Author: Aditi Gautam

Mayawati takes a jibe at Priyanka Gandhi; hits out at Congress

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday said Congress’ is so miserable it changed its Chief Minister face for Uttar Pradesh polls within hours of announcement.

“The condition of the Congress party is so miserable in the UP Assembly elections that their CM candidate changed her stand within a few hours. It would be better, if people do not waste their vote by giving it to the Congress. And vote one-sided for the BSP,” Mayawati tweeted.

1. यूपी विधानसभा आमचुनाव में कांग्रेस पार्टी की हालत इतनी ज़्यादा ख़स्ताहाल बनी हुई है कि इनकी सीएम की उम्मीदवार ने कुछ घण्टों के भीतर ही अपना स्टैण्ड बदल डाला है। ऐसे में बेहतर होगा कि लोग कांग्रेस को वोट देकर अपना वोट ख़राब न करें, बल्कि एकतरफा तौर पर बीएसपी को ही वोट दें।

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) January 23, 2022

She termed the Congress as a party which divides the opposition votes against the BJP, and urged voters to ignore it. “People of UP see the Congress as a vote cutting party. If the BJP needs to be kept out of power in favour of a government which works for all the sections of the society, then the BSP holds the number one place in this context,” she wrote.

2. यूपी में कांग्रेस जैसी पार्टियाँ लोगों की नज़र में वोट काटने वाली पार्टियाँ हैं। ऐसे में भाजपा को यूपी की सत्ता से बाहर करके यहाँ सर्वसमाज के हित में व इनके जाने-परखे नेतृत्व वाली सरकार की ज़रूरत है, जिसमें बीएसपी का स्थान वास्तव में नम्बर-1 पर है।

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) January 23, 2022

Two days ago during the launch of election manifesto for the youth at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, when Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was asked about who will be the CM face of the Congress in UP, she had said that “are you seeing any face from UP in the Congress?”. Later in an interview on Saturday, Priyanka had said that she is not the only face of the party.

In the interview, she had also expressed surprise over the low profile campaign of the BSP.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

‘Virat Kohli should forgive and move forward’: Shoaib Akhtar claims Indian cricketer was ‘forced’ to leave captaincy

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has claimed there are certain lobbies in Indian cricket which forced Virat Kohli to step down as team India captain from all formats in a span of few months, News18 reported.

“There are lobbies against him and there are people against him and that is the reason why he stepped down,” said Akhtar.

Last year, Kohli had stepped down as the T20I captain and then he was removed as the ODI leader as the selectors wanted one skipper for the white-ball format.

Kohli last week stepped down as India’s Test captain after leading the side for seven years. In a statement announcing his resignation, Kohli said, “I have always believed in giving my 120 percent in everything I do, and I can’t do that, it’s not the right thing to do. I have absolute clarity in my heart and cannot be dishonest to my team.”

Also Read: Virat Kohli as captain: Role model or not?

Akhtar who is currently participating in the Legends League Cricket, while talking to ANI said: “This is not the best of times for him but he needs to prove what he is made of. Is he made of steel or iron? He is a great guy and a cricketer. Do not try too many things, just go out there and play cricket. He is a great batsman and has achieved more than anyone else in the world. He just needs to go out there and play with his natural flow.”

“He plays a lot with his bottom hand and I think when the form is out, bottom hand players usually are the first ones to get in trouble. I think he’s gonna come out of this. He should move forward from this and not keep any bitterness against anyone. Just forgive everybody and keep moving,” he added.

Talking about India’s next Test captain, the pacer said: “I know BCCI will make a smart decision regarding this.”

Also Read: Brand Virat Kohli: Puma, Audi, Myntra, Mahindra, Amul praise his legacy

(With inputs from ANI)

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Intel to invest up to $100 billion in Ohio chip plants

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Intel Corp said on Friday it would invest up to $100 billion to build potentially the world’s largest chip-making complex in Ohio, as it looks to boost capacity amid a global shortage of semiconductors used in everything from smartphones to cars.

The move is part of Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger’s strategy to restore Intel’s dominance in chip making and reduce America’s reliance on Asian manufacturing hubs, which have a tight hold on the market.

An initial $20 billion investment – the largest in Ohio’s history – on a 1,000-acre site in New Albany will generate 3,000 jobs, Gelsinger said. That could grow to $100 billion with eight total fabrication plants and is the largest investment in Ohio’s history, he told Reuters.

Dubbed the silicon heartland, it could become “the largest semiconductor manufacturing location on the planet,” he said.

While chipmakers are scrambling to boost output, Intel’s plans for new factories will not alleviate the current supply crunch, because such complexes take years to build.

Gelsinger reiterated Friday he expected the chip shortages to persist into 2023.

To dramatically increase chip production in the United States, the Biden administration is making a big push to convince Congress to approve $52 billion in subsidy funding.

Biden plans to tout Intel’s investment Friday at a White House event with Gelsinger and again make the case for congressional action.

“This project is a crucial step in growing America’s domestic chip manufacturing capacity,” Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said in a separate statement.

Gelsinger said without government funding “we’re still going to start the Ohio site. It’s just not going to happen as fast and it’s not going to grow as big as quickly.”

Intel ceded the No. 1 semiconductor vendor spot to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in 2021, dropping to second with growth of just 0.5%, the lowest rate in the top 25, data from Gartner showed.

As part of its turnaround plan to become a major manufacturer of chips for outside customers, Intel broke ground on two factories in Arizona in September. The $20 billion plants will bring the total number of Intel factories at its campus in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler to six.

Gelsinger told Reuters he still hoped to announce another major manufacturing site in Europe in coming months.

Intel’s Ohio investment is expected to attract partners and suppliers. Air Products, Applied Materials, LAM Research and Ultra Clean Technology have shown interest in establishing a presence in the region, Intel said.

Construction of the first two factories is expected to begin late in 2022 and production in 2025.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Man donates kidney to girlfriend’s mother; she dumps him, marries someone else a month later

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A man from Mexico has claimed that he donated his kidney to his girlfriend’s mother, but was dumped within a month.

According to The Sun, Uziel Martinez from Baja California, Mexico, was dumped by his girlfriend within a month after he donated his kidney to her mother. She got married to someone else after her mother’s operation.

“I donated a kidney to her mother, she left me and got married a month later,” he said in a TikTok video.

Also Read: How TikTok algorithm is designed to get young users addicted

The video, which has been watched over 16 million times, was made in response to a trend in which men recounted their worst experiences with exes. Several people have commented in the comment section of the viral video, asking Uziel to move on with life.

In follow-up videos, Uziel urged other people not to make the same mistake in their relationships. Adding some humour, he said, “We have only two kidneys, but as of now, I have only one kidney left and I can’t feel it.”

He said that he was over with the breakup and despite the split, he and his ex are still on good terms.

Also Read: From pig to human, the heart transplant in US man offers hope amid organ shortage

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

SEC recommends regular market authorisation for Covishield and Covaxin: Sources

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)’s Subject Expert Committee on Friday recommended regular market authorisation for Covishield and Covaxin, official sources said.

Both the vaccines will be available at clinics and hospitals registered with CoWin, sources added.

The recommendations will be sent to DCGI for final approval. During last week’s meeting the SEC had sought more data and information from the two companies.

Also Read: Mix & Match of Covaxin, Covishield elicits 4 times antibody response

Serum Institute of India (SII) had applied for market approval for the Covishield vaccine in December 2021 and Bharat Biotech also applied for the same a few days ago.

Both Covaxin and Covishield are currently authorized for emergency use only. EUA does not represent approval of a vaccine in the full statutory term but authorises the use of an unapproved product or unapproved use of an approved product in a declared state of emergency such as a pandemic.

A market authorisation label for a vaccine means it can be authorised for use without reservations or conditions.

Also Read – Covaxin booster dose capable of neutralising Omicron and Delta variants of COVID-19: Bharat Biotech

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

MP govt decides to slash liquor rates; allows its sale at airports, select supermarkets

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to allow the sale of liquor at all airports in the state and select supermarkets in four big cities.

Under the new Excise Policy, the state Cabinet further approved reduction in retail prices of liquor by 20 percent in a bid to “make them practical”.

The cabinet also gave its nod to granting home bar licenses to those earning Rs 1 crore or more annually, official statement said. The home bar license will be issued at an annual fee of Rs 50,000.

Also Read: Liquor industry association urges Delhi govt to allow home delivery

Counters selling liquor can be opened at all the airports in MP while licenses for (opening) such outlets can now be issued in select supermarkets in Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur and Gwalior at a fixed fee, the statement added.

Officials said that all the liquor outlets will now be composite shops to curb the sale of illegal alcohol. Composite shops are the ones from where traders can sell Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), Country Made liquor and beer together.

District-level high power committees that include the collector and MLAs will be empowered to change locations of liquor shops, if needed.

Also Read: Which states have the highest taxes on liquor?

(With inputs from PTI)

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Antrix-Devas deal: SC order a proof of Congress’ ‘misuse of power’, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A day after the Supreme Court upheld the NCLAT, NCLT order to liquidate Devas Multimedia, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Antrix-Devas deal signed during UPA rule was a fraud against India.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the Finance Minister said, “the fraud in Antrix-Devas deal was obvious and the Supreme Court’s order was a proof of Congress’ misuse of power.”

Sitharaman said her government was fighting in all courts to save taxpayers’ money that otherwise would be going for payment of awards of such a fraud deal.

Also Read: A timeline of Antrix-Devas deal

Antrix, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), entered into an agreement with Devas for providing multimedia services to mobile users, for which it was given S-band satellite spectrum without the knowledge of the Union Cabinet, she said. The Congress took six years to cancel the deal and the then government did not initiate steps to fight the arbitration proceedings the private company brought against the cancellation, she added. The Congress-led UPA did not cite national security to fight the arbitrations brought by Devas, Sitharaman said and called the party “master of corruption”.

Devas initiated arbitration against the annulment at the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC). Two separate arbitrations were also initiated under the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) by Mauritius investors in Devas Multimedia under the India-Mauritius BIT and by Deutsche Telekom a German company under the India Germany BIT. India lost all three disputes and has to pay a total of USD 1.2 billion in damages. Its shareholders are pursuing Indian assets abroad to recover award and have got a French court order for freezing Indian properties in Paris and got partial rights over funds maintained by Air India in Canada.

The Supreme Court has given a comprehensive verdict upholding the liquidation of Devas ordered by the insolvency court, she said, adding this would be cited in the international courts to challenge enforcement actions of the private firm. “No country which respects rule of law will ignore these facts,” she said, citing the apex court observation that it was a case of fraud of a huge magnitude which cannot be brushed under the carpet as a private lis.

Antrix had approached the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) seeking liquidation of Devas. Last year, NCLT ordered liquidation of Devas observing that the firm appeared to have been incorporated with fraudulent intentions. Devas appealed against the order before NCLAT which in September 2021 upheld the liquidation. Devas filed an appeal before the Supreme Court which upheld the liquidation, she said.

(With inputs from PTI)

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Best time to invest in India; govt focused on reforms in right way: PM Modi at WEF

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Stressing that this was best time to invest in India, PM Narendra Modi on Monday said that the entrepreneurship spirit of Indians and their ability to adopt new technology can give new energy to the global partners.

Delivering a special address at World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda summit, PM Modi said that India focused on reforms in right way and global experts have praised government’s decisions.

Also Read – India among top attractive destinations for global investors: RBI paper

He said that India is the third highest number of unicorns in the world today.

“In 2014, there were a few hundred registered startups in India. Today their number has crossed 60 thousand with above 10 thousand of them registered in the last 6 months. More than 50 lakh software developers are working in the country today,” he said.

Also Read: PM Modi announces Jan 16 as ‘National Startup day’, says Indian startups changing rules of the game

Asserting that India is making its policies today while focussing on requirements for not just the present but also for the next 25 years, the Prime Minister said this period of growth would be ‘green and clean’ as well as ‘sustainable and reliable’.

He also said India is fighting another COVID-19 wave with full alertness and caution while also maintaining economic growth.

“In this time, we have seen how India has followed the vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’ is saving crores of lives by giving essential medicines, vaccines to many countries,” he said, adding that India is the world’s third largest pharma producer at the present time.

Also Read: Individual alertness, discipline ‘big strength’ in fight against Omicron, says PM Modi

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Punjab Assembly elections postponed, voting on Feb 20 now: EC

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Election Commission on Monday announced that the single-phase assembly polls in Punjab will now be held on February 20 instead of February 14. Several political parties had urged the EC to postpone the polls in view of Ravidas Jayanti on February 16.

Also Read – Punjab polls: Unemployment, sacrilege cases, drug menace key issues in assembly elections

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, BJP and its allies, and the BSP had urged the poll panel to postpone the date of voting as lakhs of followers of Guru Ravidas travel to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to celebrate the day. The parties had said that several followers of Guru Ravidas would not be able to exercise their franchise on February 14 as they would be travelling.

Also Read: Uttar Pradesh – a look at the poll-bound state and it’s overall condition

The Punjab CM said he welcomes the Election Commission’s decision as it will enable a large number of followers from the state to travel to Varanasi to celebrate the Guru’s birth anniversary.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “We had urged the Election Commission to postpone the date and we welcome the EC decision. Badal’s party is contesting next month’s polls in alliance with the BSP.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

SEC seeks more data for granting full market approval to Covishield, Covaxin: Sources

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)’s Subject Expert Committee on Friday sought more data from Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII) before granting full market approval to Covaxin and Covishield, said sources.

Sources added that SII and Bharat Biotech can’t be allowed to sell Covaxin and Covishield in open market till government is mapping vaccination through specific nationwide drive via Cowin App.

Also Read: Covaxin booster dose capable of neutralising Omicron and Delta variants of COVID-19

SII had applied for market approval for the Covishield vaccine in December 2021 and Bharat Biotech has also applied for the same 10 days ago.

However, both Covaxin and Covishield are currently authorized for emergency use only. EUA does not represent approval of a vaccine in the full statutory term but authorises the use of an unapproved product or unapproved use of an approved product in a declared state of emergency such as a pandemic. A market authorisation label for a vaccine means it can be authorised for use without reservations or conditions.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow