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classyfoxdestiny · 3 years

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Coronavirus live | Biden announces measures to vaccinate Americans

Reserve Bank of India will do everything to make the economy recover in a non-disruptive manner, its executive director Mridul Saggar said on September 9. He said that the COVID-19 pandemic shock is not unprecedented. It is just that no such crisis occurred in recent times and therefore it has taken some time for businesses, households as well as State responses to adjust to the crisis.

Meanwhile, more than half of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of anti-coronavirus vaccine while 18% got both the shots, the Union government said on September 9 as the total number of jabs administered in the country crossed 72 crore.

You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.

Here are the latest updates:

New Delhi

CM announces ‘grand’ Ganesh Pujan; live telecast from 7pm

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a “grand” Ganesh Pujan this evening, which will be attended by him and his ministers and telecast live from 7 pm, saying the festival is a blend of patriotism and spirituality.

The Delhi government has banned public celebrations of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the chief minister invited people to join the live ‘arti’ this evening. -PTI

International

Covid vaccines highly effective in preventing hospitalisations, emergency visits: U.S. study

Complete vaccination against COVID-19 is highly effective at preventing hospitalisation, emergency department visit, and intensive care admission due to infection with the virus, according to a study involving data from nearly 200 hospitals around the U.S.

The real-world evidence, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on September 9, was gathered from electronic health records (EHRs) which demonstrate that the vaccines provide high levels of protection for populations disproportionately affected by the virus. -PTI

National

Active cases fall to 3,90,646

India logged 34,973 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,31,74,954, while the active cases declined to 3,90,646, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on September 10.

The death toll climbed to 4,42,009 with 260 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.

The active cases comprise 1.18% of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.49%, the ministry said. -PTI

Maharashtra

Ganesh festival begins under COVID-19 cloud for 2nd year; ‘darshan’ goes online

Devotees welcomed Lord Ganesh in their homes and public pandals on September 10 as the 10-day festival dedicated to the elephant-headed God began in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra with focus on online ‘darshan’ amid the coronavirus pandemic and looming threat of a third wave.

For the second straight year, the pandemic cast a long shadow on festivities with the Maharashtra government placing a slew of restrictions to avoid gathering and processions.

The Maharashtra government has banned physical ‘darshan’ of Lord Ganesh at community pandals (marquees) and said only online ‘darshan’ or telecast from pandals would be allowed. -PTI

USA

Joe Biden announces sweeping measures to vaccinate Americans

A file picture of U.S. President Joe Biden | Photo Credit: Samuel Corum

U.S. President Joe Biden has announced wide-ranging measures to push Americans to get vaccinated. Some 100 million people or two-thirds of the American workforce will be covered by the new executive orders and rules on vaccinations.

While over 170 million Americans (just over 50% of the population) have been fully vaccinated as per official data, almost 80 million are yet to have their first shot, resulting in what Mr. Biden called a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”. Many of the countries intensive care units are overrun with unvaccinated COVID-19 patients – with over 101,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the country.

National

Student leaders demand reopening of college, university campuses

Student leaders from different institutes of the country on September 9 demanded the reopening of college and university campuses, which have been shut since last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a statement by the Students Islamic Organisation of India said.

The activists, including from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), also urged the Centre and State governments to provide concession in fees to students who are facing financial constraints due to the pandemic. -PTI

Tamil Nadu

RGGGH takes up study on virus pattern in inoculated patients

An analysis of the immune status, mortality and morbidity patterns post-vaccination among persons who tested positive for COVID-19 and hospitalised is being conducted at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).

Having treated the highest number of patients with COVID-19 in the State — approximately 57,000 people since the start of the pandemic — RGGGH has taken up an analysis of 970 patients admitted in COVID-19 wards in the last four months.

Karnataka

Hospitals see an increase in other respiratory ailments

Although COVID-19 cases are on the decline, the city is now under the grip of fever, upper respiratory tract infections, and seasonal influenza. Doctors attribute this to fluctuations in weather and intermittent rains.

Hospitals and telemedicine specialists are seeing a number of patients with lower and upper respiratory tract infections, viral fever, and other related infections. At least six out of every 10 patients are reporting with complaints of sore throat, fever, runny nose, cough, allergic bronchitis, asthma, and middle ear infection.

Tamil Nadu

COVID threat looms as Metro trains see rush

Back on track: Commuters have urged the CMRL to run more trains to enforce COVID-19 protocol in Metro trains. | Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

After several months, the number of commuters travelling by Metro trains touched 1.02 lakh on Wednesday. A few commuters said physical distancing norms were not followed on some trips with trains running jam-packed.

For the past few weeks, there has been a steady rise in the number of people travelling by Metro trains. From about 85,000 passengers in the last week of August, the number rose to one lakh on Wednesday. Before this, in February, when the phase I extension project from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar was opened, the patronage crossed one lakh, as against the pre-COVID level of 1.25 lakh a day.

New Delhi

‘Processing over 6,700 applications for ex gratia to kin of COVID victims’

The Delhi government informed the High Court on Thursday that it is processing over 6,700 applications for releasing ex gratia of ₹50,000 each to the families of persons who have died due to COVID-19 or related problems.

A Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh was informed that the Delhi government has prepared a list of around 25,000 persons who may be entitled to receive ₹50,000 ex gratia on account of death within the family due to COVID-19 or COVID-19 related issues.

New Delhi

Teachers visiting homes to help with COVID relief

Around 1 p.m., clutching a temporary identity card from the District Magistrate’s office, 33-year-old Chitra Suyal, a primary school teacher, rang the doorbell of a house and took a step back.

As an elderly woman half opened the door, Ms. Suyal said, “We are from the SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) office for the COVID compensation scheme. We had talked to your son.”The elderly woman returned to the door with son Navneet Singh, 36, and invited them inside. However, there is one thing that stood out: The family had never applied for the scheme.

Hundreds of teachers like Ms. Suyal are hopping from house to house to get people registered for a scheme to provide compensation for those whose family members have died due to COVID-19.

Tamil Nadu

Govt to hold mega COVID-19 vaccination camp on Sept 12

The Tamil Nadu government on September 9 appealed to people to make use of the mega vaccination camp scheduled to be held on September 12 in the State, saying such an event was essential to attain Covid free status.

Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian said as part of the mega camp, 40,000 booths would be established in primary health centres, government run hospitals, noon meal centres, schools and other vital locations in the State. -PTI

International

EU removes Japan, five other countries from safe travel list

The European Union has removed Japan and five other countries from its list of safe travel destinations, meaning visitors or people returning from those countries are likely to face tighter controls such as COVID-19 tests or quarantine.

Following a review, the governments of the EU’s 27 member states agreed to drop Japan, along with Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei and Serbia, the European Council said on September 9. Uruguay has been added to the list. -REUTERS

International

Moderna working on combination COVID-19 vaccine booster and flu shot

File photo of a Walmart pharmacist holding a vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Moderna Inc said on September 9 it is developing a single vaccine that combines a booster dose against COVID-19 with its experimental flu shot.

The company hopes to eventually add vaccines it is working on for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory diseases as an annual shot. -REUTERS

National

All Indian players in U.K. test negative, fifth Test likely to go ahead

All the 21 players of the Indian Test squad have tested negative for COVID-19, a development that clears the decks for the fifth Test against England to proceed as scheduled from September 10 after the uncertainty triggered by a positive case in the visiting contingent.

The entire Indian group had to undergo RT-PCR tests after assistant physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive for COVID-19 on September 9. -PTI

National

Covid vaccine effectiveness in preventing mortality 96% after 1st dose, 97% after 2nd dose: Govt

The effectiveness of anti-coronavirus vaccine in preventing mortality is 96.6% after the first dose and 97.5% after the second dose, the Centre said on September 9, citing data from a ‘COVID-19 tracker’ developed by synergising data from three platforms. -PTI

Italy

Italy approves booster COVID-19 shots for vulnerable groups

Italy’s medicines agency AIFA on September 9 approved the use of a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines for vulnerable groups of the population, a source close to the matter told Reuters.

The agency approved the so-called booster shot for those likely to have weaker protection from the conventional two-dose inoculation schemes – immunocompromised people, those over eighty years old and nursing home residents. -REUTERS

International

EU boosts Pfizer vaccine supply with German site approvals

The European Union’s drugs regulator on Thursday approved an increase in manufacturing capacity for the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech , which would help produce up to 50 million additional doses this year. -REUTERS

Tamil Nadu

Ban on festivals, political, religious gatherings to continue till October 31

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on September 9 announced the extension of the existing ban on festivals, political, social and religious gatherings in the state till October 31, as part of a stringent measure to prevent the spread of Coronavirus and to safeguard from possible third wave.

Insisting that the occasion calls for stricter protocols, he said events like festivals, political, religious and social events could turn into “super spreaders.” Tamil Nadu on August 30 had announced the closure of beaches on Sundays for the public apart from extending the ban on religious places of worship on weekends and also holding religious festivals due to the COVID-19 pandemic till September 15.

International

Cooperation on study of SARS-COV-2 origins important aspect of fight against Covid pandemic: BRICS

The BRICS nations on September 9 noted that the cooperation on study of origins of SARS-COV-2 is an important aspect of the fight against the Covid pandemic and expressed support for science-based processes, free from politicisation or interference, to strengthen international capabilities to better understand the emergence of novel pathogens.

In the Delhi Declaration, adopted after a summit between leaders of the member states of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the grouping also noted the ongoing discussions in the WTO on a COVID-19 vaccine Intellectual Property Rights waiver, with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa strongly emphasising the proposal for it. -PTI

International

80% kids in 14-18 yrs in India reported low levels of learning during Covid pandemic: UNICEF report

Offline classes have resumed after a gap of five months as schools were closed due to the second wave of COVID-19.

At least 80% children in India between the age group of 14-18 years reported lower levels of learning during COVID-19 pandemic than when physically at school, according to a UNICEF report.

Noting that repeated school closures have led to alarming inequities in learning opportunities for children in South Asia, the report by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) pointed out that 76% of parents of students aged 5-13 years reported drop in learning levels during remote learning. -PTI

National

SC to hear suo motu plea on extension of limitation period for filing cases on September 16

The Supreme Court September 9 fixed September 16 for consideration the suo motu case in which it had extended the period of limitation for filing appeals from courts or tribunals by litigants until further orders on April 27 keeping in mind the “alarming situation” that had emerged due to second wave of COVID-19.

The direction on listing of the suo motu case on extension of limitation period for hearing on September 16 was issued by a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana when a plea of Election Commission came up for consideration. -PTI

National

Govt develops COVID-19 vaccine tracker to give vaccination-related information

The Centre has developed a COVID-19 vaccine tracker by synergising data from three platforms to give information on various aspects of vaccination like effectiveness post inoculation.

Speaking at a briefing of the Union health ministry, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said the vaccine tracker has been developed by synergising data from CO-WIN potal, National COVID-19 testing database and COVID-19 India portal. -PTI

South Africa

South Africa launches high-level COVID-19 vaccination drive

The South African government has launched a project to boost COVID-19 vaccinations amid increasing anti-vaccination campaigns fuelled by fake social media messages.

Deputy President David Mabuza, who is leading the mass vaccination drive, was joined by leaders from the political, business, cultural, sporting and creative arts sectors at the launch of the social mobilisation campaign titled ‘Return to Play – It’s in your Hands’ on September 8. -PTI

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liveindiatimes · 4 years

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Sushant Singh Rajput’s old school pays tribute with emotional poem: ‘Do not stand at my grave and weep’ - bollywood

https://liveindiatimes.com/sushant-singh-rajputs-old-school-pays-tribute-with-emotional-poem-do-not-stand-at-my-grave-and-weep-bollywood/

Actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s school in Patna has paid tribute to the actor, who died by suicide on June 14. In a poster being shared online, the school honoured Sushant with a poem titled Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep, attributed to Mary Elizabeth Frye.

Alongside a picture of the late actor citing his date of birth and the date of his death, shared by The Times of India, is this poem:

Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning’s hush I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there. I did not die.

The tribute notes that Sushant belonged to the batch of 2001. The actor later enrolled as an engineering student, but dropped out of college months before graduating, to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He started off as a background dancer for big stars, joined the TV industry where he enjoyed great success, and later entered the world of films, where was considered one of the brightest and most successful among his contemporaries.

After Sushant’s death, Facebook pages run by alumni of his school were abuzz with images of the actor in his teens, donning the school uniform, captioned with messages of grief and shock.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput’s Dil Bechara co-star Sanjana Sanghi urges fans to stop demanding a theatrical release: ‘Make it easier for us’

Sushant is known for his performances in films such as MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, Kai Po Che, Sonchiriya and Kedarnath. His final film will be Mukesh Chhabra’s Dil Bechara, which will be released directly on the streaming platform Disney+Hotstar on July 24.

If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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vsplusonline · 5 years

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Demonetisation, GST & liquidity crisis drove small businesses to the brink. Then came coronavirus

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/demonetisation-gst-liquidity-crisis-drove-small-businesses-to-the-brink-then-came-coronavirus/

Demonetisation, GST & liquidity crisis drove small businesses to the brink. Then came coronavirus

The shock demonitisation of 2016, the haphazard implementation of GST and the liquidity crisis that followed the collapse of IL&FS meant MSMEs across the country were struggling. What more could have gone wrong? It seems the worst was yet to come.

Coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19, is an infectious disease that leads to severe and acute respiratory problems in humans, but has now left MSMEs across the country gasping for breath. As cities across the country go under lockdown, people stay at home and ‘social distancing’ becomes the norm, the sheer timing of the worldwide pandemic could not have been worse for millions of small businesses.

Perhaps, the segment that gets impacted the most during any turmoil is the F&B industry. There is no full scale lockdown in India, but the F&B Industry is already in distress.

“The food service industry has been going through a very tough time for the last few months due to a change in consumption trends and some because of certain regulatory issues. For example, denial of input tax credit on the GST as well as no concrete policies in the online business in food. While we were dealing with all this, coronavirus has come and created an almost existential crisis for us. In our business, the proportion of fixed operating assets is frightfully high and with the kind of revenue reduction that we have seen, the mall outlets in the major cities have shut down and standalone are probably working at a 60-70% lesser numbers than what they would normally do,” says Anurag Katriar, NRAI President and CEO & Executive Director, deGustibus Hospitality.

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Katriar adds that there is a real scare of jobs being lost and companies just shutting shop because everyone may not have the economic ability to deal with these kinds of losses.

“This could not have come at a worse time and every segment of the business, whether it is restaurant, dining, deliveries or banqueting, every segment is impacted and right now we are in a very, very bad shape,” says Katriar.

Skidding off Another sector that is in dire straits is the automotive sector. Auto sector plays on sentiments and the current situation has made things even tougher for the sector. According to Vinnie Mehta, Director General, Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), the auto industry has been facing many upheavals lately, and the coronavirus scare has only added to the segment’s woes.

“While the challenges faced by the industry is not just alone due to coronavirus, but this one is coming at a juncture when the industry has been grappling with multiple issues. Month-on-month sales have been dropping, and the industry has been simultaneously transitioning from BS-IV to BS-VI. So, all these factors make this crisis a challenge,” he opined.

The auto industry is going through its worst slowdown for a year now and hopes for a turnaround this year has quickly fizzled. The slowdown in demand had led to total wholesale automobile sales in the country declining by a little over 19% during the month of February 2020. However, things are expected to get worse for the month of March, which is expected to see the full impact of Covid-19 play out.

Mahendra Sanghi, Ex-President, Assocham and Group Chairman, Sanghi Group of Industries says the impact will ruin MSMEs in the coming days. “While we are trying to cope with demonetisation and teething and compliance issues of GST, this virus has come. It is definitely, the worst time that the virus has hit us,” Sanghi says.

Auto is not the only sector facing turbulent times. The electronics industry is also battling production and supply woes. The Electronic Industries Association of India (Elcina) believes that while the demonetization shock and adjusting to the GST processes and compliance requirements have largely played out, many electronics segments have been facing a depressed market. “To that extent, the Covid- 19 epidemic is an added challenge, making things even more difficult,” says Rajoo Goel, Secretary General, Elcina.

iStock

A crisis These are uncharted waters for every business and the most can only hazard a guess on how things will play out. The entire concept of quarantine and large sections of the working populace working remotely shows a paradigm shift in how businesses need to operate. If this would lead to permanent behavioral changes, which in turn has an impact on the shape of the economy, is difficult to tell.

According to Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General, Federation of Indian Micro and Small Medium Enterprises (FISME), “It is certainly not a good news for the economy in general, and MSMEs in particular. They are more vulnerable to shocks an our worry is that the current crisis could lead to an exodus of workers to their rural roots, bringing the economic engine to grinding halt.” With no endgame in sight, if the crisis is prolonged Bhardwaj says several sectors, from pharma to electronics to raw material for a range of sectors, would be hit hard.

What is worrying is the fact that what we are witnessing now could be just the tip of the iceberg and the contagion could get worse. Consumer demand has not fallen rapidly yet in India, but will eventually go that route, says Mahavir Pratap Sharma, Past Chairman, Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC). “Exports are reducing and will reduce further. If people stop doing the basics, such as not go to the movies, to the mall, avoid travel etc, the sentiment will naturally go down. Sentiments are also lower due to the uncertainty that currently looms large in the market,” he says.

Sharma says small shops and traders will suffer far more, but it will soon trickle down to exports and reduced industrial output. “Export targets for this year will see a downward trend. The impact will be seen across businesses. I anticipate a 1% spiral of GDP growth rate if this doesn’t subside soon enough,” he adds.

iStock

Blank sailing There is definitely a loss of confidence among Indian MSMEs and the manufacturing industry India at large would bear the brunt. There is a realization that acute dependence on one source for key inputs is a highly risky and that the world is staring at an economic slowdown.

Goel says the crisis is now across the value chain and not only due to shortages of material supplies, but also due to restrictions put in place across the globe.

As lockdown of entire cities takes place, consumer confidence has fallen sharply. No industry has been spared and major shows and events across the world have either been cancelled or postponed. Stefanie Bauer, Director, Circular Apparel Innovation Factory (CAIF), Intellecap says that while it is too early to say how much of the exports will get affected; the coronavirus has taken a toll on major fashion events around the globe that are critical events for the Indian industry.

“While events in Asia like Intertextile Shanghai, Tokyo Fashion Week and Beijing and Shanghai Fashion Week have already been cancelled, a number of annual European or US-based events are either postponed or cancelled, such as the Copenhagen Fashion Summit. Many brands and designers have cancelled their 2020 fall fashion shows that are supposed to happen in March or April and showcase their fall season online on their websites, social media or newly created platforms. While it is too early to say the size of the impact, estimates state that the impact could be as big as $ 64 million.

Shipping and transportation has the largest exposure to a global slowdown induced by coronavirus and U Shekhar, Chairman, Galaxy Surfacent Ltd says the real impact of the virus would be felt across logistics and cargo movements. “Transportation certainly is impacted as a result of the outbreak, where clearances of containers have not taken place smoothly at various ports. Such instances put huge pressure on the availability of containers for movements, and we do see a lot of ‘blank sailing’, which means while there are movements of ships, but not much cargo is contained therein. This is one aspect we see the virus impacting the international flow of trade,” says Shekhar.

Bhardwaj says it is difficult to predict the impact of Coronavirus in Indian economy as of now, but there is a need to be very alert. “Looking at what happened in China it could be imagined that it can completely paralyze the economic activity within no time if allowed to spread,” he says.

(With contributions from Neha Dewan and Shariq Khan)

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bigyack-com · 5 years

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My most ambitious book yet: Ashwin Sanghi on ‘The Vault of Vishnu’ - books

Bestselling fiction writer Ashwin Sanghi has called his upcoming book, ‘The Vault of Vishnu’, the sixth in his popular mythological ‘Bharat series’, his “most ambitious” project yet.The book, which will be officially launched at the 13th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival on January 23 by Sanghi and popular Bollywood actor and author Sonali Bendre Behl, tells the story of three travellers who keep moving along an ancient trade route in ‘search of answers’. “‘The Vault of Vishnu’ is my most ambitious book yet because it spans two great civilizations - India and China. I have always believed that a good book is one where the pages turn effortlessly. I hope I have succeeded in giving my readers an engrossing and gripping story,” Sanghi said in a statement.Published by Westand Books, Sanghi’s latest work uses his favourite tool -- mythology, and blends it with history to deliver some “edge-of-the-seat action”. “It is a tale of an exciting and shadowy world of Ashwin Sanghi writings where past, present, and future are all tied together by an ancient secret,” publishers said. Other books in the “Bharat series” include “The Rozabal Line”, “Chanakya’s Chant”, “The Krishna Key”, “The Sialkot Saga”, and “Keepers of the Kalachakra”.Sanghi, who is among India’s top bestselling English fiction writers, has several accolades to his credit including the Crossword Popular Choice (2012), Amazon India Top-10 e-book (2018), Bangalore LitFest Popular Choice Award (2018), WBR Iconic Achievers Award 2018 and the latest Literature Legend Award (2018). He has also co-authored the popular “13 Steps” series that include books like “13 Steps to Bloody Good Marks”, “13 Steps to Bloody Good Wealth”, and “13 Steps to Bloody Good Parenting”. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. )Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Read the full article

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skrisiloff · 7 years

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Here’s what CEOs said on this week’s earnings calls

Each week we read dozens of transcripts from earnings calls and presentations as part of our investment process. Below is a weekly post which contains some of the most important quotes about the economy and industry trends from those transcripts. Click here to receive these posts weekly via email.

Earnings season began to slow back down this week. Most of the important companies have now reported, so this week’s post draws heavily from a handful of calls. The economic picture remains unchanged. There’s still a lot of optimism, but fundamentally GDP growth has been anemic and policymakers haven’t come through on promises.

Among the quotes are two interesting blocks. One is from Charlie Ergen of Dish. He implies that internet companies are seeing more than their fair share of profits from connectivity and that telecom companies (the distributors that make the internet possible) will fight back. Ergen has an ulterior motive in saying this. He owns a large chunk of wireless spectrum and may be trying to get one of those internet companies (Amazon?) to think about buying him.

The other interesting block is from David Seaton of Fluor. He points out that construction markets have never really gotten back to prior peaks. He is optimistic about infrastructure spending though. Even without a large stimulus bill, American infrastructure is probably overdue for some heavy investment.

The Macro Outlook:

Most people are feeling pretty good

“I feel pretty good about the global economy right now. We’ve already experienced, as you’ve seen in our orders the last couple of quarters, this is pretty good activity right now and we look for it to continue.” –Parker Hannifin CEO Tom Williams (Industrial Components)

The original reasons for optimism haven’t materialized but it’s better to be lucky than right

“I guess this is a case of better lucky than right. We expected the market to go up but for different reasons. We thought it would be based on generally positive growth oriented policies enacted by the administration, lower taxes, infrastructure spending, healthcare, reform et cetera, none of these things transpired. But what has transpired has been kind of global synchronized economic growth and a very accommodative global monetary structure. So, I’m happy with the outcome the reason for it was different from what we anticipated, but we’ll take it.” –Third Point CEO Dan Loeb (Hedge Fund)

Profits have rebounded but GDP growth has been anemic

“I think GDP probably is still a better reference point for assessing demand than corporate profits are. Obviously, they’re both averages of lots of economic activity and lots of participants in the economy. But GDP is a broader measure. Obviously, GDP has been quite anemic.” –Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson (Hotels)

Washington is gridlocked

“So one of the frustrations I see, and this is kind of a political commentary…there’s 2,200…candidates have to go through Senate approval. I think the last count was 55. And you’ve got people like Elaine Chao in transportation. You’ve got Rick Perry in energy, Rex in State. These people that we know and know well are sitting there twiddling their thumbs, so to speak, because we haven’t been able – the government hasn’t been able to give their team. So I think that is why you saw things screech to a halt. And I don’t see a whole lot of improvement until that phenomenon is behind us and the efforts that the administration are putting forth in terms of the regulatory reform actually see light of day. A lot of good intent, a lot of good thought and strategies to people that I’ve talked to, including the folks I just mentioned, but until we get those things, done you’re not going to see these permits that are absolutely necessary to go forward actually awarded.” –Fluor CEO David Seaton (Engineering)

But don’t under-estimate the optimism

“Don’t under-appreciate the optimism, which still seems to exist in the market and in corporate America these days. And compare it to the point of view last August, September, and October, you’re talking about a pre-election time. I think there was not a sort of robust optimism. Economy seemed to be producing, again, fairly anemic GDP growth. And I think in some respects, while that fairly anemic GDP growth has continued into 2017, there is still some optimism. You can see it reflected in certainly the equities markets and other places.” –Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson (Hotels)

Inventories are still low

“we are continuing to see a very strong business environment for our products worldwide…Our bookings rate in the June quarter was extremely strong. Our inventories at Microchip as well as at the distributors are towards the low end of the normal range.” –Microchip CEO Steve Sanghi (Semiconductors)

There’s some modest restocking taking place

“On the distribution level, I would say there is some modest restock taking place. There’s been a surge in activity and I have North America mostly in mind when I make that comment.” –Parker Hannifin COO Lee Banks (Industrial Components)

Radical price transparency makes it harder to have inflation

” we’re nearly 80% [occupied] for the full quarter, which is a pretty impressive kind of number. And so, you would expect a little bit more pricing movement. But…you’ve got to remember that we have thousands of franchisees who are pricing their own hotels on a day-to-day basis. And it is a market with radical transparency in pricing. And that may have some impact on our ability to move rates in this cycle compared to prior cycles.” –Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson (Hotels)

Consumer:

Disney is ready to go head to head with Netflix

“It’s been clear to us for a while with the future of this industry will be forged by direct relationships between content creators and consumers…we’re accelerating our strategy to be at the forefront of this transformation…With this strategic shift, we’ll end our distribution agreement with Netflix for subscription streaming of new releases beginning with the 2019 calendar-year theatrical slate.” –Disney CEO Bob Iger (Media)

No other studio gets Netflix’s multiple

“we have Netflix envy, and we try to present our results in a way to give you the ability to value us on an equivalent metric. So we’ll leave the valuation to you guys. We’ll post the results and you tell us what it’s worth.” –CBS CFO Joseph Ianniello (Media)

Food companies are struggling

“clearly not everything went our way in the first half. Canada, India and commodity cost in United States are just a few examples” –Kraft Heinz CEO Bernardo Hees (Packaged Food)

“we’re experiencing a decline in our base volume greater than our previous expectations…Volume softness continues to weigh on the broader food industry.” –Dean Foods CEO Ralph Scozzafava (Dairy)

Technology:

Charlie Ergen made a good point about the relative strength of telecom and internet companies

The $500B tech companies all depend on connectivity

“I think Amazon is one of those $500 billion companies that probably have to think about connectivity in their future…their cloud business doesn’t work unless it’s connected.” –Dish CEO Charlie Ergen (Wireless Spectrum Owner)

That connectivity may not always be as cheap as it is today

“I think everybody in – the really big companies have always assumed there’s going to be a connectivity network out there that they can piggyback off of. And I think that if net neutrality rules get more define…you’re not going to be quite as confident of that in the future.” –Dish CEO Charlie Ergen (Wireless Spectrum Owner)

The telecom companies aren’t going to let the internet companies make all the money

“You can’t have all the profits going to three or four companies and have the guys that are – the companies that are providing them the raw material to make that money, not get wake up one day and get a little smarter…at some point, all the money going one direction, a lot of people are enabling that.” –Dish CEO Charlie Ergen (Wireless Spectrum Owner)

The balance of power always shifts between content and distribution

“They’re going to wake up and say maybe they should get – I’ve been through this business long enough to know that the money ebbs and flows between distribution and content. It’s probably going to continue to do that today. And a lot of the content companies, probably the distribution guys, probably are going to be in position to get a more of it. Then it may go the other direction.” –Dish CEO Charlie Ergen (Wireless Spectrum Owner)

Industrials:

Construction markets have never fully rebounded

“the current market environment is perhaps the worst I’ve seen in my 30-plus years. The market has contracted since 2014. The good news is that we’re starting to see prospects come back in some of our end markets including mining” –Fluor CEO David Seaton (Engineering)

Infrastructure spending is one brightening spot

“I feel pretty good about infrastructure and what’s going to happen. I would caution though…there is no such thing as a shovel-ready project. But what I’m very eager to see is that at least the dialogue is around…toll roads, bridges, ports, airports…But I believe that our infrastructure group will continue to be a bright spot” –Fluor CEO David Seaton (Engineering)

Infrastructure projects definitely suffer from the regulatory environment

“I think the capital is there. I agree with you 100%. I think the problem is, you got to look at the Purple Line in Baltimore. Project passed all the hurdles environmentally, financially, everything else and then the regulatory environment slowed it down and actually stopped it for a while. So even though the capital is ready, some of the projects, I think, are at least to a point where you get to that next stage. I think the regulatory reform that the government is talking about has to come through before the timing of those things actually improve. And I’d put pipelines in that category.” –Fluor CEO David Seaton (Engineering)

Full transcripts can be found at www.seekingalpha.com

#$DISH #$DIS #$mar #$FLR #$DF #$KHC #$CBS #$MCHP

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cheapest-usps-eddm · 4 years

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Rhea Chakraborty had shared screenshots of the conversation she had with her boyfriend, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, in which he expressed concerns about his sister Priyanka, calling her evil and manipulative. Kamya Punjabi reacts to it.

Television actress Kamya Punjabi reacted to Rhea Chakraborty sharing her chat (WhatsApp conversations) with her boyfriend, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. In the screenshots shared by Rhea, Sushant expressed concerns about his sister Priyanka, calling her evil and manipulative. Kamya Punjabi took to Twitter and wrote, "What is she trying to prove with this? Bhai behen meh jhagde hote rehte hai koi badi baat nahi hai (Siblings fights are not a big deal)... n most imp he was staying with you n not his sister.. all the credit cards were used by you, not his sister!!! #chorkidaadhimehtinka #JusticeForSushantSinghRajput #rheakireality [sic]"

Sushant Singh Rajput couldn’t sleep for nights until Sanjana Sanghi clarified MeToo blind items, says Pavitra Rishta director

Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput was quite disturbed and couldn’t sleep for nights until Dil Bechara actress Sanjana Sanghi clarified MeToo ...

In the chat shared by Rhea's legal team with IANS, the actor says that he believed his sister was manipulating 'Sid Bhai', where he seems to be referring to either his sister's husband Siddharth or his friend and roommate Siddharth Pithani. Sushant also praises Rhea, her brother Showik and family in the chat. "Your family is very epic. Showik is compassionate and you too who are mine, you are a sufficient cause for the inevitable change and respite globally. Behind these important changes. It will be a pleasure for me to be around you folks Cheers my friend for being a rockstar," he wrote. In the next message, Sushant said: "You please smile, you look great like that. I would try to sleep now. I wish I had a dream like Jamila. Would it be amazing? Bye." He then wrote about his sister, calling her "pure evil". He says that she is manipulating 'Sid bhai'. Sushant wrote: "("To Priyanka"), You do this, after the shameful act, making this a coverup to attract attention playing the victim card to the most non negotiable act of molestation under the influence of alcohol." Sushant, in his message, further wrote that his sister had gone against the teachings of their mother. He wrote, "If you're blinded by your ego, God bless you because I'm not afraid and I will continue doing what I've done till now in bringing out the necessary changes in the world. Let God and nature decide what 'act' is right now."

Sushant Singh Rajput case: Rhea Chakraborty alleged his sister Priyanka molested her, states lawyer

Some explosive revelations have come to the fore in Sushant Singh Rajput ' s case where the family lawyer has claimed that Rhea Chakrab...

The late actor addressed his next message to 'Sid bhai', and wrote: "She has hit you in front of my eyes and that was right and here after committing a crime where the girl (here my sister) has done what..." It was previously reported that Rhea had accused Priyanka of molesting her after being too drunk, which created a barrier between the siblings. It seems Sushant is referring to the incident in the chats. On Saturday, Rhea had revealed the only two things of her late boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput that she possesses. Rhea's lawyer Satish Maneshinde shared a photo of a "gratitude list" written by Sushant on Rhea's notebook, where he has mentioned that he is grateful for his life and the presence of Rhea's family in his life. She also shared a photo the late actor's sipper with Chhichhore -- the title of Sushant's 2019 hit -- written on it. "The only property of Sushant that I possess. And this is his handwriting lillu is showik (her brother), bebu is me, sir is my dad, ma'am is my mom, fudge is his dog," Rhea explained the names on the note. The note is undated and it comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate questioned Rhea, her brother Showik, her chartered accountant Ritesh Shah and former manager Shruti Modi for over eight hours in connection with the money laundering probe, in the wake of Sushant's death. Sushant was found hanging at his residence in Bandra on June 14. Rhea has been accused of abetment to suicide and money laundering among other charges in an FIR filed by the late actor's father KK Singh.

#Kamya Punjabi Reacts To Rhea Chakraborty's Chat With Sushant Singh Rajput #Bollywood News #Movies Re

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gokul2181 · 4 years

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‘Sushant and I used to talk about the authors we love’

New Post has been published on https://jordarnews.in/sushant-and-i-used-to-talk-about-the-authors-we-love/

‘Sushant and I used to talk about the authors we love’

Actor Sanjana Sanghi’s Twitter bio reads: “cinema and academia are beautiful things”. A topper in journalism at Delhi University and invested in grassroots education and development in the Capital, the 23-year-old chanced upon acting in films in school. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra had spotted her in a school play and asked her to audition for a supporting role in Rockstar (2011). Then 14, Sanghi quickly realised that the camera does not intimidate her, but the profession was not the end-goal in itself.

As an actor, she wishes to channel fame into enhancing her work in the education sector. “I want to make the country a better place for our youth,” she says, over a phone conversation.

Her interest in academia is what enabled her to instantly connect with her co-actor, Sushant Singh Rajput, who died by suicide in June. The two play terminally-ill characters, Kizie and Manny, in the coming-of-age drama, Dil Bechara, an Indian adaptation of the commercially successful novel and film, The Fault in Our Stars. Rajput’s last film is set for a posthumous release.

“We used to talk about the authors we love. He used to find it exciting that if he mentioned John Berger, I would say Ways of Seeing, or Yuval Noah Harari and I used to say 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, so he really loved that I actually loved those books… It was rare for him to find that [with fellow actors] and I hate that it is rare,” she reminisces.

Teenage favourite

The Fault in Our Stars was among the books Sanghi fawned over as a teenager in high school. “I was that 16-year-old who was obsessed with the novel and bunked school to watch the film,” she recalls. When Chhabra approached her to audition for Dil Bechara, she was excited yet apprehensive of doing justice to a story that has already been told in two mediums. “But the writers have done a good job at culturally adapting it to Jamshedpur,” she informs.

The actor’s interpretation of Kizie, a character battling thyroid cancer, involved going beyond her illness. “Initially, when a person is facing a debilitating disease, that disease defines them,” she observes. “When we did several readings of the script, we realised that the disease cannot define them because there is so much more that they grew up with.” Sanghi arrived at this understanding after spending time with young survivors at the Indian Cancer Society in Mumbai. “I chatted with them and understood their emotional reality, how they go to school with a cylinder and come back and do five blood tests,” she recalls. “Initially, it was debilitating but two years on, you adapt and as humans, we adapt.”

Hurdles and accusations

The actor came onboard the project freshly out of college at 21, and two years on, the film is ready to release on Disney+ Hotstar on July 24. Although shot for the big screen, the pandemic compelled the producers to opt for a direct OTT release. Even before the pandemic, the film faced several hurdles and delays. In 2018, Chhabra, who makes his directorial debut with this film, was accused of sexual misconduct as part of the #MeToo movement. He was suspended as the director but was reinstated reportedly after conducting an inquiry. Allegations of sexual harassment were also made against Rajput, which was dismissed by Sanghi as “baseless”. “That really breaks my heart when I look back at it,” she confides. “The journalism I learnt is one of honesty and objectivity. When I saw things that are so far from reality being written, it affected me… I was so young and inexperienced that it used to really bother me but then I knew our reality.”

The biggest learning for Sanghi with Dil Bechara has been that filmmaking has several variables that can derail a project. “The pandemic and Sushant not being with us in post-production, these are not in my control and I’m struggling to come to terms with [it] but I have to adapt,” she shares.

The actor is in no hurry to sign any new films and prefers “to be choosy” and be known for “quality over quantity” in the long-run. Based in Delhi and invested in the theatre, art, culture and educational landscape of the city, Sanghi says that “stardom doesn’t excite her”, but it’s merely a tool for her to create visibility for the causes she believes in.

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smnews · 5 years

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Audible, the world’s largest seller and producer of audio entertainment and audiobooks, on Thursday introduced a new service created exclusively for Indian listeners. Audible Suno, available for free on Android devices, offers unlimited, free access to hundreds of hours of audio entertainment, enlightenment and learning featuring many of India’s favourite celebrities and personalities.

At launch, Audible Suno offers more than 60 original and exclusive series in both Hindi and English. Each show is comprised of short, easy-to-digest episodes featuring stars like Amitabh Bachchan (Kaali Awaazein), Katrina Kaif, Karan Johar (Picture Ke Peechhe), Anil Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Mouni Roy, Anurag Kashyap, Tabu, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Diljit Dosanjh, Vir Das, and Vicky Kaushal.

The range of fiction series includes horror (Kaali Awaazein), romance/relationships (Matrimonial Anonymous and Piya Milan Chowk), and suspense (Thriller Factory), while the comedy series on Audible Suno feature India’s funniest comedian (The Unexperts by Abish Mathew). Non-fiction series available on Audible Suno include intimate interviews with some of the country’s biggest stars (Kissa Khwabon Ka, Picture Ke Peechhe); socially relevant series that explore topics like mental health, sex education and the rights of the LGBTQI+ community (Azaad Awaaz, SentiMental). Dale Carnegie (translated in Hindi), Om Swami, Radhakrishnan Pillai, and Divya Prakash Dubey are among the top authors featured on Audible Suno.

With Audible Suno, Audible enables listeners to turn their idle time into “found time” and unlock more hours every day to fill with entertainment and learning. Whether listeners are riding on the bus or the local train, are busy doing chores or cooking, are working out at the gym or even relaxing at home, Audible Suno offers the perfect solution to spend the time meaningfully.

“Audible Suno is a world-first for Audible, and reflects our commitment to creating exceptional entertainment for our Indian customers,” said Audible founder and CEO Don Katz. “I’ve always been passionate about the transformative power of the spoken word, and I’m delighted to be able to offer this breadth of famous voices and culturally resonant genres with unlimited access, ad-free and free of charge.”

“In India, our love of storytelling is ingrained in our culture, as we share stories generation after generation, and as we create and pass on new stories with family and friends today. Since its founding, Audible has worked in service of a singular purpose: to ignite the power of sound to entertain, inspire and move listeners, which we will now further with the launch of an India-first offering – Audible Suno,” said Shailesh Sawlani, VP, Country Manager India, Audible.

Amitabh Bachchan (Kaali Awaazein) said, “I have always believed that audio is an incredibly powerful, yet thus far under-utilized entertainment medium in India, and it is exciting that Audible is poised to change that. It is breaking new ground with spoken-word entertainment, showcasing a wide range of deeply Indian stories told by some of India’s most famous voices. The series featuring my voice, Kaali Awaazein, is a fictional psychological thriller inspired by ghost stories and supernatural sightings, designed with immersive 3D sound to make these stories come alive on Audible Suno in a way I hope my fans would enjoy. It has been a first-time experience for me and one that I have enjoyed doing.”

“As an artist and director, I’m constantly on the lookout for new ways to present riveting stories. With Audible Suno, I am thrilled by the opportunity to create cutting-edge audio entertainment in a completely new format. Audible Suno has inspired me to push the envelope when it comes to storytelling, harnessing the power of audio,” said Thriller Factory director and presenter Anurag Kashyap.

“What excites me about Audible Suno is being able to explore a completely different format as an artist. I think an audio show can spark imagination in ways that few other formats can, leading to a powerful experience as a listener. I am proud to be a part of what promises to be a wonderful and rewarding journey,” said Thriller Factory performer and actor Tabu.

“Comedy can often rely on being visually engaging. So, Be Stupid with Vir Das was a cool creative puzzle - trying to get the funny from my mouth to your ears with nothing in between! More than anything else, I got to sit down with amazing people. I'm a storyteller at heart and I can't wait to bring you their hilarious and stupid stories. I’m so glad I was able to explore this new medium with Audible Suno, and I hope my audience listens to me and other series on the app, from my particular stupid...all the way to the sensible,” said comedian Vir Das.

The Audible Suno app is now available to download for free on devices that run Android 4.4 onwards. iOS users in India can access Audible Suno content for free as well via the current iOS Audible app.

Audible Suno is a distinct offering from Audible’s audiobook service, which launched for Indian customers in November 2018 to provide members with access to a large library of over 200,000 audiobooks, including more than 250 recently added titles in Hindi and Urdu. Among the selections available in Hindi are Charag by Waseem Bareilvi, Manas Ka Hans by Amritlal Nagar and Buri Ladki by Priyanka Gupta, as well as translations of works including Meeri Gita by Devdutt Pattanaik, The Mastery Manual by Robin Sharma and Chanakya Mantra by Ashwin Sanghi. One year on, Audible is solidifying its commitment to Indian listeners and to growing the rapidly evolving category with the launch of Audible Suno, an India-first, free-of-cost audio entertainment service.

ORIGINAL SERIES AT A GLANCE

SCRIPTED SERIES/FICTION

Thriller Factory: Thriller Factory is a 10-episode series directed by Anurag Kashyap, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tabu and Sachin Khedekar. Adapted from the work of celebrated writer Ved Prakash Sharma, written by Pravesh Bhardwaj and created with an immersive score inspired by ‘80s Bollywood movies, every episode takes you into the blood-soaked underbelly of India’s best pulp fiction.

Kaali Awaazein: Kaali Awaazein is a 10-episode fictional series featuring the one and only Amitabh Bachchan, directed by Mantra and written by Mantra and Mishkka Singh Shekhawat. This psychological thriller is inspired by ghost stories, supernatural sightings and strange phenomena reported from the most haunted places across India. Every episode features a new story and an immersive 3D sound experience that will place you at the very center of the story. Listen with the lights on.

Bhoot Kaal: Bhoot Kaal is a 30-episode series created and narrated by Neelesh Misra. This series is based on supernatural and horror stories from across urban and rural India that play on the very basic human instinct: the fear of the unknown. The stories are fictional and created purely for the purpose of evoking thrill and entertainment.

Chhupe Saaye: Chhupe Saaye is a 38-episode series featuring stories of the supernatural, paranormal, horror, suspense and crime from the best of English, Bengali and regional literature. From strange creatures emerging from a moonlit lake, to a deadly stalker following a schoolmaster in the dead of the night, to a lifeless doll coming to the rescue of a little girl, to the sad tale of a patient fighting his inner demons, experience stories that will stay with you long after you listen.

Mine and Yours: Mine and Yours is a 10-episode romantic drama starring Mantra and Mishkka Singh Shekhawat, about hidden desires and unfulfilled lust in a relationship. “Yours” has a secret. “Mine” is hiding something from Yours too. As you listen, from a chance encounter, to a first kiss, to a night together in a hotel room and a whirlwind trip around the world, you’ll soon realize that Mine and Yours are keeping something from you too.

Pull to Refresh: Pull To Refresh is an 8-episode fictional series created by Terribly Tiny Tales. Ananya Mehra is a foul-mouthed, unfiltered twenty-something who runs a podcast that divulges her entire life. Nothing is sacred or off-limits. She records intimate, personal conversations with the people in her life and streams them on her show without their knowing. When she hits her lowest low, it is her own life that begins to unravel before listeners.

Tridevi: Tridevi is an 8-episode fictional series created by OfSpin for Audible Suno. Three mothers and close friends from college reconnect after the upheaval of recent motherhood. Funny, deeply honest and poignant, Tridevi follows Imli, Sifu and Niko as they take on the highs and lows of love, careers, in-laws and children.

CELEBRITIES/BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Mera Music Mera Mantra: Mera Music Mera Mantra is a 10-episode series hosted by Jankee Parekh Mehta, featuring musicians Armaan Malik, Harshdeep Kaur, Guru Randhawa, Nucleya, Naezy, Palak Muchhal, Javed Ali, Divine, Jonita Gandhi and Farhan Akhtar. This series reveals their own personal mantras for success. How have they hustled their way to the top? More importantly, how have they managed to stay there? Hear how they have pushed the boundaries of their own life stories to make their name and their music known.

Spot Dada is a 10-episode fictional series starring national award-winning actor Swanand Kirkire, Rajeshwari Sachdev and Neena Kulkarni. For the past 40 years, one man in Bollywood has seen it all. Manohar Patil, lovingly known as Spot Dada, started as a spot boy and went on to become the wise old Banyan tree on some of Bollywood’s most iconic sets. However, in the last twelve years, Manohar Patil’s career has nosedived, with a new generation of spot boys taking over - those with smartphones and fancy shoes, and a smattering of English and loads of smarts. Embittered, cynical and jobless, he still hangs around the sets of large film studios freeloading and pretending to work. When asked at home about money, he says the production units are delaying payments. What will happen to Spot Dada? Will he fade into oblivion like many before him, handing over the reins of the industry to a capable new set of individuals and to a new set of rules? Or will there be a miracle?

INSPIRING/DOCUMENTARY

Yoddha with Neelesh Misra: Yoddha is a 30-episode series created and performed by Neelesh Misra. This series celebrates the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces, chronicling soldiers’ fierce sense of duty in the face of impossible odds. The stories also reveal their personal lives and sacrifice, and the courage of their family members.

My Ex-Breast: My Ex-Breast is a 7-episode series by Tahira Kashyap Khurrana and Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment. In this series, Tahira takes you on an intimate journey through a mad storm called breast cancer. In a single moment, she went from praying for her breasts to grow, to life throwing her a curveball in the form of a mastectomy and reconstruction. Poignant, honest and radically hopeful, Tahira shares how she and her loved ones chose joy in the face of fear.

LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS

Matrimonial Anonymous is a 12-episode confessional series from Audible Suno, hosted by Mouni Roy. Amidst the ceremony of shaadi, between the sacraments and sangeets, live our secrets. In the Big Fat Indian Wedding, these are the unspoken questions, desires, fears and fantasies we whisper only to ourselves, that chase us in our search for the perfect partner, which can unsettle even the quietest hearts. This series features the real confessions of women and men who bravely share their own personal secrets about their search for love.

Cupid Kaneez: Cupid Kaneez is a 10-episode series created and hosted by comedian Kaneez Surka. In this series, Kaneez plays matchmaker to her friends and sets them up on blind dates. Every episode is a post-mortem of the date and explores the suspense, intrigue and awkwardness of modern dating. Cupid Kaneez explores the love lives of Sumukhi Suresh, Rohan Joshi, Kubra Sait, Rega Jha, Pooja Dhingra, Daniel Fernandes and more, as they share their thoughts on what it takes to play the dating game.

Azaad Awaaz: Azaad Awaaz is a 10-episode series hosted by filmmaker Mozez Singh, created by Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment. In a series of powerful interviews, Singh and his guests celebrate life’s most important pursuit: the freedom to be and love who you are. Hear the dreams, hopes, triumphs, struggles and joy of India’s LGBTQIA+ community. Join allies and guests like Vicky Kaushal, Richa Chadda, Manish Arora and Sushant Divgikar in this celebration of freedom and love.

Ae Dil Hai Complicated: Ae Dil Hai Complicated is a 24-episode series hosted by Neena Gupta. The series explores the very edges of modern love and relationships. Spanning secret sex lives, open marriage, polyamory, missing parents, almost lovers and everything in between, this series explores the intimacies of real stories and confessions from Arré writers across the country.

Piya Milan Chowk is a 14-episode series written and narrated by Divya Prakash Dubey. Divya Prakash Dubey is one of the most popular Hindi authors of our time. He’s also a poet and a songwriter. This series, written and performed by him, celebrates love that blossoms in ‘Piya Milan Chowk’ – a junction where lovers secretly meet. Each story in this series is woven around an encounter that took place in ‘Piya Milan Chowk’. Beautifully narrated and heartwarming, these stories are sure to touch your heart.

COMEDY

The Unexperts: The Unexperts is a 10-episode live comedy series created and hosted by Abish Mathew. The Unexperts are experts at giving you information you don’t need—unsolicited advice, ridiculous opinions and really, really bad reviews. Every episode features a panel of Unexperts who will take down and breakdown everything from their old school teachers, to artificial intelligence, ghosts, the apocalypse, family and more.

Why Would You Do This?: Why Would You Do This? is a 12-episode series hosted by comedian Sahil Shah that explores the most bizarre and silly news stories from India and around the world. Join Sahil Shah and some of India’s top comedians as they dissect some of the stupidest things humans have done by asking, "Why Would You Do This?"

HINDI SELF DEVELOPMENT/AUTHOR-BASED

Be Stupid with Vir Das: This 15-episode series is created and hosted by comedian Vir Das. What if a stupid decision could change your relationship, your career and even the course of your life for the better? In this counterintuitive guide to life’s best mistakes, Vir talks to people who have funny, heartwarming and insightful stories of instant regret but ultimate redemption.

ALSO READ: Amitabh Bachchan and Sonakshi Sinha are most talked about handles on Twitter India

from Latest Bollywood News | Hindi Movie News | Hindi Cinema News | Indian Movies | Films - Bollywood Hungama https://ift.tt/2snU5MW

#Blogger

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vsplusonline · 5 years

Text

Trade in the time of Coronavirus: Sectors overdependent on Chinese imports face a grim reality

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/trade-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-sectors-overdependent-on-chinese-imports-face-a-grim-reality/

Trade in the time of Coronavirus: Sectors overdependent on Chinese imports face a grim reality

As fresh cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) raises fears of a global pandemic, the impact of the shutdown across China has started to hit Indian businesses, some very severely.

With the province of Hubei and eastern parts of China taking a big hit, key industries in India that depend on imports, are coming to a grinding halt. The story is not so bad for India’s exports to China, but imports to several industries are feeling the strain.

According to Crisil, about 18% of India’s total merchandise imports are from China. India had a trade deficit of $159 billion as of calendar 2019 and it remains a net importer from China (including Hong Kong) of $56 billion. In this backdrop, the worst hit are industries in electronics, consumer durables, auto components and pharma.

Short circuit The sector that is under severe stress is the electronics industry. A significant share of inputs required in electronics components manufacturing has traditionally been sourced from China.

“As a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, the sector is in dire strait as the entire supply chain is now severely affected. Even those supplies that have already arrived in India require an advanced level of sanitisation before they are allowed to be dispatched to various markets. The tragedy is, no worker is willing to touch any device sourced from China as of now,” says Rajoo Goel, Secretary General, Electronic Industries Association of India (Elcina).

The crisis is now across the value chain. There are thousands of electronics manufacturing services (EMS) manufacturers bought from India, and now their supply chain is, in turn, affected. “From mobile phone manufacturing to printers, to PCs to set-up boxes and inverters are being affected since PCBs were being sourced from China. These were just being assembled in India. Similarly, aluminium, copper and chemicals in electronics manufacturing were sourced from China. For a large number of electronics manufacturers, it’s still much easier, and financially viable to import the Semi Knocked Down (SKD) or Completely Knocked Down (CKD) equipment from China,” says Goel.

He adds that the situation is so grave that in next 10-15 days, the industry will be able to utilise only 50% of new production capacities and in the next three weeks, there is a possibility of a complete lockdown across various manufacturing plants.

Problems for the players in the sector are compounded since other countries in the region do not want to fill the gap. “It will be a major lockdown because, if instead of China, a player thinks of importing from, say, Japan or Taiwan then, the suppliers don’t want to entertain Indian importers because they know the new demand generated as a result of the Coronavirus is temporary,” says Goel.

In the next 30 days, all electronic equipment will turn dearer by 20-30 %, including mobile phones, among others. Experts say this issue will hamper the sector for 3-6 months.

Image Source: Crisil

Bitter pill Another sector that is facing the brunt because of its over reliance on China is the pharma sector.

According to the Trade Promotion Council of India, approximately 85% of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) imported by India are from China. India’s overdependence on China for APIs exposes it to raw material supply disruption and price volatility. Notably, China accounted for around 67% of total imports of bulk drugs and drug intermediates in 2018-19. India has a high dependence on fermentation-based APIs/intermediates namely antibiotics and vitamins.

“Representative of Pharmexcil informed that in all 58 molecules are imported from China, out of which 12 are imported from the Hubei province which is affected by the Coronavirus. Areas beyond 500 km from Wuhan may possibly start dispatching KSM’s & API’s in about 2-3 weeks, while Wuhan city itself might take about 8 weeks or thereabouts to bring about normalcy to some extent,” says Satish Wagh, ex-Chairman, Chemexcil

Wagh adds that 16 molecules will be affected to a large extent such as certain antibiotics like Chloramphenicol, Erythromycin, Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, Amoxicillin, Vitamins A B, E & C & E, hormones like Progesterone, Metronidazole etc. “India may have to go slow on exports of formulations based on these molecules so as to ensure adequate supplies for India irrespective of other international commitments. In case of such commitments to the foreign suppliers force majeure clause can be initiated,” says Wagh.

Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General, Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME), says the import of APIs is critical for pharma industry and its shortage will cripple pharma manufacturing.

“There is no one remedy to contain this impending crisis. I think solutions would be sector specific. For API, India may have to develop its own sources within the country. A lot of Government support is needed to realize this and it could turn out to be an opportunity,” says Bhardwaj.

Leather hunt Another sector that has massive levels of ‘essential Imports’ is the leather goods manufacturing sector. “There are many global buyers who strictly adopt the practice of nominating China-based suppliers for their final orders that are made here in India. So such orders will be negatively impacted. There are a whole lot of enhancements/ add-ons related to uniform packaging, labelling etc. needed for final products and there certainly is going to be an impact on such supplies,” says Puran Chand Dawar Regional Chairman (North), Council for Leather Exports (CLE) and President, Agra Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Chamber (AFMEC).

What is clear is that business players in the leather sector need to re-strategize their long term roadmaps as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. “In a nutshell, I would say, the lesson from the Coronavirus outbreak is that in the long run, Indian importers need to shun their long-held practice of putting ‘all eggs in one basket’ attitude. They need to diversify their risks and can’t depend on one single market to meet their 70-80% of their sourcing demands. They need to explore other markets too, even if those are currently dearer by a few percentage points. This will help them better tackle any such future irregularity in their supply chains,” says Dawar.

Image Source: Crisil

Not all bad If dwindling imports have led to a crisis situation across many sectors, some in exports are expected to benefit.

“India will now be looked upon as a short to long term option. India is poised to gear up for production in the short-term with the low-end and medium-end products are expected to benefit well. Carpets will benefit and so will furniture and handicraft categories. If the situation continues this way, we expect India’s exports to see a 10-15% growth next year,” says Mahavir Pratap Sharma, Past Chairman, Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC).

According to Rakesh Kumar, Director General, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), as far as exports are concerned, it is a major emerging opportunity for India. “There are some major trade shows that happen in Germany and other markets, where the participation of Chinese delegates and buyers have been next to negligible now. In 2020 seasons of summer, winter and fall, no surplus of Chinese products are expected. This situation is a definite opportunity – buyers are thinking about an alternative supply source. That may not necessarily be India and can be markets like Vietnam, Indonesia or Malaysia as well. One has to have a first mover approach to be ahead of the curve,” says Kumar.

Kumar adds that he does not see the situation improve in China before Q3 of 2020, but it is important to note that not everyone will have faith in India as capacity building has been an issue. “We can do better with mid segment buyers where capacity building does not come into play. For the large segment, confidence is still in question as far as the Indian market is concerned. We will do better for higher value and niche segment (handmade) where our strengths will also come into focus. The next two months will be quite important, but the sentiments are positive,” says Kumar.

However, what is not clear is the knock on effect of the virus. With many countries in Europe seeing a spike in cases, the perceived benefits from exports may not materialize if the global economy starts slowing down and demand takes a hit.

“Various industry bodies/trade bodies like FIEO, Chemexcil, ACMA need to urgently start analysing the sector-wide impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on their respective sectors. At the moment, the biggest bottleneck is that the information coming out of China cannot be trust completely. The real impact of the health hazards could be more than what’s being told at the moment,” says Mahendra Sanghi, Ex-President, Assocham and Group Chairman, Sanghi Group of Industries.

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