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Talking can generate coronavirus droplets that linger in the air for around 14 minutes, says new report

Coughs or sneezes may not be the only way people transmit infectious pathogens like the novel coronavirus to one another. Talking can also launch thousands of droplets so small they can remain suspended in the air for eight to 14 minutes, according to a new study. The research, published on Wednesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could help explain how people with mild or no symptoms may infect others in close quarters such as offices, nursing homes, cruise ships and other confined spaces. The study’s experimental conditions will need to be replicated in more real-world circumstances, and researchers still don’t know how much virus has to be transmitted from one person to another to cause infection. But its findings strengthen the case for wearing masks and taking other precautions in such environments to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Scientists agree that coronavirus jumps from person to person most often by hitching a ride inside tiny respiratory droplets. These droplets tend to fall to the ground within a few feet of the person who emits them. They may land on surfaces like doorknobs, where people can touch lingering virus particles and transfer them to their face. But some droplets can remain aloft, and be inhaled by others.

Representational image. Image by Mircea Iancu from Pixabay. Elaborate experiments have revealed how coughing or sneezing can produce a crackling burst of air mixed with saliva or mucus that can force hundreds of millions of influenza and other virus particles into the air if a person is sick. A single cough can propel about 3,000 respiratory droplets, while sneezing can generate as many as 40,000. To see how many droplets were produced during normal conversation, researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the University of Pennsylvania, who study the kinetics of biological molecules inside the human body, asked volunteers to repeat the words “stay healthy” several times. While the participants spoke into the open end of a cardboard box, the researchers illuminated its inside with green lasers, and tracked bursts of droplets produced by the speaker. The laser scans showed that about 2,600 small droplets were produced per second while talking. When researchers projected the amount and size of droplets produced at different volumes based on previous studies, they found that speaking louder could generate larger droplets, as well as greater quantities of them. Although the scientists did not record speech droplets produced by people who were sick, previous studies have calculated exactly how much coronavirus genetic material can be found in oral fluids in the average patient. Based on this knowledge, the researchers estimated that a single minute of loud speaking could generate at least 1,000 virus-containing droplets. The scientists also found that while droplets start shrinking from dehydration as soon as they leave a person’s mouth, they can still float in the air for eight to 14 minutes. “These observations confirm that there is a substantial probability that normal speaking causes airborne virus transmission in confined environments,” the authors wrote in the study. The researchers acknowledged that the experiment was performed in a controlled environment with stagnant air that may not reflect what happens in rooms with good ventilation. But they still had reason to believe their reported values were “conservative lower limit estimates” because some people have a higher viral load, meaning they may produce droplets with several thousand more virus particles than average. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says keeping at least six feet away from others can help people avoid contact with respiratory droplets and lower the risk of infection. But many scientists have argued that droplets can travel farther than six feet, depending on the force with which droplets are launched, the surrounding temperature, whether there are air currents that can carry them farther and other conditions. There is also debate about whether the coronavirus can also be transmitted through even smaller droplets — less than a tenth the width of a human hair — that are known as aerosols, and can remain suspended or travel through the air for longer. In another recent study, the same authors showed that just articulating certain sounds can produce significantly higher amounts of respiratory particles. The “th” sound in the word “healthy,” for example, was a very efficient generator of speech droplets. Another paper, published in January by researchers from the University of California, Davis, found the vowel sound “e” in “need” produces more droplets than the “a” in “saw,” or “o” in “mood.” What researchers don’t yet know is whether all speech, cough and sneeze droplets carrying virus particles are equally infectious, or if a specific amount of virus needs to be transmitted for a person to get sick by breathing it in. But the new study adds to the case for maintaining a physical distance from other people to help slow the spread of coronavirus, said Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech who was not involved with the paper. “Based on this and other evidence, it would be wise to avoid extended face-to-face conversations with other people unless you are far apart and in a well-ventilated space, including outdoors,” Marr said. The study also highlights the importance of wearing masks during social and other interactions. “The risk of talking to one another will probably be lower than being exposed to a person who is not wearing a mask and openly coughs and sneezes,” said Dr Werner E Bischoff, the medical director of infection prevention and health system epidemiology at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. “Normal talking to a person while keeping the recommended social distance will be fine. Putting on a mask will be even better.” Read the full article

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Fund for MSMEs will ease credit, but govt may have to scale up support in coming months

We believe a continued focus on reforms and on sustaining India’s growth potential will be critical in preventing macroeconomic instability The battle against the virus is likely to last several more months, implying prolonged curtailment of economic activity to ensure social distancing. The resultant economic pain has been, and is likely to be, broad-based, though it is most acutely felt by the indigent and small-scale enterprises. Not only is it necessary to support the worst-affected, but it is also necessary to preserve India’s economic growth potential, so that, once the restrictions are lifted, the economy quickly reverts to a rapid growth trajectory. The first package (‘How to minimise the damage’, IE, March 28) announced by the Union government focused on the poor, and the second rightly focuses on providing credit to smaller enterprises. While assessing policy measures during the lockdown, where stimulating new activity has limited value, we believe there are two over-arching principles one must keep in mind. One, the flow of funds slows with economic activity; and two, firms do not go bankrupt because of insolvency, but because of lack of access to funds (also called liquidity). Policymakers the world over are pulling out all stops to make sure that the flow of credit continues. Of the Rs 20-lakh-crore economic support announced by the Prime Minister on May 12, we have details for about Rs 16 lakh crore. Monetary and financial interventions taken by the government and the RBI to provide credit to those who need it make up more than 90 per cent of it. Most of the measures announced by the RBI earlier have not had the desired effect, with the quantum of cheap funds being made available being more or less the same as the increase in the amount being deposited in the RBI every night by banks. Heightened risk aversion in banks has meant that just reducing the cost of funds had no impact on the volume and cost of the credit they provided. At this stage of the cycle, this is not surprising. The series of measures announced to provide credit support to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) attempts to address this gap. We believe the largest of these schemes is likely to be the most effective, particularly as it comes without too many conditions. For standard MSMEs (that is, those that have been servicing their loans so far), new loans up to 20 per cent of the current outstanding credit will be fully backstopped by the government. That is, if there is a default, the government will pay the bank. We expect this to drive immediate credit creation, as guarantees are available only for loans extended in the next six months, lenders have zero risk, and the borrowers are most likely stressed and would want these funds. It is possible if not likely that firms will use these loans to just pay interest and cover losses, but if so, that in a way is the purpose of this scheme — the government absorbing losses upfront rather than the (likely larger) lost taxes and potential bank bailouts if there is a bankruptcy. For the government, the costs of this guarantee would be spread over several years, with at most 10 per cent incurred in this fiscal year. The two schemes together, targeting to provide Rs 75,000 crore of liquidity to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), may be a bit less successful, however, in our view. The special purpose vehicle that is to provide liquidity to NBFCs provides funds for three months at a time, may be enough to prevent accidents (like an NBFC defaulting due to lack of liquidity). But it may not suffice to get them to grow. The partial credit guarantee given to banks’ loans to NBFCs may be more effective for a subset of NBFCs, but as it is only available to public sector banks, it would depend on their willingness and ability to extend new loans. The Rs 50,000 crore fund to provide equity for MSMEs, with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore being provided by the government, which would then be leveraged, is an interesting initiative. Losses incurred in the current lockdown are depleting risk capital, something that the country was short of even before this crisis. Replenishing if not growing that is paramount to restoring India’s growth potential. While global as well as local private equity and venture capital funds would continue to explore and invest in smaller firms, such a fund can scale up the funds availability significantly. Its efficacy though can be judged only after details emerge on the nature of the fund (like its duration, the investors it raises funds from), as well as how it would operate. A sharp increase in credit to farmers, through Kisan Credit Cards (extended to livestock farmers and fishermen) as well as special loans, should also help funds flow in the economy by increasing the quantum of new bank credit. The natural limitation of the policy interventions thus far is that they only affect enterprises in the formal sector and in agriculture. As we are talking about taxpayer funds and formal savings, it may be unfair to allocate them to informal enterprises. Such measures (or say if the government provides GST credits for liquidity support) may be incentives for firms to formalise, but the pain in informal non-agricultural enterprises may stay unaddressed, and remain an overhang on growth. While less than 10 per cent of the announcements thus far has been the fiscal cost, the remaining 4 lakh crores of the economic package may have a greater fiscal element, though at this stage it appears unlikely. One senses a fiscal caution in government measures that in our view is overdone, and could hurt more than it helps. By pre-announcing the additional bond issuance for the year, and giving an implicit assurance that additional deficits would be financed separately, bond market volatility has been minimised. Even though that potentially means the RBI purchasing government bonds, the rupee has been remarkably stable — there was fear that fiscal spending financed by the central bank would be frowned upon and drive currency weakness. The road ahead remains unclear, but it is likely that the economic damage is already much larger than the measures undertaken so far. It is best to see this as the beginning of government action. The scale of government intervention may have to intensify in the coming months. We believe a continued focus on reforms and on sustaining India’s growth potential will be critical in preventing macroeconomic instability. This article appeared in the print edition, under the title ‘The credit lifeline’. The writer is co-head of Asia Pacific Strategy and India Strategist for Credit Suisse Read the full article

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India follows China's lead to widen use of coronavirus tracing app

Many apps being rolled out around the world to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic. Aarogya Setu, being one of them, uses Bluetooth signals on smartphones to record when people come in close contact with one another HIGHLIGHTS:- Indian government has touted Aarogya Setu app as a key tool in fighting the deadly coronavirus. The app uses GPS location data to augment the information gathered via Bluetooth. And it mimics China’s health QR code system with a feature that rates a person’s likely health status with a green, orange or red colours. India is aggressively pushing a state-backed contact tracing app to fight the spread of COVID-19, raising fears that the world’s second-most populous nation is on its way to Chinese-style methods of high tech social control, says Reuters. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has touted its app, Aarogya Setu, or “Health Bridge,” as a key tool in fighting the deadly coronavirus. With more than 70,000 people already infected in India, and the number of cases is expected to exceed China, the origin of the outbreak, within a week. Like many apps being rolled out around the world, Aarogya Setu uses Bluetooth signals on smartphones to record when people come in close contact with one another, so that contacts can be quickly alerted when a person tests positive for COVID-19. But the Indian app also uses GPS location data to augment the information gathered via Bluetooth and build a centralized database of the spread of the infection—an approach avoided by most countries for privacy reasons. And it mimics China’s health QR code system with a feature that rates a person’s likely health status with a green, orange or red colours, signifying whether the individual is safe, at high risk or a carrier of the virus. On top of that, the government earlier this month made use of the app mandatory for all public and private sector employees returning to work as the world’s biggest lockdown eases—drawing sharp criticism from digital rights’ advocates.It made India the world’s only democratic country to make the use of a contact tracing app mandatory for its citizens, according to Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC). The government is virtually forcing you and taking your data without consent,” said B.N. Srikrishna, a former Supreme Court judge, who led an unsuccessful effort to draft India’s first data-privacy law. Once your fundamental rights are being breached left and right, without anybody to question you, and if the courts are not going to help you, you’re even worse than China.” But the Modi government, which has drawn international criticism for its treatment of the country’s large Muslim minority, is not backing down though. The railway ministry, which is currently running special trains to take migrant workers and others to their home towns, has ordered all passengers to download Aarogya Setu “before commencing their journey”. A paramilitary force guarding India’s airports and the metro train stations in capital New Delhi has proposed a similar plan for all passengers. And in Noida, a hub for smartphone manufacturing on the outskirts of New Delhi, police are using the country’s criminal code to ensure everyone on the road has downloaded the app. Read the full article

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Cannes Film Festival flashback: Most memorable editions, from post-WWII beginnings to its 2009 pinnacle

May holds a special place in the calendar of film lovers across the world. It is when the privileged few of them gather at that most hallowed rendezvous on the Croisette for Cannes Film Festival — and it sure is a privilege to discover the best films of the year, before they are coated with all that promotional sheen. Sadly, Cannes 2020, originally scheduled to run from 12-23 May, will not be held in its "original form" this year due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis; but it was announced on Sunday that it will screen an official selection of its films at fall festivals like Venice. Meanwhile, all its parallel sections — Directors' Fortnight, Critics' Week, ACID — have been cancelled. With many other festivals also cancelled, cinemas closed, and productions on hold, the COVID-19 pandemic has paralysed the film industry.  It is unfortunate especially following the success of last year's edition, which proved exactly why Cannes is still considered the barometer of quality in cinema. Some of the most beloved films of 2019 began their journey at the festival: Beanpole, Bacurau, I Lost My Body, Invisible Life, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Pain and Glory, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, The Lighthouse and, not to mention, the eventually Oscar-winning Parasite. It was truly an exceptional line-up, in terms of scale, variety and substance. Turning back the clock, we time-travel to Cannes film festivals over the years with equally exceptional line-ups. End of a war, birth of a festival Highlights | Beauty and the Beast (Jean Cocteau), Brief Encounter (David Lean), Gaslight (George Cukor), Gilda (Charles Vidor), The Lost Weekend (Billy Wilder), Notorious (Alfred Hitchcock), Rome Open City (Roberto Rossellini)

Proposed as an alternative to Venice Film Festival (then politicised by Mussolini), the first edition of Cannes was initially supposed to be held in 1939. Louis Lumière, the man who gave us cinema, was announced as president. MGM had chartered an ocean liner to bring all the stars from Hollywood. Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Gary Cooper, James Cagney, Mae West, Norma Shearer, Spencer Tracy, and many more had arrived on the Croisette. Then, Germany invaded Poland and they all had to book return tickets. The world had to wait till the war ended for a taste of what Cannes had to offer — and boy, did they deliver. Alfred Hitchcock got everyone's hearts racing and adrenaline pumping with Notorious. Billy Wilder followed up Double Indemnity with a grim portrait of alcoholism in The Lost Weekend. David Lean served a romantic tearjerker for the ages in Brief Encounter. Italian neorealism began to take shape with Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City. Jean Cocteau crafted an anti-Disney treatment of Beauty and the Beast, where the surreal and real, the ugliness and beauty come together in a magic realist concoction. Out of the 44 feature films screened, 11 of them (one from each participating country) were awarded the top prize, Grand Prix (now called Palme d'Or), for reasons of diplomacy. This included India's sole Palme d'Or crown (till now) in Chetan Anand's Neecha Nagar.  However, it was anything but a smooth-running operation. In a comedy of errors, the reels of Hitchcock's Notorious were reversed, screened with the ending reel first, while the projection of George Sydney’s The Three Musketeers was turned upside-down. There was also tension brewing over the beginning of the Cold War. Russia blamed every technical issue on the US; the US cried sabotage over last-minute parties being scheduled at the same time as Hollywood films.  Despite reversed reels and upside-down projections, Cold War scandals and consolation awards, the inaugural edition proved it could only get better. Cannes 1946 helped France regain its status as an economic power in Europe post-WWII, also enhancing its cultural weight over the rest of the world — at least, in terms of cinema.  The glitz and glamour Highlights | Ballad of a Soldier (Grigori Chukhrai), La Dolce Vita (Federico Fellini), L'avventura (Michelangelo Antonioni), The Virgin Spring (Ingmar Bergman), The Young One (Luis Buñuel)

Within a decade, Cannes had set a new precedent for other festivals. Call it a temple of cinema or a glamorous vanity fair, it was beginning to attract the best filmmakers in world cinema. It also became the new locus for the golden age of Italian cinema, as two of its canonical entries, Fellini's La Dolce Vita and Antonioni's L'avventura, were both screened at the festival. Not without controversy of course. La Dolce Vita and L'avventura divided the critics and the public, stirring the deepest admiration and aversion. The former ended up winning the Palme d'Or, the latter the Jury Prize. However, for a large portion of the public, La Dolce Vita was an overlong decadent affair intended to outrage all good taste and sensibilities. They also didn't care for the pacing or abstract narrative of L'avventura, having expected it to be a straightforward investigative thriller. The boos and barbs got so severe, lead star Monica Vitti left the screening hall in tears. Cannes has become a stage for glitz and glamour, parties and photo calls, and the army of paparazzi that comes with them. With La Dolce Vita, Fellini sums up the hope and despair, the beauty and ugliness to this superficial celebrity lifestyle, testifying to the social malaise underneath. In L'avventura, Antonioni created a new visual language of his own, one which reflected its synthetic nature while merging the realms of reality and abstraction. Before Come and See and Ivan's Childhood, Grigori Chukhrai gave us an equally lyrical meditation on war in Ballad of a Soldier. Also screened at the festival were Bimal Roy's Sujata and William Wyler's Ben-Hur (out of competition). With Marché du Film established just the previous year, Cannes had also set the stage to become the premier global film market we know it as today, giving film professionals the opportunity to shake hands with the best in the business. Pulp Fiction puts American indie films on the world cinema map Highlights | Exotica (Atom Egoyan), The Hudsucker Proxy (Coen Brothers), Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino), Three Colours: Red (Krzysztof Kieślowski), Through the Olive Trees (Abbas Kiarostami), To Live (Zhang Yimou)

Cannes 1994 will forever be remembered as the year Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or, thanks to jury president Clint Eastwood. The film beat favourites like Krzysztof Kieslowsk's final feature, Three Colours: Red, and Nanni Moretti's Dear Diary, which was eagerly championed by jury vice-president Catherine Deneuve. The victories of Sex, Lies, and Videotape in 1989 and Pulp Fiction in 1994 gave American independent cinema global validation. Pulp Fiction of course benefited from producer Harvey Weinstein's "Iron Curtain Strategy" to increase the buzz with limited screenings, while targeting selected American critics to deliver glowing reviews. It began his enduring love affair with Cannes, as he returned as jury president 10 years later and delivered three more of his films (Death Proof in 2007, Inglourious Basterds in 2009, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019) in the race for Palme d'Or.  The edition boasted a particularly rich line-up across the various sections. Un Certain Regard, the official selection which was created in 1978, and favoured atypical films and lesser-known filmmakers, included Olivier Assayas' Cold Water (L'eau froide), Pedro Costa's Down to Earth (Casa de Lava), Claire Denis' I Can't Sleep (J'ai pas sommeil) among others. Adding to the festival's scale and eclecticism were the parallel sections. Critics' Week featured Kevin Smith's Clerks, while Directors' Fortnight had a commendable line-up of films from Aki Kaurismäki (Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatiana), Ang Lee (Eat Drink Man Woman), Michael Haneke (71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance) and Shekhar Kapur (Bandit Queen). John Waters' hilariously absurd satire, Serial Mom, was also screened out of competition. The pinnacle of eclecticism Highlights | Palme d'Or: Antichrist (Lars von Trier), A Prophet (Jacques Audiard), Bright Star (Jane Campion), Broken Embraces (Pedro Almodóvar), Enter the Void (Gaspar Noé), Face (Tsai Ming-liang), Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold), Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino), Thirst (Park Chan-wook), The Time That Remains (Elia Suleiman), Wild Grass (Alain Resnais), Vincere (Marco Bellocchio), Vengeance (Johnnie To), The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke) Un Certain Regard: Dogtooth (Yorgos Lanthimos), Father of My Children (Mia Hansen-Løve), Mother (Bong Joon-ho) Out of Competition: Drag Me to Hell (Sam Raimi), Pixar's Up (Pete Docter)

Andrea Arnold, Bong Joon-ho, Jane Campion, Gaspar Noé, Lars von Trier, Park Chan-wook, Quentin Tarantino, Michael Haneke, Pedro Almodóvar, Yorgos Lanthimos and more. Talk about an umissable festival line-up. But with this diversity came division, as some of the jury members ended up in a bitter battle. Jury President Isabelle Huppert and fellow juror James Gray reportedly fought over the former favouring Antichrist, and in the end, reached a compromise with The White Ribbon. The 2009 edition was also an example of how Cannes is a unique showcase for little-known filmmakers to introduce their films to larger audiences. It is hard to imagine if we would all have been raving about Lanthimos and the Greek Weird Wave, if Dogtooth hadn't won Prix Un Certain Regard. Ditto, with Mia Hansen-Løve. It is no wonder filmmakers and producers organise their production schedules in order to be able to present their films at Cannes. Cannes 2020 could have matched the 2019, if not 2009, edition with a line-up, which would have probably included Annette (Leos Carax), Bergman Island (Mia Hansen-Løve), The French Dispatch (Wes Anderson), Last Night in Soho (Edgar Wright), Memoria (Apichatpong Weerasethakul), Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (Ana Lily Amirpour), Peninsula (Yeon Sang-Ho), Pixar's Soul (Pete Doctor), Tenet (Christopher Nolan) and many more. We'll know more when Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux makes an announcement on the selection in June. Even if there's no physical or online edition of the festival, just imagining a "What if" wishlist makes for a comforting exercise in these strange times. Read the full article

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Why Gulabo Sitabo, the first big Bollywood film to premiere online, could become a game-changer

With the announcement this morning, that Shoojit Sircar’s new film Gulabo Sitabo, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana, is releasing on Amazon Prime Video next month, we are in for a truly brave new Bollywood world. Among the innumerable things that the ongoing global pandemic has changed, not being able to gather in large numbers has impacted a whole host of enterprises and activities. Anywhere there are people, there is contagion: movie halls were the first to shut down, and will most likely remain off-limits for the foreseeable future, as we ricochet from one stage of lockdown to another. What of the movie industries around the world? While we are struggling to find new ways of doing the things we used to take for granted, the shift towards making films and shows available for home viewing, has seen an incremental rise. The biggest gainers have been, understandably, the streaming platforms.

Hollywood’s embrace of Netflix had already resulted in some spectacular movies: Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman wouldn’t have seen the light of day if it hadn’t been for the funding the director received from Netflix. Yes, Scorsese couldn’t gather the money he wanted for his mob epic: the studios loved the idea, but no cash followed. In India, it’s the ‘original’ web series that have fared better than the movies, which have been, for the most part, shockingly substandard. The web series is a relatively new format, and we are seeing some shifts in both content and style, a work in progress. It was just a matter of time that Big Bollywood, hurting from not being able to release its slate of completed films on time, turned its eyes towards the streaming platforms. In March itself, big tentpoles like Sooryavanshi and 83 lost their marquee space, and the lucrative summer holiday months are now gone as well. The big-budget, starry vehicles, like, say, a Sooryavanshi, may still not go the OTT route. For those, a big screen may still be the only option. And what will be the impact of this move on the traditional ways of making and distributing and exhibiting movies? How will the ancillary tributaries connected to the core of movie production fare? What are the long-term financial implications? Perhaps the film industries around the world are grappling with these questions, even as we speak. How it will all pan out, no one quite knows. Perhaps the movie halls will be full again once we know our way past this virus. Meanwhile, though, there is the possibility of watching full-fledged movies again. Bachchan and Khurrana, both A-listers, both who changed how we looked at the ‘hero’ in Bollywood, available on a platform we have access to? Real movies, as opposed to pretenders? Yes, yes. That’s the way we like it. True, it’s not the same as watching a film in the velvety dark of a theater. But, given the present circumstances, I’d say the move is a no-brainer: the ‘opening’ (bye bye ‘dropping’, that clunky word) of Gulabo Sitabo is poised to be a game-changer. Read the full article

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The right to be heard

Judges should be large-hearted, not get unduly perturbed by criticism. Of late, concerns have been expressed about the Supreme Court failing to perform its dharma. Take, for instance, the anguish expressed by Justices Madan Lokur and Deepak Gupta, who have distinguished themselves as judges. They have virtually indicted the Supreme Court. In an interview to this newspaper (IE, May 8), Justice Gupta, who recently retired from the SC, lamented the manner in which former CJI Ranjan Gogoi conducted himself after allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against him — by presiding over the bench, and then, not signing the order purported to have been passed by the bench. According to Justice Gupta, the Supreme Court has not come out better after the incident.

It said the petitioner should make a detailed representation to the Centre, which shall be looked into by the government The learned judge also spoke of the priority — or the lack of it — being accorded to certain cases in the matter of listing. He said that he has seen cases involving big money and fancy law firms being listed in four weeks, while those involving junior lawyers are not listed even after six months. The learned judge’s arguments have been strengthened by the fact that undue haste was shown in listing TV anchor Arnab Goswami’s case, while more important cases involving fundamental rights — habeas corpus petitions for example — are crying out for early hearing. Recently, the Supreme Court refused to hear social activist Harsh Mander’s plea seeking registration of FIRs against certain political leaders who made hate speeches which allegedly led to communal violence in Delhi, early this year. The court refused to hear Mander or his counsel after the solicitor general, who was representing the Delhi Police, pointed to a video recording in which the social activist had remarked that justice could only be got on the streets, and not from the apex court or Parliament. It reportedly remarked: “If this is what you feel about the Supreme Court, then, we have to decide what to do with you.” Significantly, Mander has denied having instigated anyone, but the Court, on the mere assertion of the solicitor general, refused to hear him — thus trampling the right of a citizen to be heard before he is condemned. In any case, the court forgot that matters cannot, and should never, be decided on the basis of just one version. In a more recent case, concerning migrant labour, the court reportedly slammed senior advocate Prashant Bhushan for maligning and insulting the judiciary. It asked Bhushan why should he be heard when he does not have any faith in the court. The plight of the migrant labour needed urgent attention — not who said what. In both the cases, petitioners were exercising their constitutional right to seek redressal of their grievances against the State in public interest. But even if we assume that they were appearing as professionals, Mander and Bhushan were entitled to a hearing — no matter what they said in the past about the court or the judges. It is their fundamental right, and no one can deprive them of that right — not even the court. However, litigants and lawyers — who are officers of the court — should not attribute motives to judges in case of an unfavourable judgment. They should not act in a manner which brings the courts into disrepute or undermines the confidence of the public in the judiciary. Let us not forget that the courts are the only shield and hope of citizens against the tyranny of the state, so it is the duty of the lawyers to see that the courts are not undermined. Judges should be large-hearted and not get unduly perturbed by criticism, even though, at times, criticism may be over the top. Not very long ago, in a ruling on Brexit, the British Supreme Court held that parliament, and not the prime minister, had the prerogative to trigger Article 50 to start the process of the country’s exit from the EU. British newspapers reacted to the ruling by calling the judges, “the enemies of the people”. The judges remained unruffled. Let me end with Lord Atkin’s famous quote: “Justice is not a cloistered virtue, she must be allowed to suffer the scrutiny and the respectful, even though outspoken, comments of the ordinary man.” The writer is a former judge of the Delhi High Court. Read the full article

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It’s not trade dependence that makes India vulnerable but inadequacy of its human capital

For India to be truly self-reliant and self-confident, public investment in education, human capability and research and development has to increase. In his televised address on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a big picture vision statement on making India a more self-reliant and self-confident nation in a changing and challenging post-COVID world. In a series of televised statements through the week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is to spell out the roadmap.

The Modi government has made a habit of making economic policy statements into political speeches. The central government owes it to the economy and the markets that a macro policy statement be made that shows how the FM’s “micro” trees fit into the PM’s “macro” woods. The Modi government has made a habit of making economic policy statements into political speeches. Why a political party that has an absolute majority in Parliament should do that is puzzling. The government must present a macro policy statement on the way forward for the post-lockdown economy. Some have compared the PM’s speech to the dramatic policy statements of July 1991. Consider the fact that in 1991, only four policy statements were made — the end of licence-permit Raj, steep cuts in fiscal deficit and tariffs, and devaluation of the Rupee. With four policy measures, the economy was pulled out of a crisis and placed on a new growth path. The key to 1991 was political articulation of a vision that went beyond platitudes. The economy needs such a macro policy articulation, stitching together the numerous micro policy steps to restore confidence in the government’s ability to pull the economy out of its pre and post-COVID morass. The PM’s vision statement had four elements. First, a step up in public spending and investment, aimed at promoting welfare and raising the investment rate; second, policy reforms aimed at making the domestic economy more globally competitive; third, a long-term structural shift making the economy more “self-reliant” and less dependent on the world economy. The fourth wheel of this new growth engine will be Lockdown Model 4 that is to be announced in a few days. The success on the first three fronts will, in the short term, depend on the strategy for the fourth. Increased public spending will certainly boost demand and generate employment in the short term and add to infrastructure capacity in the medium term. Policy reform, including changes in land, labour and other policies, could yield results in the medium term. But for now, investors will wait and watch to test the sincerity and efficiency of governments at the Centre and in the states. They will wait to see how the various policy steps being announced by the FM get implemented — how quickly and how efficiently. The government can meet with success if investors, consumers and other economic agents believe in the commitment of the political leadership and the capability of the administration to deliver. In 2014, Modi began his tenure promising development and lost his way. The second term began with the pursuit of a divisive social and political agenda, despite the fact that the economy was already in trouble. If, after six years in office, Modi is now truly serious about pursuing development as a primary objective and will set aside his party’s divisive agendas, he may still make India a truly self-reliant and self-confident nation. Every political party, from the communists to the BJP, has always sworn by self-reliance. In practice, it has meant different things to different people at different times. Modi has said that his version of self-reliance does not imply isolationism and inward-orientation, but will inject greater self-confidence in the people by reducing the country’s dependence on other nations. Theotonio Dos Santos, a principal guru of the Latin American “dependency school” that advocated greater self-reliance for developing economies, defined dependence as a situation in which a country’s economy is “conditioned by the development and expansion of another economy”. Writing in the 1970s, Dos Santos said that to be self-reliant the growth process of an economy “should not become dominated or dependent on another economy”. So what is the kind of dependence that India ought to be now reducing to become more self-reliant? On which economies is ours excessively dependent? First on the list would be the oil-exporting economies. Oil and gas account for a bulk of India’s imports. Whatever new sources of energy India may tap in the foreseeable future, it will remain import-dependent for energy. Fortunately, for India, the global crude oil and gas markets are likely to remain buyers’ markets for some time to come. Second is the dependence on foreign exchange inflows both in the form of remittances, mainly from the Gulf and the US, and financial flows into capital markets. It is not clear how the new Modi strategy of self-reliance proposes to deal with this dependence. If anything, India is seeking more FDI and external debt. The third dependence is on imported defence equipment, mainly from Russia, the US, Israel and France. Fourth, import dependence in electronic goods and pharmaceuticals, mainly from China. Thus far, government policy does not address these dependencies. The immediate focus of Modi’s self-reliance seems to be China. Read the full article

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Gujarat Election Fixing: HC declares BJP Law minister Chudasama's guilty for fixing elections and corruption due to which him & his party won elections

In a setback for the state BJP and the Vijay Rupani govt, the Gujarat High Court invalidated the electoral win of Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, the state’s minister for education, law and justice, from Dholka constituency in 2017. In a massive setback for the state BJP and the Vijay Rupani government, the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday invalidated the electoral win of Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, the state’s minister for education, law and justice, from Dholka constituency in 2017. Chudasma’s wafer-thin win of 327 votes was challenged by losing Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod. Justice Paresh Upadhyay observed in his judgement that “it is proved that 429 postal ballot papers were illegally rejected/ excluded from consideration by the Returning Officer at the time of counting of votes in the election in question, as against the victory margin of 327 votes.” It added that Chudasma “and his election agent have not only attempted but have successfully obtained and procured assistance from the concerned Returning Officer” for the furtherance of Chudasma’s prospects. Chudasma “and the concerned Returning Officer Dhaval Jani were hands-in-glove in the election in question.” The high court declined to stay the order for some more time as such a request was made on behalf of Chudasma after the pronouncement of the order. It noted that “even if the issue of “corrupt practice” is kept aside, after a full-fledged trial; on the basis of the evidence of the Returning Officer and the documentary evidence placed on record by the concerned Returning Officer himself, it has stood proved that (i) as against the victory margin of 327 votes, 429 postal ballot papers were illegally excluded from consideration by the Returning Officer, at the time of counting of votes, which has materially affected the result, (ii) the exclusion of those 429 postal ballots was behind everybody’s back, including the Observor nominated by the Election Commission of India, (iii) to conceal this exclusion, the election record is systematically manipulated by the Returning Officer and (iv) To manipulate the election record and to conceal the said manipulation, the relevant orders / instruction of the Election Commission of India, including mandatory instruction, regarding procedure of counting of votes, announcement of result and preparation of Final Result Sheet Form:20 were defied by the Returning Officer, on the day of counting of votes. Such an election should not be permitted to hold the field further.” Congress leaders, including Shaktisinh Gohil, hailed the verdict as a vindication of the truth. Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel told the media that the order will be challenged in the Supreme Court and the party will stand by Chudasma, who has been a committed member of the party from the days of Jan Sangh. Patel admitted that legal experts maintain that Chudasma’s membership to the assembly and thereby ministry stands cancelled by this order. Patel said that while the party and the government stands by Chudasma, further decision will be taken after consultation with the party high command. Follow us for more updates. Read the full article

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IRCTC Ticket Booking: How to book train tickets using irctc.co.in, IRCTC mobile app

IRCTC Train Ticket Booking: Here's how you can book railway tickets using the IRCTC website irctc.co.in and mobile app. IRCTC Train Ticket Booking: Indian Railways will gradually resume passenger train services from tomorrow, May 12. The Home Ministry has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) that clearly stated that only asymptomatic and confirmed ticket holders will be able to travel in trains amid the lockdown.

IRCTC mobile app is available on Google Play Store as well as Apple App Store Notably, passengers will be able to book tickets only via online medium using the IRCTC website and mobile app. No one will be able to book tickets at Indian Railways counters. It is mandatory for all passengers to wear a face cover or mask and undergo screening at the time of departure. The Indian Railways has confirmed that only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the train. The bookings had begun at 4 PM today, May 11. However, the IRCTC website crashed and showed “Error! In the wake of COVID 19 and as a measure of abundant caution, booking has been suspended on this route for all trains until further advice.- (500162)” — this message.The bookings should resume again soon and people will be able to book tickets only via IRCTC website and app. The mobile app is available on Google Play Store as well as Apple App Store. How to book train tickets using the IRCTC website:* Open a web browser and type irctc.co.in.* After visiting the IRCTC website, click on the ‘Register’ button on the top right corner of the website to create an IRCTC account. You will then need to enter your details such as username, password, preferred language, name, date of birth, mobile number, email address, address and more. After filling the details you will need to agree to the terms and conditions. Then click on the register button to create your IRCTC account.* Existing users can just click on the login button displayed on the homepage. Then enter username > password > captcha code > click on Sign in. You will then need to enter the source and destination > select the journey date > class of coach > click on “Find Trains” option.Note: Currently, trains will only run from New Delhi station to 15 destinations including Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi. Trains will return from the destination as well.* Then select the train you wish to book a seat in from the list shown and also the class of the coach. Indian Railways has clearly stated that these trains will only have AC coaches.* Click to check availability of seats and fare on that particular train.* If seats are available you must proceed to book your ticket. Click on Book Now option > fill your details such as name, age, gender, and berth preference. IRCTC will then provide you with an option to book ticket only if the confirmed berths are allotted.* Scroll down and enter mobile number and captcha code. Click on Continue booking option.* You will then need to make the payment. Select your payment option > choose the preferred option from credit card, debit card, net banking, UPI, and others.* After the payment is made you will be able to download the ticket. You will also receive an SMS on your phone number. Read the full article

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Bengali Migrant Dies By Suicide in Kerala After Train Ticket Cancelled

Kolkata: On Saturday, 22-two-year-old Asif Iqbal Mondal hung himself from a mango tree in Kodanad, in Kerala’s Ernakulam district. He had run out of food and money several days before, and desperately wanted to return home. Not once but twice he had managed to book train tickets from Kerala to his hometown in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district – but both times, it had been cancelled. Asif’s father, Jabed Mondal, was beside himself while speaking to The Wire. “Everything is finished,” he said and broke down. Anwarul, Asif’s cousin, took the phone and said, “He can’t talk anymore. This is the situation at home since the news came. His mother has fainted several times.” Anwar Hussain, Asif’s youngest sibling, said that he went to see Asif on Thursday. “He was scared and restless, just wanted to go home. He thought he will never be able to go back home as his train tickets were cancelled twice. Asif said if he gets back to the village, he will never leave again,” Anwar said. Late at night on Saturday, Anwar and another friend started their trip back to Murshidabad with Asif’s body, in an ambulance. “We never thought we would go home this way,” Anwar said. After travelling over 2,900 km for over 48 hours, at around 6:30 am on Tuesday, a white, air-conditioned ambulance reached Shiropara village in Domkal block of Murshidabad. By 8:30 am, his body had been buried in a local graveyard. “He couldn’t come back home in a train, now his dead body has come in an ambulance. It cost us Rs 1.3 lakh. We gave the driver Rs 1 lakh, Rs 30,000 is still due. We requested the driver to stay here tonight and leave tomorrow, by that time we will arrange the money,” Anwarul said. Asif’s uncle, Asarul Biswas, said, “Their family is extremely poor. His father works as a labourer in others farms. Asif was the eldest brother. It’s the villagers who came forward and donated money to bring his body back home.” Asif’s father, Jabed, works as a farm labourer in Murshidabad and receives 25% of the total production as wages. This, the family says, is just enough to live on. “Saving money is a distant luxury for us,” said Anwar. Six months ago, Asif and Anwar headed to Kerala in the hope of a better future. Asif started working in a brick kiln in Kodanad, for a daily wage of Rs 450. Anwar joined a floor tile making factory, about 15 km away, for a daily wage of Rs 600. “Asif was about to come home but the lockdown was put in place. Since March 23, the brick kiln has been closed and workers are not getting any money. Asif was depressed. He even planned to walk back home. These 47 days of uncertainty killed him,” said Asarul. The family has not received any help from the state government yet. No political party or NGO helped them bring back Asif’s remains. Anwarul confirmed that after the news came on Saturday morning, Domkal municipality chairman Rafikul Islam visited the family and said he will arrange for some money. Till Tuesday afternoon, no monetary help had reached the family. “He tried to come back home by train but he failed both times. Now we have spent lakhs to bring him back. Had the government made a train available earlier, Asif would have been home alive,” said Anwarul. Bangla Sanskriti Mancha, a social advocacy group, strongly condemned this incident and demanded an explanation from the government. “Poor migrant workers are getting killed solely because of the callousness of the Central government. For a long time we have been asking for a proper plan for returning and rehabilitating migrant workers, but the government seems to be too busy taking care of rich people. We also demand economic compensation for his family. We thank the local administration for extending their help,” said Tanmoy Ghosh, secretary of the Bangla Sanskriti Mancha. Several calls to the Trinamool Congress MP from Murshidabad, Abu Taher Khan, went unanswered. Read the full article

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BJP appoints incharges for all Bihar assembly constituencies

All the incharges have been asked to get BJP’s strategy of ‘saptarishi’ implemented at every booth by May 15-end. Under this, seven persons would be identified at the booth level to strengthen the organisation. New Delhi: BJP has begun preparation for the Bihar assembly elections by appointing incharges for all the 243 seats, constituting mandal committees and selecting presidents for most of the booth committees. The tenure of the current state assembly ends on November 29. Barring a few exceptions, these incharges do not belong to the constituencies they have been assigned. The party has apparently kept in mind the problems it may face during the campaign due to Covid-19 . Thus, it has given  special focus on party organisation, particularly booth management. All the incharges have been asked to get BJP’s strategy of ‘saptarishi’ implemented at every booth by May 15-end. Under this, seven persons would be identified at the booth level to strengthen the organisation. “These persons would represent different sections of society. Apart from one woman, saptarishi would accommodate six representatives from SC/STs, most backward castes (MBC) and the party’s youth cell at the booth level,” a source in Bihar BJP said. According to him, president and copresident of the booth concerned would also be part of the ‘saptarishi’. “We have appointed presidents of more than 62,000 booth committees. The idea is to get the booth committees involved in all the party programmes during the campaign,” said another source. Read the full article

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The Centre will need to nurse the Constitution and India back to good health

The Centre is asymmetrically more powerful as it can impose curfew on any and every state. It also has much greater capacity to raise money despite the many Finance Commissions which have tried to devolve more revenue in a formulaic way. It is around 125 days since the first deaths were reported from coronavirus in Wuhan, China, and no part of the world is immune from it. Countries like Italy, Spain, which were hit hard, or South Korea and Germany which escaped with fewer deaths and are almost out of it, face the danger of a second wave. In the UK and US, it is still continuing and, while there is hope that the worst is over, you should never be sure.Most surprising has been the unpreparedness of almost every government in their health service, the bureaucracy or the support services. The crisis has affirmed that when it matters, only the State can tackle a challenge. But, at the same time, even the most powerful State or the richest economy has proved unequal to the task. So, while the State alone can help, it is not good enough. There are no winners here.India did better than European countries or the US in imposing lockdown early on in the course of Covid-19, but it is too soon to call an end. Along the way, the crisis has exposed serious weaknesses in the political infrastructure.

In this crisis, it is of course helpful that states belatedly decided to provide transport for migrants, to help them return to their villages. But the idea that there is a state citizenship is to be discouraged. When the Constitution was drafted, the expectation seems to have been that the Congress will be in power at the Centre and in all the states. The Union is now seen as beset with problems when the party in power at the Centre and in various states is not the same. We saw this already last December with many states threatening to boycott the CAA, NRC or even the National Population Register exercise. Covid-19 interrupted that dispute. The new battle seems to be about the financial fragility of states. This has caused much more dissension than is usual. With GST collections down, states are impoverished. This is due to the fact that whatever the division of power between the Centre and states, the Centre is asymmetrically the more powerful. It can impose curfew on any and every state. It also has much greater capacity to raise money despite the many Finance Commissions which have tried to devolve more revenue in a formulaic way. Read the full article

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Reform for labour

Stringent labour laws need to be amended. But during COVID distress, reform will work if labour is seen as key stakeholder. That the archaic labour laws in India need to be amended is beyond debate. They have protected only a tiny section of the labour force, facilitated rent-seeking, and have laid the ground for the casualisation of the labour force, the phenomenon of the missing middle in manufacturing, and the substitution of capital for labour in a capital deficient and labour abundant economy. Rationalising labour laws has been on the policy agenda for decades. Yet, labour reform hasn’t taken off because the debate has been framed in terms of empowering the management while curbing the rights of labour, as is evident from industry’s often-demanded concession of the power to fire workers without seeking government permission. But now, a number of states have embarked on this politically contentious course again. While efforts to reform labour laws should be encouraged, coming at a time of acute economic distress and labour insecurity, in a crisis that has exposed the lack of safety nets and the limited access of workers to healthcare, they must keep the concerns of labour at the centre. COVID19Bengal: Leakage in PPE supply? Govt sets up helpline for health staffBengal: No need to lift lockdown before Eid, says Imams’ bodyIn living with the virus, local govts’ preparedness will be key, says WHO Covid envoyADVERTISEMENTHomeOpinionEditorialsReform for labourStringent labour laws need to be amended. But during COVID distress, reform will work if labour is seen as key stakeholder.By: Editorial |Published: May 11, 2020 1:34:55 amNEXTWhile efforts to reform labour laws should be encouraged, coming at a time of acute economic distress and labour insecurity, in a crisis that has exposed the lack of safety nets and the limited access of workers to healthcare, they must keep the concerns of labour at the centre.RELATED NEWSExplained: What labour law changes meanCOVID-19 Effect: Relaxation in labour laws, exemptions to cos in various states draw trade union ireStudy commissioned by PM Council: Ever since 2012, India Inc prefers to hire labour minus a contractThat the archaic labour laws in India need to be amended is beyond debate. They have protected only a tiny section of the labour force, facilitated rent-seeking, and have laid the ground for the casualisation of the labour force, the phenomenon of the missing middle in manufacturing, and the substitution of capital for labour in a capital deficient and labour abundant economy. Rationalising labour laws has been on the policy agenda for decades. Yet, labour reform hasn’t taken off because the debate has been framed in terms of empowering the management while curbing the rights of labour, as is evident from industry’s often-demanded concession of the power to fire workers without seeking government permission. But now, a number of states have embarked on this politically contentious course again. While efforts to reform labour laws should be encouraged, coming at a time of acute economic distress and labour insecurity, in a crisis that has exposed the lack of safety nets and the limited access of workers to healthcare, they must keep the concerns of labour at the centre.Initiatives taken by states such as Madhya Pradesh — which aim to reduce the frequency of inspections, ease the registration and licensing process, and enhance the thresholds of when the regulatory architecture kicks in — are steps in the right direction. As is the introduction of fixed-term employment to help companies sidestep the contractor system. But, removing firms’ obligation to comply with provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act constitutes blatant disregard for workers’ rights. To be sure, certain parts of the Act which deal with the hiring and firing of workers have rightly been seen as impediments to flexible labour markets. Yet, instead of rationalising or doing away with some chapters, giving firms a free pass over complying with the Act strips workers of any degree of protection or redressal mechanisms. It further reduces the bargaining power of labour, their right to negotiate. While fixed-term employment is a welcome half-step, states should ensure that these contract workers receive social security benefits similar to permanent workers, as is the case under the Centre’s model law. If regulations designed to support labour are suspended, it can effectively remove the distinction between permanent and contractual workers. Such moves could trigger a race to the bottom. They also raise questions over the architecture of the labour market of the future. Will this temporary reprieve to industry translate to long-term benefits? Why not increase the number of shifts as opposed to increasing the hours of work?

While efforts to reform labour laws should be encouraged, coming at a time of acute economic distress and labour insecurity, in a crisis that has exposed the lack of safety nets and the limited access of workers to healthcare, they must keep the concerns of labour at the centre. Any shortsighted move now will only end up increasing workers’ vulnerabilities at a time of acute distress, when unemployment is likely to be at all-time highs, and when the national consensus is veering towards providing labourers safety nets. Labour reform for long has framed labour as an adversary, now may be the moment to see it through their prism — this is the only way to make enduring progress. Read the full article

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Intel Creates Chip to Control Quantum Computers

Intel said its chip is designed to be able to sit inside the quantum refrigerator. Quantum computers aim to carry out tasks in just a few minutes that would take today's best conventional computers thousands of years. But in nearly every photograph of the devices, there's a tangle of wires in the background connected to equipment that controls the quantum computer. Intel on Monday announced a chip that it hopes will change that. The Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker announced a chip called "Horse Ridge" that is designed to take all the work being done by the wires and shrink it down to a chip and electronics about the size of a tea cup saucer.Quantum computers remain years away from everyday use but have drawn the interest of major technology companies. In October, researchers at Alphabet's Google said they had created a machine that can outpace conventional computers. Other major technology firms such as International Business Machines and Microsoft are also pursuing the technology.Intel has two quantum efforts, each examining a different way of building the core of a quantum computer. That central part of a quantum machine uses what are known as "qubits." In many quantum computers, the qubits must be kept very cold, near the temperatures where atoms stop moving, inside a special refrigerator. That makes it very difficult to connect wires to the qubits to send and receive information. Most of those wires and additional electronics have to sit outside the special refrigerator.Intel said its chip - which is named for one of the coldest spots in the US state of Oregon, where many of its factories are located - is designed to be able to sit inside the quantum refrigerator. The company hopes the chip will make its quantum computers more practical to produce in the future.

Quantum computers remain years away from everyday use but have drawn the interest of tech companies Read the full article

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Realme Narzo 10 series India launch LIVE Updates: Expected specs and price, online launch event link

Realme Narzo 10, Narzo 10A India launch LIVE Updates: Realme Narzo 10 series launch event will be held online. Interested people will be able to watch the launch event on the company's YouTube and social media channels. Realme Narzo series for the generation Z is all set to launch in India today. The event scheduled to begin at 12:30PM. Due to the lockdown, the Realme Narzo 10 series launch event will be held online. Interested people will be able to watch the launch event on the company’s YouTube and social media channels. Also on Realme’s official website. The company previously noted in a statement to the press that the launch video is pre-recorded and while shooting it the company took all the necessary safety and social distancing measures suggested by the government of India. Under the Realme Narzo series the company will launch two smartphones — Narzo 10 and Narzo 10A. Realme is taking the design and camera of these phones very seriously. The teasers have revealed that the Realme Narzo 10 will sport Realme X onion and garlic special edition like design while the Narzo 10A will have Realme power bank like design with a big logo of the company at the back. The phones will also come in funky colours as suggested by the teasers. Green and Blue have been revealed in the official teasers.

Realme Narzo 10 series India launch LIVE Updates: Here’s how to watch the online event COVID19Bengal: Leakage in PPE supply? Govt sets up helpline for health staffBengal: No need to lift lockdown before Eid, says Imams’ bodyIn living with the virus, local govts’ preparedness will be key, says WHO Covid envoyADVERTISEMENTHomeTechnologyMobile & TabsLive nowRealme Narzo 10 series India launch LIVE Updates: Expected specs and price, online launch event linkRealme Narzo 10, Narzo 10A India launch LIVE Updates: Realme Narzo 10 series launch event will be held online. Interested people will be able to watch the launch event on the company's YouTube and social media channels.Written By Sneha Saha | New Delhi |Updated: May 11, 2020 9:01:47 amNEXTRealme Narzo 10 series India launch LIVE Updates: Here’s how to watch the online event (Image: Realme)Realme Narzo series for the generation Z is all set to launch in India today. The event scheduled to begin at 12:30PM. Due to the lockdown, the Realme Narzo 10 series launch event will be held online. Interested people will be able to watch the launch event on the company’s YouTube and social media channels. Also on Realme’s official website. The company previously noted in a statement to the press that the launch video is pre-recorded and while shooting it the company took all the necessary safety and social distancing measures suggested by the government of India.Smartphones launching this week: Read for more detailsADVERTISEMENTUnder the Realme Narzo series the company will launch two smartphones — Narzo 10 and Narzo 10A. Realme is taking the design and camera of these phones very seriously. The teasers have revealed that the Realme Narzo 10 will sport Realme X onion and garlic special edition like design while the Narzo 10A will have Realme power bank like design with a big logo of the company at the back. The phones will also come in funky colours as suggested by the teasers. Green and Blue have been revealed in the official teasers.Why the name Realme Narzo? Find outHere’s everything you need to know about Realme Narzo seriesThe Realme Narzo 10 will include quad cameras at the back while the 10A will come with three image sensors. The company has already teased the Narzo 10 will include 48MP primary image sensor at the back, MediaTek Helio G80 chipset, 5000mAh battery and quick charge support. There are no details on the pricing of the Realme Narzo series as of yet. But considering the specifications revealed by the company, the Narzo 10 will be on the expensive side when compared to the Narzo 10A Read the full article

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If the lockdown is not lifted, there may be defiance on a larger scale than at present

In the last 47 days, more MSMEs have been pushed over the brink, more millions of poor people have been pushed into destitution, and more thousands of middle-class families have been pushed into indebtedness.

The failure to put money in the bank accounts of the poor, under the Financial Action Plan of March 25, was a grave mistake. When you read this, we will be in the 47th day of lockdown with seven days more to go.When the Prime Minister announced Lockdown 1.0 (we did not then know it would be the first lockdown) on national television on March 24, he had spelt out the objectives. He said, “As per health experts, a period of at least 21 days is extremely critical to break the infection chain of coronavirus.” On the next day, speaking to his constituents in Varanasi, he said, “Mahabharata war took 18 days to conclude, the war against coronavirus will take 21 days The key words were “to break the infection chain” and “conclude”. Most people took his words at face-value and believed that the infection chain would be broken in 21 days and the battle against the virus would be won.Real Objectives & MistakesOf course, medical and health experts knew that the infection chain would not be broken in 21 days. They persuaded the Prime Minister to extend the lockdown. On April 14, again on national television, he announced Lockdown 2.0 and said, “It is clearly evident from the experience of the past few days, that we have chosen the correct path… if we continue to be patient and follow rules, we will be able to defeat even a pandemic like corona.” The key words were “we have chosen the correct path”, “be patient” and “defeat even a pandemic like corona”. Medical and health experts were sceptical. They knew that the real objectives were to spread awareness and augment, rapidly, the medical and health infrastructure. At the risk of repetition, let me say a lockdown was not a cure, it was only a pause that gave us sufficient time to be prepared to deal with the number of infected persons at its peak.The government made some unintended, but crucial, mistakes. While Lockdown 1.0 was anticipated, its sudden imposition with barely four hours’ notice was a mistake. The failure to put money in the bank accounts of the poor, under the Financial Action Plan of March 25, was a grave mistake. Not arranging transport to enable the migrant workers to go back to their home states when the spread of the virus was extremely low was the gravest mistake. Read the full article

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Zoom becomes the most downloaded app in April, thanks to India: Report

Despite the privacy and security concerns raised by the Indian government regarding the use of video conferencing platform Zoom, India accounted for the most downloads of the application in April 2020 Despite the privacy and security concerns raised by the Indian government regarding the use of video conferencing platform Zoom, India accounted for the most downloads of the application in April 2020, according to the data released by Sensor Tower. Previously, we reported that India represents a significant portion of Zoom’s 300 million daily meeting participants globally.According to a report by Sensor Tower, Zoom was the most downloaded non-game app worldwide for April 2020 with close to 131 millions installs, which is 60 times higher than the numbers in April 2019. While India accounted for 18.2 per cent of Zoom’s total downloads, users from the United States accounted for 14.3 per cent downloads.

Zoom is now the most downloaded application in the world. TikTok was the second most installed non-game app worldwide in April with more than 107 million installs— a 2.5x increase from April 2019. As per the report, India also accounted for the largest number of TikTok installs at around 22 per cent downloads followed by the US at 9.4 per cent. Notably, in March 2020, TikTok was the most downloaded non-game app worldwide with more than 115.2 million installs with India (29.5 per cent) accounting for the most downloads followed by Brazil (9.4 per cent). WhatsApp was the second most downloaded app worldwide followed by Zoom. Even though Zoom was the most downloaded application on Apple App Store in March itself, it was on fourth position in the number of downloads on the Google Play Store. In April 2020, Zoom is now rocking the charts for both App Store and the Play Store as the most downloaded application worldwide. Read the full article