian community in Washington DC for the warm welcome. Our diaspora is our strength, Modi said in a tweet along with a set of pictures of his interaction with the Indian American CEOs. It is commendable how the Indian diaspora has distinguished itself across the world, Modi said. One of the signature events of the Prime Minister’s overseas visit has been his meetings with the diaspora community in large gatherings. However, due ...

  PM Modi was received by US department of state officials at Joint Base Andrews upon his arrival Washington [US], September 23 (ANI): On the itinerary-packed first day of his US visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold meetings with Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, US Vice President  Kamala Harris  and the select heads of corporates that have the potential to invest significantly in India. According to sources, Prime Minister Modi will start his day by meeting with select heads of corporates in the United States. The CEOs will include the heads of Qualcomm, Adobe, Blackstone, General Atomics and First Solar. The Prime Minister reached Washington on Wednesday local time. “Prime Minister will start the day with meetings with select heads of corporates in the United States I think these are CEOs that represent fairly large corporate interests, companies that have particular expertise and invested in India and has the potential to invest significantly in India,” t...

  The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it doesn’t want women to be denied their right. The induction of women cannot be posted by one year, it said. The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to accept the Centre’s request to allow women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the NDA from next year, saying it doesn’t want women to be denied their right. The induction of women cannot be posted by one year, it said. The Centre had told the top court that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the  National Defence Academy  will be out by May next year. A bench headed by Justice S K Kaul said the armed forces are the best response team to deal with emergency situations and it is hopeful that necessary arrangements will be put in place to pave the way for the induction of women in NDA without delay. It said the needful should be done by the defence department in collaboration with the UPSC. The top court noted the submissions made by sen...

  SBI Clerk Result 2021: SBI Clerk Prelims Result has been declared on sbi.co.in. Here’s direct link to download result. Know about SBI Clerk Main exam SBI Clerk Result 2021 : State Bank of India (SBI) has declared SBI clerk prelim result 2021. The Bank has already released the admit card for the SBI clerk main examinations. The main examination admit cards will be available for download till October 17. Candidates must note that only those who have cleared SBI Clerk Prelims will be eligible for SBI Clerk Mains exam 2021. A total of 5,000 regular vacancies and 237 backlog vacancies will be filled through this recruitment. Direct link to download SBI Clerk Result 2021 Steps to download SBI Clerk Result 2021 * Log on to SBI’s official website –  sbi.co.in * Click on the ‘careers’ tab * Click on ‘SBI Clerk Prelims result’ link * A PDF file displaying the roll numbers of qualified applicants will open. * Download the SBI results and take a printout for future reference. SBI Clerk ...

  Animal vaccine maker Hester Biosciences, on the other hand, is setting up a greenfield BSL-3 facility in Gujarat to make Covaxin Covaxin might soon be produced in the neighbourhood of Covishield after Hyderabad-based vaccine maker  Bharat Biotech  started engineering batches of Covaxin at Biovet’s Manjari plant near Pune. Meanwhile, Covaxin production will touch 55 mn doses a month from October.Biovet is an associate firm of Bharat Biotech. “At present engineering batches are on at the Manjari plant. Soon, commercial production will start,” said a source close to the developments. ngineering batches are run to test the functionality of the installed equipment. The Manjari plant spread over 12 hectares was acquired by Biovet. It is a ready to use vaccine plant that belonged to a Merck & Co subsidiary Intervet India. Intervet is exiting business operations in India and has thus sold the Manjari unit to Biovet. Meanwhile, Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of...

  From a Yoga guru to a saint to an accused — Anand Giri’s life has been a roller-coaster ride. From a Yoga guru to a saint to an accused —  Anand Giri ‘s life has been a roller-coaster ride. Now in police custody for allegedly abetting the suicide of his mentor Mahant Narendra Giri, not many are surprised with what has happened to Anand Giri — once termed as a successor to his guru. Mahant Narendra Giri had brought Anand from a Haridwar Ashram to Prayagraj’s Baghambari Mutt when he was 12 years old. Anand, now 38, hails from Bhilwara in Rajasthan. He was formally inducted into the Shri Panchayati Akhara Niranjani, the ancient monastic order to which Narendra Giri belonged, in 2007. Known as ‘Chhote Maharaj’ at the famous Bade Hanuman temple in Prayagraj before he had a dispute with his Mahant Narendra Giri over various issues, including property. Over the period of time, he cultivated his own following through yoga. Anand Giri claims to have formally studied Sanskrit,  A...

  The Taliban on Monday said that it can restrain   Islamic State   (Daesh) in Afghanistan and they are not capable of posing a threat to the country. The Taliban on Monday said that it can restrain Islamic State (Daesh) in Afghanistan and they are not capable of posing a threat to the country. Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Zabihullah Mujahid speaking to Tolo News said, “Daesh is not a threat, because the thought of Daesh is a hated thought among the people. No one supports them. Second, our combat against Daesh was effective in the past and we know how to neutralize their techniques.” Considering the last attacks in Nangarhar and Kabul, some political analysts said that the group seems to be present in  Afghanistan . Meanwhile, Mujahid said two groups have been arrested in relation to the last incidents in Nangarhar province, reported Tolo News. Daesh claimed responsibility for several attacks in Kabul and Nangarhar province over the last month. Videos ...

  Alzheimer’s Day 2021: A hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is gradual deterioration of memory. Here’s all you need to know about the disease on World Alzheimer’s Day 2021 Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which is an umbrella term used to describe general loss of memory, thinking skills and other day-to-day functions (such as cooking, paying bills, cleaning and even dressing). A hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is gradual deterioration of memory. But it is a biological disease, which means that, besides seeing outwards symptoms such as memory loss, we can also measure the breakdown that occurs in the brain as a consequence of disease progression. Alzheimer’ s is identified by the presence of two proteins in the brain, known as amyloid and tau. Amyloid proteins aggregate into sticky clumps called “plaques”. And tau proteins tend to form “tangles”. While it is still unclear how amyloid and tau interact to cause the disease, these plaques and tangles seem to play ...