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Kosovo and Israel agrees to normalize ties and establish diplomatic relations

By
Jyoti B
-

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday, Serbia has committed to moving its embassy to Jerusalem, and that Kosovo and Israel had agreed to normalize ties and establish diplomatic relations.

After two days of meetings with Trump administration officials, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo’s Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti agreed to cooperate on a range of economic fronts to attract investment and create jobs.

The announcement provided Trump with a diplomatic win ahead of the November presidential election and furthers his administration’s push to improve Israel’s international standing.

The agreement calls for implementing previous airline, rail, and highway arrangements along, according to White House officials. 

A statement from Netanyahu’s office said that during a meeting between Trump and Hoti, the president called Netanyahu and congratulated the two leaders on the decision to establish full diplomatic relations.

According to the statement, Hoti also announced that he would open an embassy in Jerusalem.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to forging a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, who with broad international backing want East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, as their capital.

Israel regards all of the city, including the eastern sector it annexed after the 1967 war, as its capital.

JEE Main, NEET 2020: SC dismisses review plea filed by six states, exams to go as per schedule

By
Shivani Negi
-

The Supreme Court of India on Friday dismissed a plea that challenged its August 17 order which allowed the Centre to conduct the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) and the Joint Entrance Examination (Main).

The plea, filed by six opposition-ruled states, sought postponement of the exams. The plea was reviewed by the bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, BR Gavai and Krishna Murari who said, “The plea does not merit reconsideration.”

“Applications seeking permission to file review petitions are allowed. We have carefully gone through the review petitions and the connected papers. We find no merit in the review petitions and the same are accordingly dismissed,” the bench said.

The apex court held an “in-chamber’ hearing consisting of judges only with no lawyer allowed to enter or attend.

The review plea was filed by Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. It came after the SC dismissed a PIL by students seeking postponement of the two most important entrance exams of the country.

Meanwhile, the JEE exams are already underway in the country while Neet are to be held on September 13.

The National Testing Agency(NTA), which conducts both the eams, has begun the JEE exams from September 1 and are to be concluded on September 6.

The exams received a mixed response across the country. While some emphasised on saving one precious year of students’ lives, other criticized the decision saying exams amid a global pandemic will add on mental pressure on students.

According to a report of News18, nearly 25 per cent of the candidates have skipped the exam withing the first three days.

“Of the total 4,58,521 students who had registered to sit for the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main for admission to engineering colleges, at least 1,14,563 students dropped out from appearing in the first three days,” it said.

Apple agrees to commit to freedom of expression after criticism for China censorship

By
Shivani Negi
-

Apple for the first time introduced a human rights policy that commits to protect freedom of information and expression. The move comes after continued criticism and pressure from the shareholders.

“At Apple, we are optimistic about technology’s awesome potential for good,” says Tim Cook, Apple CEO, in a statement at the start of the new document. “But we know that it won’t happen on its own. Every day, we work to infuse the devices we make with the humanity that makes us.”

The policy was published after approval from Apple’s board of directors ahead of a September 5 deadline issued by shareholders. The four-page document intends to walk a fine line between upholding human right white implying that Apple is “required to comply with local laws” in in authoritarian countries.

The new document follows the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The tech giant, in the document, said that Apple is “committed to respecting the human rights of everyone whose lives we touch — including our employees, suppliers, contractors and customers.

Apple has been at the center of criticism after it removed virtual network apps from its App store in China following which the shareholders demanded the tech giant to commit “to respect freedom of expression as a human right”. To which, Apple had argued that the app was being used to target individual police officers and to victimise individuals and property, violating Hong Kong law.

However, the new document published by the company still does not reflect high-profile dilemmas such as what to do when world’s largest smartphone market, China, asks it to remove apps that are used to avoid censorship and surveillance.

Bullet train project may face 5-year delay due to coronavirus pandemic

By
Shivani Negi
-

The much-anticipated Mumbai-Ahemdabad bullet train project is on the way of postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic that has caused delay in opening tenders and land acquisitions.

The project which was scheduled to be completed by December 2023 is now eyeing a delay of around five years, According to a report of The Indian Express, The Railways are now expecting the project to be commissioned by October 2028. The revised timeline has been calculated after holding talks with Japanese investors who are working on the project.

“We can maybe compress the timeline to some extent if all the outstanding issues are resolved quickly. But in such a complex technical project, the timeline cannot be compressed to a great extent,” The Indian Express quoted a senior official as saying.

The National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) has said that the project has been greatly affected by the pandemic as it led to the delay in opening of s few tenders.

“Because of COVID we had to postpone the opening of a few of the tenders. It is difficult to assess the impact of the pandemic on the project as it is still continuing. We cannot say how the pandemic will affect the project as I don’t know how long it will last,” NHSRCL MD Achal Khare said.

The Railways, meanwhile, last month said that the high-speed rail corridor is expected to be completed on time despite the impact of the covid-19 impact.

“About 63% land has been acquired for the project and tenders for civil works for 345 kms out of 508 kms alignment ( 68% of civil works) is already floated. This includes six MAHSR stations (including one underground station in Mumbai). The works related to utility diversion are progressing well and the construction of Sabarmati passenger hub (a multi modal hub) in Sabarmati, Gujarat has also started,” NHSRCL had said last month, while emphasising that despite the delay, the project will be completed on time.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 1.08 lakh crore. The Centre has signed a loan agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which has provided ₹15,000 crore for the project at an interest rate of 0.1 per cent.The Government of India is to pay Rs 10,000 crore to the NHSRCL, while the two states involved – Maharasthra and Guajarat, will be paying Rs 5,000 crore each.

Utility Companies Undermining Global shift to Net-Zero Emissions

By
Jyoti B
-

Just 10% of utility companies have prioritised renewables over the past two decades, according to research from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford.

It asserts that there has been “missed opportunity for progress” on global climate commitments, amid claims that utility firms could have expanded renewables-based power generation capacity faster than gas or coal-fired capacity.

‘This research brings out a worrying gap between what is needed to stop global warming, and what actions are being taken by the utility sector,’ explains Galina Alova, study author and researcher at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.

‘Although there have been a few high-profile examples of individual electric utilities investing in renewables, this study shows that overall, the sector is making the shift to clean energy slowly or not at all.’

‘Utilities’ continued investment in fossil fuels leaves them at risk of stranded assets – where power plants will need to be retired early – and undermines global efforts to tackle climate change

‘The global shift to a low carbon future might be further jeopardised by the strain that COVID-19 pandemic has put on public and private finance, as well as supply chains, resulting in pause or cancellation of new renewable energy projects.

Many countries and businesses have devoted to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, to prevent the disastrous consequences of climate change. To achieve this, fossil fuels must be replaced with renewable energy throughout the economy.

But the study implies that utilities remain committed to their conventional fossil-fuel-dominated activities. While independent power producers are leading the penetration of renewables, traditional utilities lag behind.

Rajnath Singh holds talk with Chinese Defence Minister, asks to restore status at border

By
Shivani Negi
-

Amid the continued tension between India-China due to prolonged border clash, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting, on Friday, with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe in Moscow to resolve the crisis.

According to a report of news agency PTI, Singh, in his conversation with Wei, pushed for restoration of status quo ante at all frictional points in eastern Ladakh.

Singh and Wei met on the sidelines of Defence Ministers meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Oraganisation after the latter had urged for a meeting on Thursday. As per the sources, the two leaders held talks for abour 2 hours and 20 minutes. Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Indian Ambassador to Russia D B Venkatesh Varma were also a part of the talks that took place at a prominent hotel in Moscow.

“The meeting between Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh and Chinese Defence Minister, General Wei Fenghe in Moscow is over. The meeting lasted for 2 hours and 20 minutes,” Singh’s office tweeted.

Ahead of the meeting, speaking at a seminar in New Delhi organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla, said India will remain committed to secure its ‘territorial integrity and sovereignty’ amid tension on the border, however, he said that we are also “willing to talk” to resolve the issue.

“As far as we are concerned, there will be no compromise in our sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, as a responsible nation, we are always willing to talk. Our communication lines are open,” Shringla said.

Calling the situation one of the worst observed in decades, the Foreign Secretary mentioned that we have been engaged, both militarily and diplomatically, with China.

“This is one of the most serious challenges we have faced in many decades. Also, I think if you look at the fact that we have not lost any lives on the border in the last 40 years, we have not seen this magnitude of amassing of forces on the border also in recent years, is something that we have to take stock of,” the Foreign Secretary said.

Meanwhile, hours before the meet, the Defence Minster termed the SCO gathering: “Peaceful, stable and secure region of SCO member states, which is home to over 40 per cent of the global population, demands a climate of trust and cooperation, non-aggression, respect for international rules and norms, sensitivity to each other’s interest and peaceful resolution of differences.”

Akshay Kumar announces FAU-G, desi alternative to PUBG

By
Jyoti B
-

PUBG Mobile and PUBG light are being taken down from the Google Play store as India banned 118 china-linked applications on Wednesday after a continuous tension at the India-China border.

Now, to encourage Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atma Nirbhar Bharat Campaign, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar on Friday unveiled a royal battle game “FAU: G.

Sharing the news on Instagram, Akshay Kumar wrote, “Supporting PM @narendramodi’s Atma Nirbhar movement, proud to present a multiplayer action game, Fearless And United – Guards FAU-G.

The actor said that not only will FAU-G support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat but also help the family of martyrs.

Twenty per cent of the game’s net proceeds will be donated to the ‘Bharat Ke Veer Trust’ set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

FAU-G is the brainchild of nCore Games, a mobile games publisher advised an invested in by veteran tech entrepreneur Vishal Gondal.

His previous track record includes Indiagames, which he sold to Disney in 2007 and fitness band/service company GOQii.

PTI reports that FAU-G is likely to be launched by the end of October and will be based on real-life conflicts encountered by the Indian security forces.

The first level of the game is set in the Galwan area of eastern Ladakh, where Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a violent face-off in June. Twenty Indian soldiers died in the clash.

IPL 2020: A funny video of Shikhar Dhawan along with his Delhi Capital mate Prithvi Shaw went viral

By
Harshit
-

The 13th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is going to start in the UAE from 19 September. Cricket fans along with the players are eagerly waiting for the start of this season. Right now all the players are sweating heavily in the Nets during the practice session.

Meanwhile, a funny video has surfaced from the Delhi Capitals opener Shikhar Dhawan, who is one of the most active Indian cricketers on social media. Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw were seen having fun in that video.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEtgxbxjg35/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Anyone who saw this video could not stop laughing and it also depicts the momentum of the dressing room of Delhi Capitals.

In the video, Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw are seen having fun on the song ‘Apun Bola Tu Meri Laila’ from Shah Rukh Khan’s film ‘Josh’. Sharing the video, Dhawan wrote in the caption, “Prithvi Shaw in my Laila COVID time.”

IPL 2020: The 13 season of Indian Premier League will kick-off with Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians

By
Harshit
-

The opening game of the Indian Premier League 2020 will be played between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. This year the tournament was supposed to be played from 29 March, but it was postponed due to the threat of coronavirus. Now this tournament is being organized in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The BCCI sources told a website that there are no plans to change the inaugural match. The Board of Control for Cricket in India is going to start the 13th edition of the IPL with a match between the teams led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

Mumbai Indians have won the last season of the Indian Premier League while the Chennai Super Kings were the runners-ups.

The BCCI may announce the much-awaited IPL 2020 schedule by Saturday. This time this tournament will be played from 19 September to 10 November. In total 60 matches will be played in this season of IPL for 53 days in three venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.

There is no assurance for the return of spectators on the ground: Kiren Rijiju

By
Harshit
-

Sports Minister Kiran Rijiju said on Friday that he didn’t have any idea about the return of the spectators in the stadiums, while the government has given permission to gather up to 100 people for the Games in the guidelines of its unlocked four.

Speaking at the virtual launch of the app ‘Enjogo’ designed by former Indian captain Baichung Bhutia’s Football School. Rijiju said that the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to say when the spectators would return to the stadiums. So far the number of COVID-19 infected in India has gone up to 40 lakhs.

He said, “I will not be able to say anything about the spectators return to the stadiums. I don’t know about the situation of the pandemic in the coming months.”

On 29 August, the Home Ministry allowed a limited number of people to gather for the Games, which could be up to 100 spectators, but it would be effective from 21 September.

Rijiju said that the decision to allow spectators in the stadium will be taken by the local authorities only, which will be in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Rijiju also admitted that he faced criticism from some sections for projecting India’s top 10 in the medal tally of the 2028 Olympics.

IPL 2020: Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh pulls out of the 13th edition of the tournament

By
Harshit
-

After Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh also pulls out from the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League citing personal reasons. He shared this update through a post on his Twitter account.

“Dear Friends I will not be playing IPL this year due to personal reasons.These are difficult times and I would expect some privacy as I spend time with my family. @ChennaiIPL CSK management has been extremely supportive and I wish them a great IPL Stay safe and Jai Hind,” Harbhajan tweeted.

This is the major setback for the Chennai Super Kings as Harbhajan Singh is the leading bowler for the Chennai based franchise.


Apart from Harbhajan, Chennai Super Kings have three other key spinners. These include leg-spinner Imran Tahir, left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla. The 40-year-old bowler has been a part of CSK for the last two seasons. He is currently in Jalandhar, Punjab with his family.


Harbhajan Singh took 16 wickets in the IPL last year. Harbhajan Singh is third in terms of the highest wicket in IPL history. In the IPL, Lasith Malinga is leading the table with 170 wickets, Amit Mishra has 157 wickets and Bhajji took 150 wickets.

Bigg Boss 2020 to be sponsored by Mobile Premier League

By
Shivani Negi
-

One of the most popular reality TV shows, Big Boss known for the high-voltage drama will return for its 2020 season. Entertainment channel Colors has collaborated with Mobile Premier League (MPL) as the presenting sponsor. After the exit of Chinese Smartphone brand Vivo, MPL is aiming to use the reality show’s immense popularity which will help in boosting their brand value in multiple folds.

Salman Khan is continuing his role of host for the season launching on October 3, 2020, he is hosting the show for last 10 years. And his fame is a big contributing factor for the popularity of the show for a decade now, according to few rumors a hefty sum of Rs450 crore is paid to Salman for hosting the show but it is not confirmed.

Expressing his thoughts about the partnership , Mahesh Shetty, Head, Network Sales, Viacom18, “Bigg Boss is one of the leading reality shows in the entertainment space and it appeals to demographics across geographies. Given its strong fanbase makes it one of the sought-after marketing playgrounds for sponsors. Over the years, several brands have come forward to explore innovative customizations and partnerships to deliver their business ambitions. Mobile Premier League (MPL) is India’s leading esports and mobile gaming platform that provide unparalleled gaming experience to the users and we are glad to welcome them as the presenting sponsor for the new season of Bigg Boss.”

Elaborating on the partnership, Naveen Khemka from Mediacom said, “We are delighted with this partnership of MPL and Bigg Boss. This is one show that has shown consistent performance over the years. We are confident that we will be able to leverage a strong association with the loyal Big Boss audience through some innovative associations that we have in store for our exponentially increasing gaming audience. India loves to play and this time it’s going to be inside the Big Boss house with MPL.

Madhavan, VP, growth and marketing, Mobile Premier League (MPL), with MPL expanding into areas like entertainment via its live-streaming and a bunch of video-first features, Bigg Boss was the most obvious choice for MPL to associate with.


“Bigg Boss is one show that has shown consistent performance over the years. We are confident that we will be able to leverage a strong association with the loyal Big Boss audience through some innovative associations that we have in store for our exponentially increasing gaming audience. India loves to play and this time it’s going to be inside the Big Boss house with MP,” Naveen Khemka, CEO South Asia, Mediacom stated.

Foreign Secretary Shringla : ‘No compromise on territorial integrity’

By
Neha Kumari
-

Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla said India remains firmly committed to preserving its ‘territorial integrity and sovereignty’ amid tension on the border with China. He said while speaking at the Indian Council for World Affairs webinar.

“As far as we are concerned, there will be no compromise in our sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, as a responsible nation, we are always willing to talk. Our communication lines are open,” Shringla said.

He called the situation along the Line of Actual Control  at Ladakh ‘unprecedented’.

“This is one of the most serious challenges we have faced in many decades. Also, I think if you look at the fact that we have not lost any lives on the border in the last 40 years, we have not seen this magnitude of amassing of forces on the border also in recent years, is something that we have to take stock of,” the Foreign Secretary said.

They also spoke about India’s role in undertaking disaster-relief operations and shaping up of people-centric international order.

“India has been a constructive actor in shaping up of people-centric international order. We have undertaken humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief ops well beyond our immediate neighbourhood,” he said.

Russia restate they will not supply arms to Pakistan

By
Neha Kumari
-

Russia on Thursday reiterated that they will not supply weapons to Pakistan during a meeting between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart General Sergei Shoigu in Moscow.

“The defence minister got Russia’s assurance that it stands by India’s security interest,” they said. Russia also vigorously supported the Make in India initiative aimed at self-reliance in the defence sector.

“It was noted that this meeting coincides with the Indra naval exercises to be conducted by the Indian and Russian navies off the Strait of Malacca over the next two days,” the defence ministry said.

“There was substantial commonality in positions with respect to challenges at the regional and international levels in the areas of peace and security, reflective of the deep trust and confidence that both sides enjoy as strategic partners,” the statement said.

They conveyed India’s appreciation for the steadfast support provided by Russia to address the country’s defence and security needs, it said.

Coronavirus Update-30,37,151 patients have recovered from the infection in the country

By
Neha Kumari
-

A single-day spike of 83,341 cases has pushed India’s coronavirus tally past the 39-lakh mark, the Health Ministry said. The total number of cases now stand at 39,36,347. However country witnessed 1,096 Covid-related deaths, taking the total death count to 68,472.

30,37,151 patients have recovered from the infection in the country, pushing the recovery rate to 77 per cent. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh account for 70 per cent of the total COVID-19 deaths, according to the government.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has warned of the formation of “Onam Clusters” of coronavirus in the state because of increased contact among people during these festive days.

“The next two weeks are crucial as we may see Onam clusters being formed in the state due to increased outdoor public activity and travel during the festival time. We can expect a hike in Covid cases,” Vijayan said. Kerala has a total of 79,625 COVID 19 cases, with 315 deaths. The active cases currently in the state is 21,516.

Rajasthan reported its highest single-day spike of 1,553 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking the infection tally to 86,227, while 14 more fatalities pushed the death toll in the state to 1,095.

According to a health department bulletin issued here, 70,160 people have been discharged after treatment till now.

The coronavirus toll in Uttar Pradesh rose to 3,691 on Thursday with 75 more fatalities, while 5,776 fresh cases pushed the state’s infection tally to 2,47,101.

There are 57,598 active cases in the state, while 1,85,812 patients have been discharged after recovering from the infection, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical and Health, Amit Mohan Prasad told reporters.

“The state reported 5,776 fresh cases in the past 24 hours and the COVID-19 tally in the state has risen to 2,47,101,” a health bulletin said.

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