The Indian Panorama

Tag: Apple News

  • Back-to-School is on the Horizon, so Plan Ahead: Get Vaccinated by August 9

    Back-to-School is on the Horizon, so Plan Ahead: Get Vaccinated by August 9

    By Meisha Porter and Dr. Dave A. Chokshi

    In early July, we were elated to welcome students to classrooms for Summer Rising, the City’s free summer academic and enrichment program. Children were clearly excited to be back with their teachers and friends, and those feelings have only grown over the past few weeks. In an elementary school in East Harlem, youngsters proudly displayed the solar-powered ovens they’d built to cook s’mores. In a school in Chinatown, students gasped with joy over the “magical” science experiments performed by Jason Latimer of YouTube’s Impossible Science channel. And in a school in the Bronx, students dove into their lessons and demonstrated an outdoor mindfulness activity. Experiences like these are reflected in the smiles of hundreds of thousands of children who are in school to learn, play, connect, and grow this summer. Both children and their parents are grateful to have this bridge to the next school year. We see the first day of school—Monday, September 13—as a homecoming. In fact, it comes shortly after NYC Homecoming Week, a five-borough celebration of the city’s resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As we think ahead to the fall, the health and safety of students and school communities are at the forefront of our planning. We are asking New Yorkers to help with a crucial part of this work: get vaccinated. If your child is between 12 and 17 years old, August 9 is the last day for your child to get the Pfizer vaccine in order to be fully vaccinated in time for school.

    This date is important to remember because the vaccine for adolescents involves a two-dose regimen, and it takes two weeks from the second shot for someone to be considered fully vaccinated. So, think of this as your doctor’s orders: Schedule your vaccine today if you have not already.

    Safely and fully reopening schools this fall is a milestone for our city, and we are eager to see students back in their school communities. We are doing everything in our power to create a safe learning environment—from disinfecting every school, to re-configuring classrooms and improving ventilation, to stocking up on face masks and hand sanitizer.

    And last week, Mayor de Blasio announced that school staff must show a one-time proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 tests. The new requirement recognizes that the single most important way we can help our children go back to learning, and save lives, is with vaccination.

    As parents ourselves, we know the decision to vaccinate is important, and we would do anything to protect our children. The vaccine is safe and very effective. Over 250,000 young New Yorkers have now gotten the shot.

    At school, vaccination allows children to be in the classroom, participate in afterschool activities and sports, and gather with friends—safely. It also provides a more stable learning environment, (for example, students who are considered fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine).

    Getting the shot has never been easier in New York City. Access to vaccination is widely available in all five boroughs, and the City is offering a new $100 incentive for anyone (including children) who gets their first dose at a City-run site. Nearly all New Yorkers live within half a mile of a public vaccination site, and everyone is eligible to request and receive at-home vaccination. Pediatricians and other health care providers can also help answer questions, and many are able to give the COVID-19 vaccine at a back-to-school check-up, along with other routine immunizations. If you need a provider, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC and you will be transferred.

    We’re so excited to welcome all New York City students back into classrooms in September. Because of vaccination, our buildings will soon be fully open and our young people will be learning. We deeply appreciate the partnership of the city’s families and the commitment to keeping our school communities safe and healthy.

    (Meisha Porter is Chancellor of the NYC Department of Education.  Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc, is Commissioner of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene)

  • Nandu Natekar, badminton’s first superstar, dies at 88

    Nandkumar Mahadev Natekar, who died today at age 88, was a superstar badminton player of the first two decades after Independence, much before Prakash Padukone and Syed Modi entered the scene.

    Famous as Nandu Natekar, he was the first Indian to win an international badminton title, at the Selangor International in Kuala Lumpur in 1956, and was a six-time national champion.

    Known for his grace and artistry on the court — and not power and speed during an era when players were not extremely athletic – Natekar led India in the Thomas Cup team championship from 1951 to 1963. When the Arjuna Award for excellence in sport was first given in 1961, he was among the sportspersons honoured.

    Natekar’s six national singles titles are exceeded only by Padukone (9) and Syed Modi (8).

    His best show at the All England Championships was reaching the quarterfinals in 1954 — falling short of the achievement of the now-forgotten Prakash Nath, who had reached the final in 1947. Nath could well have become the first great of Indian badminton but after hearing of rioting near his home in Lahore just before the All England final, he lost the title match and gave up the sport.

    Natekar was a very good tennis player, too, but after losing the junior national final to the great Ramanathan Krishnan in 1951-52, he decided to concentrate on badminton.

  • 2nd T20I: Sri Lanka level series with 4-wicket win vs Covid-hit India

    Colombo (TIP): A depleted Indian team, playing with only five batsmen, could not defend a modest target of 133 despite a valiant effort from its players as Sri Lanka kept the three-match series alive with a four-wicket victory in the second T20 International here on Wednesday, July 28.

    With nine players unavailable after Krunal Pandya tested positive, India had no option but to play with six specialist bowlers, including one pacer Navdeep Saini, who wasn’t even given a single over.

    Dhananjaya de Silva (40 not out) anchored a tricky Lankan chase after India scored 132 for five. The hosts won with two balls to spare.

    Vice-captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/21 in 4 overs) was economical till Chamika Karunartne launched his full-toss for a six. The 12 runs from that over brought the equation down to 8 runs off final overs which was very difficult for debutant Chetan Sakariya to defend.

    If one bowler despite figures of 2/30 will be annoyed is Kuldeep, who was brilliant but was let down by his fielders, who dropped a couple of catches. Some poor effort in the outfield also spoilt his figures.

    Yadav outfoxed opposition skipper Dasun Shanaka by shortening the length of his stock delivery — the one that turns into the right-hander drawing him out and Sanju Samson effected a smart leg-side stumping.

    Minod Bhanuka (36 off 31 balls) also tried to fetch a widish tossed up delivery outside the off-stump and holed out at deep mid-wicket just after Bhuvneshwar had dropped one while running backwards when he skied one against the turn in the cover region.

    Varun Chakravarthy (1/18 in 4 overs) also was impressive but the total became their undoing.

    Earlier, India struggled for momentum against the Sri Lankan spinners on a sluggish track, managing 132 for five.

    Debutant Devdutt Padikkal, though, in his brief innings gave a glimpse of a bright future.

    The degree of difficulty could be gauged by the fact that only seven boundaries and a six was hit in 20 overs with as many as 42 dot balls consumed by the visiting team batsmen.

    Skipper Shikhar Dhawan (40 off 2 balls) aware of a thin-on experience batting line-up had a cautious approach on a track where ball simply refused to come onto the bat and improvisation was the order of the day.

    With heavy rain slowing the outfield, run-making became an ordeal but young Padikkal (29 off 23 balls) was elegant as usual before a moment’s indiscretion did him in.

    The other much-anticipated debut of Ruturaj Gaikwad (21 off 18 balls) also ended in a whimper when a Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka’s short ball climbed on him and he got himself in a tangle while playing a pull-shot that went straight-up after for Minod Bhanuka.

    Knowing that only five batsmen are playing on the day, Dhawan had to cut down on risky shots even though a cover drive, an on-drive and a slog-pull behind square were there among his five fours before off-spinner Dananjaya de Silva (2/13) got him to play the slog-sweep.

    But the man who impressed the most was Padikkal, who slog swept Dhanajaya de Silva for a six, ran well between the wickets during his 32-run stand with skipper Dhawan and brief one with Sanju Samson.

    He also reverse swept Wanindu Hasaranga (1/30) for a boundary before a non-existent slog-sweep brought about his downfall.

    Some of his strokes didn’t reach the boundary but the Bengaluru boy showed that he has the temperament required for the highest level.

    But the player, who once again blew away an opportunity was Sanju Samson (7 off 13 balls). He was hoodwinked by a leg break from Akila Dananjaya (2/29) and was bowled.

    Samson has now blown away nine chances in T20 Internationals and is unlikely to get too many more after Thursday’s final game.  Source: PTI

  • Depositors to get up to Rs 5 lakh within 90 days if bank under moratorium

    Depositors to get up to Rs 5 lakh within 90 days if bank under moratorium

    New Delhi (TIP): The Union Cabinet has cleared the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) Bill, 2021, which will allow depositors to withdraw up to Rs 5 lakh in 90 days.

    The announcement will cover 98.3 per cent of all deposit accounts and 50.9 per cent of the deposit value, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday. This compares with the global deposit insurance coverage of 80 per cent of all accounts and 20-30 per cent of the deposit value.

    “Even if there is a moratorium on a bank…this measure will set in,” Sitharaman said. In the first 45 days, after the bank is placed under moratorium by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the lender will collect all depositor claims and submit it to DICGC. The corporation will process the claims in real time. Within 90 days, the process will be completed, even when the bank resolution is ongoing.

    “This will be the biggest relief we can offer to small depositors, nearly covering 98.3 per cent depositors,” Sitharaman said. The DICGC Bill, 2021, will cover banks that have been already placed under moratorium, and will insure savings deposits, fixed deposits, current and recurring deposits.

    Satish Marathe, director on the RBI board, said this would address the woes of depositors who were not able to get their funds due to problems of banks. Another likely fallout will be that the revival of banks facing problems will become difficult as they will have to return money to the depositors.

    DICGC has paid most of the claims to customers of cooperative banks. There may be some burden on the corporation in the form of higher outgo, but it would not adversely impact financial profile, analysts said.

    “Although the change will cover 98.3 per cent accounts, there is certainly scope for raising the limit further since the middle-income depositors may still not get full benefit in the case of a failure of a bank, and one may need to rely upon a merger with another bank as a bailout to take care of customers’ money,” said Jyoti Prakash Gadia, managing director, Resurgent India.

    As the government had increased the deposit insurance cover for bank customers from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh last year, lenders have been paying a premium of 12 paise per Rs 100 deposit since April 2020, as compared to 10 paise earlier. The law has a provision that the premium will not be hiked beyond 15 paise per Rs 100 deposit. There will be enabling provision to increase this cap in future, which will be determined by the government in consultation with the RBI. At present, the amount in Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF), used for the settlement of claims of depositors of banks under liquidation, reconstruction and amalgamation, stood at Rs 1,10,380 crore as on March 31, 2020, as against Rs 93,750 crore as on March 31, 2019. The DIF is built out of the premium paid by insured banks and the coupon income received on investments in central government securities.

    DICGC collects insurance premiums from the insured banks for administration of the deposit insurance system. The premiums to be paid by the insured banks are computed on the basis of their assessable deposits. The Insured banks pay advance insurance premiums to the corporation semi-annually within two months from the beginning of each financial half year, based on their deposits as at the end of previous half year.

    The premiums paid by the insured banks to the Corporation are required to be borne by the banks themselves and are not passed on to the depositors.

  • IMF upgrades outlook for rich nations, slashes India forecast

    IMF upgrades outlook for rich nations, slashes India forecast

    Washington (TIP): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has maintained its 6% global growth forecast for 2021, upgrading its outlook for the US and other wealthy economies but cutting estimates for a number of developing countries struggling with surging Covid infections.

    The divergence is based largely on better access to Covid vaccines and continued fiscal support in advanced economies, while emerging markets face difficulties on both fronts, the IMF said in an update to its World Economic Outlook.

    “Close to 40% of the population in advanced economies has been fully vaccinated, compared with 11% in emerging market economies, and a tiny fraction in low-income developing countries,” IMF’s chief economist Gita Gopinath said.

    The IMF significantly raised its forecasts for the US, which it now expects to grow at 7% in 2021 and 4.9% in 2022 — up 0.6 and 1.4 percentage points, respectively, from the forecasts in April. The projections assume the US Congress will approve President Joe Biden’s roughly $4 trillion in proposed infrastructure, education and family support spending largely as envisioned by the White House.

    Positive spillovers from the US spending plans, along with expected progress in Covid vaccination rates, are boosting the IMF’s 2022 global growth forecast to 4.9%, up 0.5 percentage point from April.

    The IMF cut its 2021 growth forecast for India, which has struggled with a massive wave of infections this year, by three percentage points to 9.5%. It also reduced its 2021 forecast for China by 0.3 percentage point, citing a scaling back of public investment and overall fiscal support.    Source: Reuters

  • Kirloskar family feud: Brothers’ firms spar over 130-year-old legacy

    Kirloskar family feud: Brothers’ firms spar over 130-year-old legacy

    New Delhi (TIP): Kirloskar Brothers Ltd (KBL), led by Sanjay Kirloskar, accused four firms under his brothers Atul and Rahul of trying to “usurp” its legacy of 130 years and trying to mislead the public, which has been refuted by the other side.

    As the family feud simmers, KBL in a letter to capital markets regulator Sebi claimed that recent press releases by Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (KOEL), Kirloskar Industries Ltd (KIL), Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Ltd (KPCL) and Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Ltd (KFIL) “have sought to usurp the legacy” of KBL.

    Also, they attempted to pass off the legacy and track record of KBL as that of their own, the letter said.

    When contacted, a spokesperson of Kirloskar Industries Ltd (KIL) said the letter by KBL to Sebi “contains a large number of factual inaccuracies and mis-statements”.

    “Nothing contained in the entire Press Release even remotely makes any reference to KBL let alone “attempting to pass off the legacy and track record of Kirloskar Brothers Limited as that of their own”,” the spokesperson added.

    On July 16, five firms led by brothers Atul and Rahul Kirloskar had announced a ‘refresh’ exercise of their respective businesses, with an eye on evolving from engineering-led firms into customer-focussed solution providers.          Source: PTI

  • Kartikeya : The God of war

    Kartikeya : The God of war

    Kartikeya, God of war and victory and he was Commander of gods. He is popular as Murugan and mounts on Peacock with Weapons such as Vel, Bow and Arrow. Kartikeya also known as Skanda, and Subramaniyan and the son of Shiva and Parvati.

    Lord Kartikeya is a Hindu god, the son of Shiva and Parvati, and is a much revered deity especially in South India. He is known by various names like Murugan, Shanmukha (Shanmuga), Subhramanian, Shadanana, Guha, Senthil, Saravana, Kumaraswamy and Skanda.

    Kartikeya is quintessentially brave, intelligent, and perfection personified because of which he is worshipped as the god of war and victory. He is also the brave leader of god’s forces and was created to destroy demons, symbolizing negative tendencies of human beings. In North of India Kartikeya, also called Kartik, is believed to be the elder son of Shiva and Parvati but his devotees in South believe him to be the younger son with Ganesha being the elder offspring of Shiva and Parvati

    Origins of Kartikeya

    According to the Skanda Purana, Shiva’s first wife Sati angrily immolated herself after she felt insulted by her father Daksha when he didn’t invite Lord Shiva for a Yagna Ceremony and further insulted Him.

    An irate Lord Shiva then destroyed the Yagna with the help of ganas. An ascetic Shiva was married with great difficulty the first time around and a second marriage was nearly impossible. Taking advantage of the fact the demons – Tarakasur and Surapadma thought the boon of being killed only by Lord Shiva’s son would make him invincible.

    Kama, the God of Love, awakens Lord Shiva from his penance to remarry Him to Goddess Parvati. Angered by the interruption in his meditation, Lord Shiva burns Kama to ashes with His third eye though He does fall in love with Goddess Parvati. Lord Shiva’s hands His fiery seed fire to Agni who can handle it till the radiance becomes Shiva’s offspring.

    Unable to bear the heat, Agni gives the radiance to Ganga who deposits it in a lake in a forest Sara Vana where Kartikeya is born (giving him the name Saravana) with six faces – eesanam, sathpurusham, vamadevam, agoram, sathyojatham and adhomugam, and hence the name Shanmuga or Shadanan. Kartikeya was cared for by six women symbolizing Pleiades (Kritika in Sanskrit) and thus got the name Kartikeya.

    Ideals that Kartikeya represents

    Kartikeya’s weapon is Vel (spear) in one hand, which is also called as Shakti since his mother Parvati has given all the power to the spear, and he blesses his devotees with the other. The god of war mounts a peacock symbolizing piety and subjugation of all sexual desires and destruction of bad habits and negative influences symbolized by the serpent that is clutched in the peacock’s claws. Karthikeya represents power and strength and worshipping him can get rid of woes and give the worshipper strength.

    Kartikeya destroyed the demon Tarakasur on the seventh day of his birth. He is known to be the most masculine and fierce among Hindu gods. Known for his valor and as the protector of dharma, Kartikeya has slained several demons like Krauncha, Banasura and Pralamba. He is also always youthful, which gives him the name Kumara.

    As Shadanan, Kartikeya has six heads, each standing for the five senses and the mind. The six heads also help him keep an eye in all directions so that he can combat problems coming from any direction.

    As war god with six faces, Kartikeya also teaches his devotees to battle through life fighting off bad people who could lead you to the wrong path of lobha(greed), kaama (sex), krodh (anger), moha (passion), mada (ego), and matsarya (jealousy).

    Kartikeya as the supremely intelligent god Kartikeya was supposed to have begun his education under none other than Lord Brahma Himself. But on the first day of his education Kartikeya asked Lord Brahma the meaning of Om.

    Lord Brahma described it on twelve thousand verses but Kartikeya was unsatisfied. When his father Lord Shiva explained the significance of Omkara in twelve lakh verses, he found that insufficient as well and said that Omkara can be explained in twelve crore verses, making Shiva proud of his son’s intelligence and knowledge.

    Shiva then sent Kartikeya to live on earth for the welfare of mankind. Wives of Kartikeya In the North of India Kartikeya is believed to be a bachelor (Bramhachari) while in South He has two wives Devasena (Amruthavalli or Devayani) who is the daughter of Indra thus giving Kartikeya the name Devasenapati (also meaning the commander of the army of gods) and the daughter of a tribal hunter named Valli (Sundaravalli).

    Symbolism of his Idol

    If you look at the idol of Kartikeya, on one hand, He carries a spear. It is also called Vel. It is not a trident. It is symbolic of the Kundalini Shakti.

    In his other hand, he carries a small flag on which there is a rooster. In another version, Tarakasur was defeated by Lord. So, Tarakasur (ego) became a chicken or rooster after being defeated by Kartikeya. After having defeated Taraka (ego) in battle, Kartikeya spared his life and asked him what boon he would desire. Taraka prayed to always be at the feet of the Lord, and so Lord Kartikeya made him the emblem on his flag. This also means that the ego should always be kept subdued. Ego is necessary for life but it should be kept subdued.

  • Hampi: World Heritage site

    Hampi: World Heritage site

    Hampi is famous for its ruins belonging to the erstwhile medieval Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar and it is declared a World Heritage site. The temples of Hampi, its monolithic sculptures and monuments, attract the traveler because of their excellent workmanship. The Hindu style of architecture found at Hampi reflects the splendor of the Vijaynagar Empire. The rugged landscape adds to the historic ambiance of this site.

    Hampi is located in the central part of Karnataka in the southern part of India. It is 353 km from Bangalore, and 13 km from Hospet. It is located on top of the rugged terrain and is 467 m above sea level. Tungabhadra River flows through Hampi. It has a tropical climate with hot summers (April-June), and cool winters (October-February). It experiences the southwestern monsoon rains from June to August.

    Places to visit in Hampi

    Virupaksha Temple

    The temple is so constructed that its main entrance faces east and homes to two courtyards. No sooner you enter the temple, there is a statue of Nandi with three heads. There is a pillared hall in the center which is reckoned as the Ranga Mandapa.

    In case you are an international traveler, you have to register yourself at a police outpost with all your essential details. Mostly, this temple remains crowded in December; whereas it celebrates its annual festival in February and it is one of the best places to visit in Hampi.

    Vijaya Vittala Temple

    Vijaya Vittala Temple or Vijaya temple of Hampi amongst the ancient Places to Visit In Hampi worthy of visiting. There are fantastic stone structures all around, and the pillars here appear as if they are playing music.

    This is true architectural excellence of Hampi as it exemplifies remarkable creativity and the beauty of architecture’s imagination. The architecture of this temple dates back to the Dravidian era and reflects South Indian traits.

    Three towering gateways are encircling the temple along with high compound walls. Maha Mantapa, Stone chariot, musical pillars are amongst the tourist attractions of this Vijaya Vittala Temple.

    Lotus Mahal

    Lotus Mahal or Kamal Mahal exhibits an explicit architectural design amongst all the other Hampi tourist places. It is so called as it more or less resembles the shape of a lotus flower.

    Central dome of this Mahala resembles the bud of lotus and the balcony and passages as petals. The roof illustrates a multi-layered design reflecting and Indo architectural style. There are around 24 pillars to provide excellent support to the arched windows of this palace.

    Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple

    Yantrodharaka Hanuman Temple is present at a distance of around 2km from the famous Virupaksha temple. This temple is a part of a cave standing at the peak of a hill and is dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Hanuman.

    Also, the Tungabhadra river flows through the steps of this hill. Here, you can find Lord Hanuman indulged in a state of deep meditation. Within a distance of five minutes from here, you can find another temple dedicated to Lord Srinivasa. In case you feel hungry, you can approach small stalls nearby selling either mangoes, biscuits or cucumbers.

    Hippie Island

    Another area which is amongst the most visited Places to Visit In Hampi is Hippie Island, named after its vibrant culture. Virapapur Gadde is a small island located across the Tungabhadra River. Known to be a backpacker’s delight, this island is stunning and is popular amongst the locals as well as tourists for its laid back ambience and cosy lodges.

    Tourists can spend their time relaxing at one of the many cafes and shacks, like Green Garden Restaurant, Laughing Buddha Café, etc. while gorging on great food, and soaking in the view of beautiful rice paddies. This location is also known to be a centre for people to conduct sunset jam sessions with musical instruments for a fun party-like atmosphere.

    Queen’s Bath

    Reckoned as a large bath of Hampi, Queen’s Bath exemplifies the Vijayanagara’s architectural excellence. It lies close to one of the most awful places to visit in Hampi- the Royal Enclosure.

    Although built around 500 years ago, this magnificent structure still remains intact in its construction. It’s simplest exterior perfectly blends with an ornate interior to embrace its overall appearance.

    It a rectangular building admeasuring around 30 square meters and has a large sunken bath at its center. It may interest you to find arched corridors all around this Royal bath.

    Matanga Hill

    Out of all the places to visit in Hampi, Matanga Hill is the one which is most talked about. It represents the highest point of Hampi, and it’s a picturesque destination for the travel photographers to capture some aerial vies of Hampi.

    North portion of this hill terminates into Tungabhadra river where you have another religious place to visit-Kodanda Rama temple. Towards the south of this hill, you have a twisting valley with a zigzag Turthu canal. Low-lying Northern section exhibits a trekking trail that connects straightaway to Hampi bazaar.

    Elephant Stables

    Elephant Stables is amongst the significant tourist places to visit in Hampi to witness a little to absolutely no destruction. It is a long building homing to a series of dome-shaped chambers which once were used for the parking of royal elephants.

    These chambers are around 11 in their total count; some of which are interconnected. The whole building gives a symmetrical appearance, and the central hall tower reflects the shape of most of the temples here. This central hall has five domes on either side of it which reflects an Islamic style of architecture.

    Monolithic Bull

    Situated at the east end of the Hampi Bazaar, the Monolith Bull or Nandi is a grand piece of ancient architecture that is housed in a two-story pavilion. This huge structure, which mythologically is the vehicle of Lord Shiva, is placed just opposite to the famous Virupaksha Temple. This Monolithic Bull, although partially mutilated, exhibits a coarse style of carving. The statue is so beautiful that it attracts a large number of visitors every day. It is also one of the frequently visited historical Tourist Places in Hampi. It is also surrounded by huge boulders and rock pillars.

  • US economic recovery on track despite Covid-19 surge: Federal Reserve

    Washington (TIP): The US economic recovery remains on track despite a rise in coronavirus infections, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday, July 28,  in a new policy statement that remained upbeat and flagged ongoing talks around the eventual withdrawal of monetary policy support.

    In a news conference following the release of the statement, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the US job market still had “some ground to cover” before it would be time to pull back from the economic support the US central bank put in place in the spring of 2020 to battle the coronavirus pandemic’s economic shocks.

    “I would want to see some strong job numbers” in coming months before reducing the $120 billion in monthly bond purchases the Fed continues to make, he told reporters.

    But Powell also set aside, at least for now, the risk that the renewed spread of the coronavirus through its more infectious Delta variant would put the recovery at risk or throw the Fed off track as it plans an exit from crisis-era policies.

    “It will have significant health consequences” in the areas of the country where outbreaks are intensifying, Powell said. But in the prior waves of coronavirus infections “there has tended to be less in the way of economic implications … It is not an unreasonable expectation” that would remain the case this time, he added.

    The Fed’s policy statement, issued after the end of a two-day policy meeting, reflected that confidence.

    “With progress on vaccinations and strong policy support, indicators of economic activity and employment have continued to strengthen,” the central bank said in the statement.

    Looking past the quadrupling of daily U.S. coronavirus infections that has occurred since the Fed last met in June, the central bank indicated it still had faith that an ongoing vaccination drive would “reduce the effect of the public health crisis on the economy” and allow a robust reopening to proceed.

    Fed policymakers, in a unanimous statement, also said they were moving ahead with discussions about when to reduce the central bank’s bond-buying program, a precursor to eventually raising interest rates

  • Bezos offers NASA $2 billion in exchange for moon mission contract

    Bezos offers NASA $2 billion in exchange for moon mission contract

    Seattle (TIP): Fresh off his trip to space, billionaire businessman Jeff Bezos on Monday offered to cover up to $2 billion in NASA costs if the U.S. space agency awards his company Blue Origin a contract to make a spacecraft designed to land astronauts back on the moon.

    NASA in April awarded rival billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract to build a spacecraft to bring astronauts to the lunar surface as early as 2024, rejecting bids from Blue Origin and defence contractor Dynetics. Blue Origin had partnered with Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp and Draper in the bid.

    The space agency cited its own funding shortfalls, SpaceX’s proven record of orbital missions and other factors in a contract decision that senior NASA official Kathy Lueders called “what’s the best value to the government.” In a letter to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Bezos said Blue Origin would waive payments in the government’s current fiscal year and the next ones after that up to $2 billion, and pay for an orbital mission to vet its technology. In exchange, Blue Origin would accept a firm, fixed-priced contract, and cover any system development cost overruns, Bezos said.

    “NASA veered from its original dual-source acquisition strategy due to perceived near-term budgetary issues, and this offer removes that obstacle,” Bezos wrote.        Source: Reuters

  • WhatsApp will now keep chats archived even after receiving new messages

    WhatsApp will now keep chats archived even after receiving new messages

    WhatsApp will finally add a long-awaited feature to the app with a new update. The instant messaging app will now let users add unwanted chats to the ‘Archived’ folder and the chats will now stay in the folder when new messages come in, instead of coming back to the top, out of the Archived folder.

    The new feature will let users have more control over their inbox, along with more ways to organise their Archived folder. The feature will also let users stay clear of non-priority messages from clouding up the top of their chat list.

    “We have heard that users want their archived messages to stay tucked away in the Archived Chats folder, instead of moving back into your main chat list when a new message arrives,” WhatsApp said in a statement, adding that “the new Archived Chats settings mean that any message thread that is archived will now stay in the Archived Chats folder, even if a new message is sent to that thread.”

    “We know that not everything always needs to be front and centre for you. We want to make sure that WhatsApp remains a private and secure place where you can speak to the people who are most important to you and where you’re in control of your messages,” the company added.

  • Hubble finds first evidence of water vapour on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede

    Hubble finds first evidence of water vapour on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede

    Washington (TIP): Astronomers have uncovered the first evidence of water vapour in the atmosphere of Jupiter’s moon Ganymede by using new and archival datasets from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

    According to the study published in the journal Nature Astronomy on Monday, the water vapour forms when ice from the moon’s surface turns from solid to gas.

    Previous studies have offered circumstantial evidence that Ganymede, the largest moon in the solar system, contains more water than all of Earth’s oceans, NASA said.

    However, temperatures there are so cold that water on the surface is frozen solid, according to the US space agency.

    Ganymede’s ocean would reside roughly 160 kilometres below the crust, therefore, the water vapour would not represent the evaporation of this ocean.

    Astronomers re-examined Hubble observations from the last two decades to find this evidence of water vapour.

    In 1998, Hubble’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph took the first ultraviolet (UV) images of Ganymede, which revealed colourful ribbons of electrified gas called auroral bands, and provided further evidence that Ganymede has a weak magnetic field.

    The similarities in these UV observations were explained by the presence of molecular oxygen (O2).

    However, some observed features did not match the expected emissions from a pure O2 atmosphere.

    At the same time, scientists concluded this discrepancy was likely related to higher concentrations of atomic oxygen (O).

    Lorenz Roth of the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden led the team to measure the amount of atomic oxygen with Hubble.

    The team’s analysis combined the data from two instruments: Hubble’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph in 2018 and archival images from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) from 1998 to 2010.

    Contrary to the original interpretations of the data from 1998, they discovered there was hardly any atomic oxygen in Ganymede’s atmosphere.

    Roth and his team then took a closer look at the relative distribution of the aurora in the UV images.

    Ganymede’s surface temperature varies strongly throughout the day, and around noon near the equator it may become sufficiently warm that the ice surface releases some small amounts of water molecules, the researchers said.

    The perceived differences in the UV images are directly correlated with where water would be expected in the moon’s atmosphere, they said.

    “So far only the molecular oxygen had been observed,” explained Roth.

    “This is produced when charged particles erode the ice surface. The water vapour that we measured now originates from ice sublimation caused by the thermal escape of water vapour from warm icy regions,” he said.

    The finding adds anticipation to European Space Agency (ESA)’s upcoming mission JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE).

    Planned for launch in 2022 and arrival at Jupiter in 2029, JUICE will spend at least three years making detailed observations of Jupiter and three of its largest moons, with particular emphasis on Ganymede as a planetary body and potential habitat.

    “Our results can provide the JUICE instrument teams with valuable information that may be used to refine their observation plans to optimise the use of the spacecraft,” Roth added.

    Source: PTI

  • QR Codes are here to stay. So is the tracking they allow

    When people enter Teeth, a bar in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, the bouncer gives them options. They can order food and drinks at the bar, he says, or they can order via a QR code.

    Each table at Teeth has a card emblazoned with the code, a pixelated black-and-white square. Customers simply scan it with their phone camera to open a website for the online menu. Then they can input their credit card information to pay, all without touching a paper menu or interacting with a server.

    A scene like this was a rarity 18 months ago, but not anymore. “In 13 years of bar ownership in San Francisco, I’ve never seen a sea change like this that brought the majority of customers into a new behavior so quickly,” said Ben Bleiman, Teeth’s owner.

    QR codes — essentially a kind of bar code that allows transactions to be touchless — have emerged as a permanent tech fixture from the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants have adopted them en masse, retailers including CVS and Foot Locker have added them to checkout registers, and marketers have splashed them all over retail packaging, direct mail, billboards and TV advertisements.

    But the spread of the codes has also let businesses integrate more tools for tracking, targeting and analytics, raising red flags for privacy experts. That’s because QR codes can store digital information such as when, where and how often a scan occurs. They can also open an app or a website that then tracks people’s personal information or requires them to input it.                 Source: NYT

  • Mixed AstraZeneca-Pfizer shot boosts Covid antibody level, says study

    Mixed AstraZeneca-Pfizer shot boosts Covid antibody level, says study

    Seoul (TIP): A mixed vaccination of first AstraZeneca and then a Pfizer COVID-19 shot boosted neutralising antibody levels by six times compared with two AstraZeneca doses, a study from South Korea showed.

    The study involved 499 medical workers — 100 receiving mixed doses, 200 taking two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot and the remainder getting two AstraZeneca shots.

    All showed neutralising antibodies, which prevent the virus from entering cells and replicating, and the result of the mixed schedule of vaccines showed similar amounts of neutralising antibodies found from the group that received two Pfizer shots.

    A British study last month showed similar results — an AstraZeneca shot followed by Pfizer produced the best T-cell responses, and a higher antibody response than Pfizer followed by AstraZeneca.

    The data provides further support for the decision of several countries to offer alternatives to AstraZeneca as a second shot after the vaccine was linked to rare blood clots.

    The South Korean study also analysed neutralising activity against major variants of concern, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

    None of the groups demonstrated reduced neutralising activity against the Alpha variant, first identified in Britain, but the neutralisation titre decreased by 2.5 to 6 fold against Beta, Gamma and Delta, first detected in South Africa, Brazil and India, respectively.

  • Lauki Kofta

    Lauki Kofta

    Ingredients

    2 Cups Lauki, grated, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 Cup Besan, Tamarind, 1 1/2 Cups Onion , finely chopped, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Turmeric Powder, 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder, 2 tsp Coriander Powder, Tbsp Lauki Water, 5 Nos Tomato, pureed, 2 Tbsp Coriander Leaves, 2 Cups Water

    Method

    –              Grate Lauki and squeeze out the excess water and keep that water in a separate bowl to use in gravy. Now keep the grated Lauki in a deep bowl.

    –              Add salt, red chilli powder and besan to it. Mix the ingredients well. If it is watery then add little more besan for a thick consistency of the mixture.

    –              Apply oil on your palms and make flat ball to stuff 1 piece of tamarind in each ball.

    –              Cover the stuffing properly and make round shaped ball. Repeat this process with rest of the balls.

    –              Now deep fry the balls on medium heat till golden brown and crisp. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the chopped onion to it. Stir fry until onion is well cooked.

    –              Now add salt and turmeric powder. Stir well and cover the saucepan with a lid for 4-5 minutes. Keep checking the mixture to avoid overcooking.

    –              Now add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix well adding the Lauki water. Again cover the saucepan and cook further for few minutes. Then pour the tomato puree along with coriander leaves and stir fry for 5 minutes.

    –              Add fresh water and bring it to boil on medium heat. Stir in between occasionally. Add the fried koftas to the gravy and cook for few more minutes.

    –              Turn off the flame and transfer the Lauki kofta curry in a serving dish. Garnish with coriander leaves.

  • Huma Qureshi: It has been a difficult two years

    Huma Qureshi: It has been a difficult two years

    The film industry is taking baby steps towards resuming normalcy in the face of the pandemic, but actor Huma S Qureshi warms people against throwing caution to the wind. The actor, who herself has been out and about for her shooting commitments, says while staying at home for prolonged period is not an option, being careful is what we all should focus on while out of our houses.

    “Of course we’ve to go out, work and make a living. But one has to do it responsibly and respectfully maintaining our safety and the safety of others at the optimum. I’ve been working throughout this pandemic, and I understand the importance of that,” says the actor, urging people to step out only when absolutely necessary.

    “I know it’s very frustrating because we thrive on social interactions, but one has to do that responsibly,” she asserts.

  • Richa to play investigating officer in Six Suspects

    Richa to play investigating officer in Six Suspects

    Actor Richa Chadha is thrilled to star in filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia’s upcoming series Six Suspects and says the murder mystery features her in a complex character of an upright investigating officer trying to make her way in the male dominated system.

    Co-starring Pratik Gandhi, Six Suspects will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar. The series is an adaptation of author Vikas Swarup’s 2008 novel of the same name.

    The show has been produced by Ajay Devgn Ffilms and Reel Life Entertainment.

    Richa, known for her performances in films like Masaan and Fukrey, said the show presented her with the opportunity to work with Tigmanshu, her co-star from Gangs of Wasseypur.

  • Bhumi: Tried to use social media to spread awareness about climate conservation

    Bhumi: Tried to use social media to spread awareness about climate conservation

    Actress and environmentalist Bhumi Pednekar on World Nature Conservation Day on Wednesday, shared that she has tried to use social media as a tool to reach out to as many people as she can and find new ways to reach out to the youth to spread awareness about conservation.

    Bhumi said: “With all the focus on Covid-19 and restarting the world, we have to realise that climate change is happening as we speak. Yes, the entire attention has gone to the coronavirus pandemic as it should have but I’m hoping that the pressing issue of climate change hasn’t taken a backseat with governments.”

    Bhumi is deeply concerned about extreme weather conditions that are affecting people across the world.

    The 32-year-old actress said: “The pandemic has given us time to recalibrate, reset ourselves and our outlook towards the environment. We must pay heed to what is happening around us at all times. Even though mother nature got some time to heal, the looming danger has not yet been averted. We are still seeing forest wildfires, flash floods, polar caps melting happening around us.”

    She stressed that climate change needs to be taken seriously.

    “We have accelerated it to levels of heavy repercussions and there seems no stopping. Flash floods, drought, forest fires, disease outbreaks, mass extinction – we have seen it all. Our basic behaviour needs to change towards this global crisis,” she said.

    The actress is single-mindedly trying to raise awareness in India about the severe impact of climate change.

  • Dwayne Johnson takes Emily Blunt on her first Jungle Cruise ride

    Dwayne Johnson takes Emily Blunt on her first Jungle Cruise ride

    Actor Dwayne Johnson took to Instagram to share a video of himself taking his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt on a Jungle Cruise ride before the premiere of their film. The video begins with Dwayne taking Emily on her first Jungle Cruise ride. The two engage with their skipper and try to understand her ‘jokes’, giving Emily leverage to take a potshot at Dwayne’s sense of humour as well. “Still better than your jokes,” she says. When they disembark, they are greeted by screaming fans. Before they enter the theatre, Emily says nervously, “I am about to throw up.” The rest of the video focuses on the duo engaging with their fans after the film. Dwayne Johnson captioned the post, “Peak backstage with Emily & I for our JUNGLE CRUISE premiere day. After 3 years in the making, it was with butterflies, with mana and with so much love and gratitude for every soul in the theater that came to celebrate this special moment with us – our official worldwide JUNGLE CRUISE premiere. It was an incredible experience to share safely alongside the fans, the press and best of all the REAL Disneyland Jungle Cruise skippers right there under the stars at Disneyland. And very cool to take Emily on her first ever ride of JUNGLE CRUISE.”

  • Matt Damon endorses Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez reunion

    Actor Matt Damon is happy for his friend, actor Ben Affleck’s reunion with actor and singer Jennifer Lopez. Since April this year, it has been speculated that Ben and Jennifer have got back together.

    Matt spoke to Extra, while promoting his new film Stillwater. When asked about Ben’s reunion with former fiancee Jennifer, Matt said: “I’m just so happy for him. He’s the best. He deserves every happiness in the world. I’m glad for both of them.”

    On Jennifer Lopez’s 52nd birthday earlier this month, she made her relationship with Ben Instagram-official. The couple had jetted off to the South of France to ring in her birthday. On the occasion, she had shared a bunch of pictures in an orange bikini, on a yacht. While many of them were her solo pictures, the last picture showed Ben and her kissing.

    Jennifer and Ben split in 2004 after getting engaged in 2002. They have worked together in films such as Jersey Girl and Gigli.

    Rumours of Jennifer and Ben’s relationship first emerged in late April when they were spotted outside her LA home following her split from New York Yankees baseball star Alex Rodriguez.

    Since then, the couple has often been spotted together in Los Angeles and in Miami. In May this year, the duo was seen kissing. Later that month, the two reportedly went on a long vacation to Montana. In June this year, Jennifer reportedly went looking for schools in Los Angeles for her children. Jennifer shares 13-year-old twins Max and Emme with her ex, Marc Anthony. The kids have been attending school in Miami for years.

  • Judy Greer to headline indie film ‘LA Bound’

    Judy Greer to headline indie film ‘LA Bound’

    Hollywood actress Judy Greer will play the female lead in an independent feature film, ‘LA Bound’, claim reports.

    The film is based on a small-town high school football star and how he ruins his college scholarship to shift base to Los Angeles to become an actor, and pay tribute to his late sister’s passion for creative arts.

    As per reports, the film’s written and directed by Chris McGowan.

    Greer, who will play Carol Berry opposite Brec Bassinger in ‘LA Bound’, will soon be seen in the highly anticipated sequel to 2018 hit film ‘Halloween’—titled ‘Halloween Kills’.  Just like the previous installment, the upcoming sequel’s been co-written and directed by David Gordon Green.

  • Harappan city of Dholavira in Kutch among UNESCO’s world heritage sites

    Harappan city of Dholavira in Kutch among UNESCO’s world heritage sites

    Rajkot (TIP): Dholavira, the Harappan-era archaeological site located in Kutch district of Gujarat, was on Tuesday inscribed on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites, making it the first site of Indus Valley Civilisation in India to be included on the coveted list.

    The decision taken at the 44th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on at Fuzhou, China, comes days after the Kakatiya Rudreshwara temple in Telangana, popularly called the Ramappa Temple, was inscribed on the list.

    “Dholavira: A Harappan City, in India, just inscribed on the @UNESCO #WorldHeritage List. Cong-ratulations!” UNESCO tweeted. After Champaner, Rani ki Vav and the walled city area of Ahm-edabad, Dholavira is the fourth site from Gujarat to gain the tag.

    An official release from UNESCO described Dholavira as an ancient city, which is one of themost remarkable and well-preserved urban settlements in South Asia dating from the third to mid-second millennium BCE (Before Common Era).

    Discovered in 1968, UNESCO said in a release, the site is set apart by its unique characteristics, such as its water management system, multi-layered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in construction and special burial structures.

    “Of note is also the art associated with the city – artefacts of various kinds such as copper, shell, stone, jewellery of semi-precious stones, terracotta, gold, ivory have been found at the site. In addition, the interregional trade links associated with Dholavira, have also been acknowledged as contributing to the shared heritage of humanity,” UNESCO said.

    Located on Khadir island in the Great Rann of Kutch (GRK) in Bhachau taluka of Kutch district, Dholavira is around 210 kilometres east of district headquarters Bhuj. Spread over 22 hectares, the Harappan-era acropolis is the fifth largest archaeological site of the Indus Valley Civilisation, dating back to around 3000 BC and is believed to have been occupied till 1500 BC. It draws its name from present-day village Dholavira on the semi-arid island on the Indo-Pakistan border.

    “Absolutely delighted by this news. Dholavira was an important urban centre and is one of our most important linkages with our past. It is a must visit, especially for those interested in history, culture and archaeology,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, adding he had first visited the site during his student days and was mesmerised by the place.

    “As CM of Gujarat, I had the opportunity to work on aspects relating to heritage conservation and restoration in Dholavira. Our team also worked to create tourism-friendly infrastructure there,” Modi added.

  • SC says no immunity to protect legislators from criminal law

    SC says no immunity to protect legislators from criminal law

    New Delhi (TIP): The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday, July 28,  dismissed a petition filed by the Kerala Government seeking a direction to withdraw cases against prominent Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders for alleged vandalism in the Kerala State Assembly in 2015 when the current ruling party in the state was in opposition at the time of the incident.

    A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Chandrahud and comprising Justice M R Shah in its judgement said that “there is no immunity/privilege that protects legislators from criminal law.”

    “There is no merit in the Kerala government’s appeal, and the appeal stands dismissed,” Justice Dr Dhananjaya Chandrachud, leading the bench of the Supreme Court, said.

    The bench of the apex court had reserved the verdict on July 15.

    While dismissing the appeal, Justice Dr Chandrachud observed, “The Acts of vandalism does not serve public function or come under freedom of speech”.

    The apex court said that the withdrawal of cases against the accused persons will be against public justice and policy.

    “Vandalism and destruction inside the house is not essential for exercising legislative function,” the apex court said.

    It further said that the trial court was correct in rejecting the application to withdraw the FIR.

    Justice Chandrachud in the judgement also said that the members possess the privilege that is essential for exercising public functions.

    He added that the privileges of MLA bear a functional relationship to the discharge of functions of the legislators, but it is not a mark of difference that places the legislators on a pedestal.

    The privileges and immunity are not a mark of status which makes them stand on an unequal footing, the Supreme Court said in its judgement.

    Senior lawyer and former Solicitor General (SG) Ranjeet Kumar, appearing for the left party, had argued before the Supreme Court that the then government was presenting the budget. There were some protests and both party members protested and a woman member was hurt.

    “Legislative Secretary filed an FIR against our (Left) party members,” Kumar had said,

    The members of the ruling party were equally at fault. It was a fight between two parties, Kumar had told the Supreme Court and sought a direction to withdraw cases against prominent CPI(M) leaders for alleged vandalism in the Kerala state Assembly in 2015,

    To this, Justice Chandrachud asked Kumar whether it is in the interest of justice to throw things and damage material at the sanctum sanctorum of a democratic set-up.

    The apex court had in one of its hearings expressed concern over the MPs and MLAs not properly maintaining the decorum of houses and observed that a strong message needs to be sent out and such behaviour could not be tolerated.

    “Strong message needs to be sent out and such behaviour could not be tolerated,” the apex court had said, during the course of one of its hearings.

    The petition was filed before the Supreme Court against a March 12, 2021 order of the Kerala High Court.

    The Kerala High Court had rejected the State’s petition challenging the dismissal by the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court seeking permission to withdraw prosecution against the accused persons, including certain sitting ministers.      Source: ANI

  • ‘Poore desh me khela hoga, it will be Modi vs country in 2024’ – Mamata says in Delhi

    ‘Poore desh me khela hoga, it will be Modi vs country in 2024’ – Mamata says in Delhi

    New Delhi (TIP): It will be Modi vs the rest of India in 2024 and the opposition will create history, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday, July 28,  setting the tone for opposition unity in the Lok Sabha elections.

    “Poore desh me khela hoga. When general elections happen, it will be Modi vs country. This is our hope for 2024,” Banerjee said in a free-wheeling interaction with reporters in Delhi on the third day of her visit.

    The West Bengal CM, however, remained non-committal about her role at the national level and said she has a “sweet home” in Bengal and would like to stay there.

    “I don’t want to be a leader but a cadre. Let me be that. But I want to bell the cat; I want to help all. I am not a VIP but an LIP (Less Important Person),” Banerjee said when asked about her national role.

    She said the situation on the ground is different now. “Every regional party is very strong today. If all of them are together, they will be stronger than BJP,” she said.

    The West Bengal CM, on a strong footing after her party’s resounding victory in the assembly elections in May, reiterated that talks with various opposition leaders are going on but no final decision has been taken as yet on the opposition’s strategy for 2024.

    “The Parliament session is on, so political parties and their leaders are busy. Once the session is over, we will sit together and decide. In a democracy, talks have to go on,” she said.

    Asked who will become the leader of the opposition alliance, Banerjee said she is not a “political astrologer”.

    “It depends on the situation. All of us can work together. Anybody can become a leader,” she said. “I don’t want to impose my opinion. After the Parliament session, opposition parties must meet.”

    Following her interaction with the media, Banerjee met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and later Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

    After meeting Gandhi, Banerjee said the former had invited her for tea and they discussed a host of issues including the need for the opposition to come together. “Rahulji was also present. We discussed the political situation in the country, Pegasus as well as Covid,” she said.

    On the role the Congress will play in the coalition, Banerjee said Sonia also champions opposition unity. “Congress trusts the regional parties and regional parties trust Congress,” she said.

    Banerjee said that she is hopeful that a positive result will come out in the future from all these discussions.  She later met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.       Source: The Print

  • Pak agencies making fake calls to Indian security forces, alert issued

    Following the drone attack at the Jammu air base, security agencies have picked up several fake calls to the forces made by Pakistani spy agency ISI.

    Intelligence sources have said security agencies have issued an alert over an increasing number of fake calls being made to the Indian security forces from Pakistan.

    Pakistan’s ISI has been mulling over increasing the frequency of these fake calls to the Indian security force installations by impersonating senior officials of the armed forces, said the sources.

    These calls originate from different numbers with very few traces.

    Sources have also said that the increasing number of such calls after the drone threats in the western sector has raised an alarm among the security agencies.

    Such activities were reported by the security agencies earlier as well and advisories to the agencies were issued by the headquarters, according to intel sources.

    In view of the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, security agencies have been asked to remain vigilant of these fake calls and to take suitable measures to prevent the passage of any information