Category Archives: GENERAL

Nepal Plane Crash: Yeti Airlines flight with 72 onboard crashes, Nepal PM calls for emergency meeting

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At least 16 people have been killed after an aircraft carrying 72 people crashed about 200km from Kathmandu in Nepal.

The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft by Yeti Airlines took off for Pokhara on Sunday morning with 72 passengers, including two infants, four crew members and 10 foreign nationals, said airline spokesman Sudarshan Bartaula.

“We expect to recover more bodies,” army spokesman Krishna Bhandari told Reuters. Local TV channels showed thick black smoke billowing from the crash site as rescue workers rushed to the scene.

“Responders have already reached there and trying to douse the fire. All agencies are now focused on first dousing the fire and rescuing the passengers,” local official Gurudutta Dhakal said.

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal posted on Twitter, “I am deeply saddened by the sad and tragic accident of Yeti Airlines ANC ATR 72 which was flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara with passengers,” and later called an emergency cabinet meeting.

“I sincerely appeal to the security personnel, all agencies of the Nepal government and the general public to start an effective rescue,” he said.

In May, a plane owned by Tara Air crashed less than 20 minutes after taking off from Pokhara, headed to Jomsom – a trekking destination in Mustang district bordering Tibet.

In 2018, another US-Bangla passenger plane from Bangladesh crashed on landing in Kathmandu, killing 49 of the 71 people on board.

 

Archaeologists upbeat after finding ancient house ruins in Henan village, following gold mask earlier

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Archaeologists have excavated the ruins of house foundations dating back more than 5,000 years in the Yangshao village site in Central China’s Henan-province last month, adding another finding about the ancient civilization in the region.

The house was once a large building with rammed earth walls that might have covered more than 130 square meters. It is speculated that it belongs to the late Yangshao Culture period, says Li Shiwei from Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, who is in charge of the excavation site.

“This is the first time that large house ruins have been discovered since the excavation of the Yangshao village site in 1921. The findings can provide new materials for studying the types, shapes and building techniques of houses during the Yangshao Culture period,” Li said.

Archaeologists also unearthed four artificial trenches and a large number of cultural relics at the site, including a jade tomahawk that symbolizes military power.

In 1921, the first excavation on the Yangshao village site, which is in Mianchi county, Henan province, marked the birth of modern-Chinese archaeology. Originating around the middle reaches of the Yellow River, the Yangshao Culture is considered an important stream of Chinese civilization and the fourth archaeological excavation at the site began on Aug 22, 2020.

In September 2022, a rare 3,000-year-old gold mask has been unearthed recently providing a glimpse into ancient Chinese culture during an excavation of royal tombs. The mask threw light on the artifact dates back to the Shang dynasty—the earliest ruling dynasty ever recorded in China—from 1600 to 1046 BCE.

Since there was hardly any gold artifacts uncovered from this period, the finding of a gold mask remains exceptionally rare. In fact, a similar metal mask was discovered at the Sanxingdui archeological site in autumn 2021, making the site a treasure trove of artifacts of the ancient Shu Kingdom dating from the years 221 to 263 CE. The site was discovered in 1929 and since then archaeologists have uncovered numerous, rare artifacts from the ancient kingdom.

But this new Henan discovery older than the artifacts of the Shu Kingdom. It is likely that the artifacts within Sanxingdui were directly influenced by those of the Shang Dynasty. Known as the birthplace of Chinese civilization and is home to four ancient cities, the mask is likely to throw light on the region’s capital, Zhengzhou.

Experts believe the newly discovered gold mask would have covered the whole face. It is not clear what exactly the mask would have been used for but the Shang Dynasty was particularly well-known for its development of artifacts used in warfare. Archeologists are not sure whether the mask was made locally or obtained from elsewhere.

Director of the Zhengzhou Municipal Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Gu Wanfa, told the South China Morning Post that the find shows a direct influence between the finds at Sanxingdui and the finds in Zhengzhou.

“There has been a saying about bubaijinshen, or an imperishable gold body, since ancient times in China. [The mask] proves that the concept had existed since the Shang dynasty,” Wanfa told the South China Morning Post.

Earlier, archeologists also discovered plaques and gold leaves in the royal tombs in Zhengzhou, besides some coins and bronze weapons. The Shang dynasty is noted for its bronze artifacts and also thought to have invented first forms of writing.

 

BJP may lose 50 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha elections: Shashi Tharoor

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Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said that it will be “impossible” for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to replicate its electoral success in the Lok Sabha elections of 2019 in 2024, while speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode, Kerala.

Tharoor, who is the MP for Thiruvananthapuram, stated that it is “conceivable” that the ruling party could lose up to 50 seats in the Lok Sabha. He acknowledged the BJP’s dominance, but also pointed out that the party has lost many states and that it is not impossible for them to lose the central government as well.

Tharoor argued that the BJP’s results in states like Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal in 2019 are impossible to replicate and therefore, the BJP dropping below the majority in 2024 is entirely possible.

“If you look at how well they did in 2019, they have essentially had every seat in Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan; or all but one seat in Bihar, MP, Maharashtra; and 18 seats in Bengal. Now, all of those results are impossible to replicate and the BJP dropping below the majority in 2024 is entirely possible,” noted Tharoor during a session titled “India@75: A walk through the Democratic Institutions”, held on Saturday, January 14, 2022.

He also said that the “tremendous wave” created by the Pulwama attacks and the Balakot strike in 2019 was a “freak” event that will not be repeated in 2024.

However, Tharoor also acknowledged that predicting whether the opposition parties, which he believes will be able to unseat the BJP from its majority position, will stay together is “impossible to answer.”

“If the BJP is at 250 and the others are at 290… will those 290 agree or would the BJP be able to pick 20 here and 10 there from parties that want favours from the central government of the day and then form the government. We don’t know,” he stated.

Army Day Today: Parade moves to Bengaluru First Time Since 1949

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The 75th Army Day parade, traditionally held in Delhi, will take place in Bengaluru at the Parade Ground, MEG & Centre today, Sunday, January 15, 2022. This marks the first time the event is being held outside of the national capital since its inception in 1949.

Army Chief General Manoj Pande will lead the parade and present gallantry awards, followed by a motorcycle display by the Army Service Corps (ASC) Tornadoes, skydiving, daredevil jumps, and a flyover by Army Aviation Corps helicopters.

Army Day is celebrated annually on January 15 to commemorate the takeover of the Indian Army by General (later Field Marshal) KM Carriappa from the last British Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher.

Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane

This year, the parade will be held at various field commands in India to facilitate a deeper connection with the society, the Station Commander of the Southern Command said. The celebrations in full will take place under the supervision of Southern Command, which is headquartered in Pune.

Before 2023, the Army Day parade used to take place at the Cariappa Parade Ground in the Delhi Cantonment. Last year, the Indian Air Force also moved out its annual fly-past and parade for the Air Force Day from the Hindon air base near Delhi to Chandigarh.

Army Day, celebrated annually on January 15th, marks the day in 1949 when Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa became the first Indian commander-in-chief of the Indian Army, succeeding British General Sir Francis Butcher.

Cariappa was a highly decorated officer who had a distinguished career in both the British Indian Army and the Indian Army. He was the first Indian officer to attend the Staff College at Quetta and the first Indian to command a battalion. He was later appointed as a Field Marshal, the highest rank in the Indian Army.

The Indian Army is the second largest army in the world. It has over 12 lakhs active personnel and under 10 lakh reserve personnel with a motto — “Service Before Self” and its origins can be traced back to the armies of the East India Company. It has won many battles and honours before and after independence.

Some Facts at Glance:

  • Kodandera M. Cariappa was also appointed a member of the Army Sub Committee of the Forces Reconstitution Committee during the country’s partition. He secured a harmonious settlement for the army’s division between India and Pakistan.
  • In 1965, the post of the Commander-in-Chief was renamed as the Chief of the Army Staff. The current Chief of the Army Staff is General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
  • On this day, every year, the country joins the army in observing ‘Army Day’.
  • The Army Chief also presents gallantry and other awards to army personnel.
  • The Indian Army, headquartered in New Delhi, has 6 operational commands and 1 training command. Each headquarter command and HQs of other wings also showcase parades and celebrations.
  • The Indian Army’s official date of founding is 1 April, 1895. Its origins can be traced to the armies of the East India Company.

iQOO 11, first snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered smartphone goes on sale in India

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The iQOO 11, which was recently released in India, can now be purchased through iQOO’s official Indian website and Amazon.in. It is available in Alpha and Legend colors and has two memory options in India — 8GB/256GB and 16GB/256GB.

The prices for these options are INR59,999 ($740/€680) and INR64,999 ($800/€735) respectively. However, there are exchange bonuses and bank offers that can bring the price down even further.

The iQOO 11 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, making it the first smartphone in India to have this processor. It runs on the Android 13-based Funtouch OS 13 and has a 6.78″ 144Hz 1440p E6 AMOLED screen. The display has a fingerprint reader underneath and a punch hole in the center for the 16MP front-facing camera.

Brief Review

The iQOO 11, is the latest smartphone from iQOO and is the first in India to be equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the latest and most advanced chip at the time of its release. The device also features many upgrades, such as its design, display, performance, and battery life, compared to its predecessor, the iQOO 9T.

The iQOO 11 comes in two color options, black “alpha” and white “legend”, and features a faux leather material on the back which is said to feel premium and provide enough grip.

IQ 00 11 smartphone on sale

The device also has a 6.78-inch E6 AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440p and a refresh rate of 144Hz. In terms of performance, the iQOO 11 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and offers fast and reliable biometrics through its optical fingerprint scanner.

The battery life is also said to be good with a 5,000 mAh battery and support for 120W wired charging. Overall, the iQOO 11 is a well-rounded device with many improvements over its predecessor, making it a solid choice for consumers.

On the back of the device, there is a triple-camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary, 13MP telephoto, and 8MP ultrawide units. Additionally, it has a V2 chip for improved gaming and photography performance.

The device is also fueled by a 5,000 mAh battery and supports 120W wired charging.

Should you buy?

If you’re considering purchasing the iQOO 11, it’s important to keep in mind that it is a typical iQOO phone, with both strengths and weaknesses. The device excels in performance, providing a top-notch flagship experience.

However, it’s worth noting that when the OnePlus 11 and Samsung Galaxy S23 series are released, they may offer comparable or superior performance. Whether the iQOO 11 can compete with them in terms of value will depend on the pricing of those devices.

Delhi under severe grip of Cold Wave, Temperatures to drop further

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A chill in the air is forecasted to hit the city of Delhi and the surrounding region next week, with temperatures potentially dropping as low as 3 degrees Celsius. Yesterday, the minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 10.2 degrees Celsius.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, a cold wave is expected to hit several areas in Delhi between January 16th and 18th. The minimum temperature in Ayanagar and Ridge may reach as low as 3 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and Wednesday.

After experiencing several weeks of bitter cold nights, this forecast means that conditions may worsen for residents of Delhi. The weather department has issued a warning for frostbite and advises people to limit their time spent outdoors.

“Eat foods high in Vitamin C and drink warm fluids to maintain a strong immune system. Limit outdoor activities,” the meteorological department advised.

Another weather agency, Skymet, has reported that icy winds from the North have already led to a decrease in temperatures in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. However, the agency refutes the claims of an expert who predicted that temperatures in Delhi could reach as low as -4 degrees Celsius next week.

“Delhi may experience a minimum of 3-4 degrees between 16th and 18th of January, but will not drop below 0 degrees. Some isolated areas may see a minimum of around 2 degrees,” Skymet stated in a tweet.

The extremely low temperatures are expected to have the most severe impact on the homeless population and animals, and authorities have begun preparing additional shelters.

NASA ranks 2022 as 5th warmest year, NOAA says 6th highest since 1880

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NASA said earth’s average surface temperature in 2022 tied with 2015 as the fifth warmest year on record and the situation is “alarming”. However, another study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) termed 2022 as the sixth highest since 1880.

The global temperatures in 2022 were 1.6-degree Fahrenheit (0.89-degree Celsius) above the average for NASA’s baseline period (1951-1980), according to researchers at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York.

“This warming trend is alarming. Our warming climate is already making a mark: Forest fires are intensifying; hurricanes are getting stronger; droughts are wreaking havoc and sea levels are rising,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

The past nine years have been the warmest since modern record-keeping began in 1880 and the Earth in 2022 was about 2-degree Fahrenheit (or about 1.11-degree Celsius) warmer than the late 19th century average.

“NASA is deepening our commitment to do our part in addressing climate change. Our Earth System Observatory will provide state-of-the-art data to support our climate modelling, analysis and predictions to help humanity confront our planet’s changing climate,” Nelson explained.

Human-driven greenhouse gas emissions have rebounded following a short-lived dip in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, said NASA scientists. Overall, scientists determined that carbon dioxide emissions were the highest on record in 2022.

NASA also identified some super-emitters of methane using the Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation instrument that was launched to the International Space Station last year. (Read this story here)

 

“The reason for the warming trend is that human activities continue to pump enormous amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and the long-term planetary impacts will also continue,” said Gavin Schmidt, Director of GISS, NASA’s leading centre for climate modelling.

NOAA says 6th warmest year

However, NOAA has on record said the year 2022 was the warmest year on record since 1880.

The planet continued its warming trend in 2022, with last year ranking as the sixth-warmest year on record since 1880, said a report by scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

Climate by the numbers

The report said the Earth’s average land and ocean surface temperature in 2022 was 1.55 degrees F (0.86 of a degree C) above the 20th-century average of 57.0 degrees F (13.9 degrees C) — the sixth highest among all years in the 1880-2022 record.

The report notes that 2022 also marked the 46th-consecutive year (since 1977) with global temperatures rising above the 20th-century average. The 10-warmest years on record have all occurred since 2010, with the last nine years (2014-2022) among the 10-warmest years.

The 2022 Northern Hemisphere surface temperature was also the sixth highest in the 143-year record at 1.98 degrees F (1.10 degrees C) above average. The Southern Hemisphere surface temperature for 2022 was the seventh highest on record at 1.10 degrees F (0.61 of a degree C) above average, said the report.

2022 Events Behind Warming Climate

  • Global ocean heat content (OHC) hit a record high: The upper ocean heat content, which addresses the amount of heat stored in the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean, was record high in 2022, surpassing the previous record set in 2021. The four highest OHCs have all occurred in the last four years (2019-2022).
  • Polar sea ice ran low: The 2022 annual Antarctic sea ice extent (coverage) was at a near-record low at 4.09 million square miles. Only the year 1987 had a smaller annual extent. During 2022, each month had an extent that ranked among the five smallest for their respective months, while the months of February, June, July and August had their lowest monthly extent on record.

In the Arctic, the average annual sea ice extent was approximately 4.13 million square miles — the 11th-smallest annual average sea ice extent in the 1979-2022 record, according to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

  • Global tropical cyclones were near average: A total of 88 named storms occurred across the globe in 2022, which was near the 1991-2020 average. Of those, 40 reached tropical cyclone strength (winds of 74 mph or higher) and 17 reached major tropical cyclone strength (winds of 111 mph or higher). The global accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) — an integrated metric of the strength, frequency and duration of tropical storms — was the fourth lowest since 1981.
  • December 2022 was warm: The average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces in December was 1.44 degrees F (0.80 of a degree C) above the 20th-century average. This ranks as the eighth-warmest December in the 143-year NOAA record.

Regionally, Africa tied 2016 for its second-warmest December on record. South America’s December ranked fourth warmest on record, while Europe saw its 10th warmest. Although North America and Asia both had an above-average December temperature, neither ranked among the 20 warmest on record.

 

 

Twitter vacating office space in India too, staff told to work remotely

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Elon Musk-owned Twitter is reportedly vacating its co-working spaces in Delhi and Mumbai after having already done so in Bengaluru.

Already 150 of the company’s employees who work at the WeWork facility in Mumbai’s BKC, and 80 at The Executive Centre in Delhi’s Qutub area are asked to do so, reports said.

IANS, quoting sources, reported that the company has also given up co-working spaces in Bengaluru, indicating that this was due to global changes within the company.

Twitter

Earlier this week, Musk, who failed to pay the rent for Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, asked its remaining staff in Singapore to work remotely as the company is unable to pay the monthly rent.

Work From Home

According to reports, Twitter employees were informed about the decision via email, instructing them to leave the CapitaGreen building and work from home.

Casey Newton of Platformer said in a tweet on Thursday, “Twitter employees were just walked out of its Singapore office – its Asia-Pacific headquarters – over nonpayment of rent”.

“Landlords walked employees out of the building,” he posted.

In the US, Twitter has been sued as it failed to pay $136,250 rent for its office space in San Francisco.

Fossils reveal dinosaurs of prehistoric Patagonia

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A study by the University of Texas at Austin is providing a glimpse into dinosaur and bird diversity in Patagonia during the Late Cretaceous, just before the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct.

The fossils represent the first record of theropods — a dinosaur group that includes both modern birds and their closest non-avian dinosaur relatives — from the Chilean portion of Patagonia. The researchers’ finds include giant megaraptors with large sickle-like claws and birds from the group that also includes today’s modern species.

“The fauna of Patagonia leading up to the mass extinction was really diverse,” said lead author Sarah Davis, who completed this work as part of her doctoral studies with Professor Julia Clarke at the UT Jackson School of Geosciences Department of Geological Sciences. “You’ve got your large theropod carnivores and smaller carnivores as well as these bird groups coexisting alongside other reptiles and small mammals.”

The study was published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences.

Since 2017, members of the Clarke lab, including graduate and undergraduate students, have joined scientific collaborators from Chile in Patagonia to collect fossils and build a record of ancient life from the region. Over the years, researchers have found abundant plant and animal fossils from before the asteroid strike that killed off the dinosaurs.

The study focuses specifically on theropods, with the fossils dating from 66 to 75 million years ago.

A figure from the study showing teeth from a megaraptor dinosaur from various view points. The black tooth preserves most of the tooth crow. The tan tooth is missing the crown apex and base /
Davis et al.

Non-avian theropod dinosaurs were mostly carnivorous, and include the top predators in the food chain. This study shows that in prehistoric Patagonia, these predators included dinosaurs from two groups — megaraptors and unenlagiines.

Reaching over 25 feet long, megaraptors were among the larger theropod dinosaurs in South America during the Late Cretaceous. The unenlagiines — a group with members that ranged from chicken-sized to over 10 feet tall — were probably covered with feathers, just like their close relative the velociraptor. The unenlagiinae fossils described in the study are the southernmost known instance of this dinosaur group.

Bird fossils

The bird fossils were also from two groups — enantiornithines and ornithurines. Although now extinct, enantiornithines were the most diverse and abundant birds millions of years ago. These resembled sparrows — but with beaks lined with teeth. The group ornithurae includes all modern birds living today. The ones living in ancient Patagonia may have resembled a goose or duck, though the fossils are too fragmentary to tell for sure.

The researchers identified the theropods from small fossil fragments; the dinosaurs mostly from teeth and toes, the birds from small bone pieces. Davis said that the enamel glinting on the dinosaur teeth helped with spotting them among the rocky terrain.

Some researchers have suggested that the Southern Hemisphere faced less extreme or more gradual climatic changes than the Northern Hemisphere after the asteroid strike. This may have made Patagonia, and other places in the Southern Hemisphere, a refuge for birds and mammals and other life that survived the extinction. Davis said that this study can aid in investigating this theory by building up a record of ancient life before and after the extinction event.

Study co-author Marcelo Leppe, the director of the Antarctic Institute of Chile, said that these past records are key to understanding life as it exists today.

“We still need to know how life made its way in that apocalyptic scenario and gave rise to our southern environments in South America, New Zealand and Australia,” he said. “Here theropods are still present — no longer as dinosaurs as imposing as megaraptorids — but as the diverse array of birds found in the forests, swamps and marshes of Patagonia, and in Antarctica and Australia.”

Humble as ever, Keeravani says inspired by Western musical films ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, ‘Phone Booth’, ‘Coming to America’

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The ‘RRR’ Golden Globe award for the original song landed Telugu music composer M.M. Keeravani along the ranks of world famous composers who have struck original concept to get the whole world dance to their tune.

In his interview with journalists after receiving his trophy, Keeravani, who’s also known as M.M. Kreem in Hindi movie credits, said he is a “great fan” of the 1971 musical film ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, the Colin Farrell-starrer ‘Phone Booth’ (2002) and the Eddie Murphy movie, ‘Coming to America’ (1988).

“I am inspired by whatever happens in the world, especially in the West,” Keeravani said. “I have a list of movies that I watch religiously on a daily basis. Each and every movie I watch at least a hundred times,” he noted.

RRR music composer MM Keeravani

Keeravani said he loves films with “musical content and emotions” because he feels “quite refreshed” after watching them. With his natural humility, Keeravani said, his inspiration “comes from all the stalwarts from around the world, from the legendary John Williams, who has given music to almost all of ‘Star Wars’ films and Steven Spielberg’s movies, including ‘The Fabelmans’, which got the Best Film Golden Globe, to the Pakistani Sufi music maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

“I am a student, I will be one forever,” said Keeravani, who is ‘RRR’ maker S.S. Rajamouli’s cousin and believed to be the inspiration of the film’s sequel, which is said to be in the process of being written. “There is something to learn every day,” he added.


Talking about ‘Natu Natu’, which staved off challenges from Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga to win the Golden Globe for Original Score, Keeravani said “it is a song of celebration … it portrays stamina, energy and happiness … it is packed with ethnic beats and grooves.”

In fact, the song had Los Angeles dancing on the aisles of the city’s iconic TLC Chinese Theatre on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and now it has made India break into a national celebration winning the Golden Globe.

Thanks to Zelensky, “Naatu, Naatu” song shot in front of Ukraine Presidential palace bags Golden Globe

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As the RRR fim song ‘Naatu Naatu’ has won the Golden Globe award for ‘Best Original Song’, one person who deserves a Thank You is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who gave the permission to shoot the song in front of the Presidential Palace, portraying the British era building in 1920s in India.

When the film was shot in August 2021, the war clouds were not there and the film shooting was done to evade the Covid-ridden countryside in India by the film’s director S.S. Rajamouli, who was able to get the permission from Zelensky, who happened to be a former actor himself and was responsive to the request.

Mariinskyi Palace where RRR song “Naatu Naatu” was filmed

known as the Mariinskyi Palace, the ornate presidential palace of Ukraine served a perfect venue for the shoot of the song sequence “Naatu Naatu” where the British officials were shown assembling for festive celebrations in the movie RRR.

Originally constructed in 1752 during the period of the Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna by her architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the palace served as the main residence of the Governors-General. It underwent several restorations, the last one in the 1980s.

In his interview two years ago, director SS Rajamouli had said, “We shot the Naatu Naatu song in Ukraine. It is a real location. Actually, it is the Ukrainian President’s palace. There is a parliament right beside the palace. Luckily, they gave us permission to shoot because the Ukrainian president was a television actor. The funny thing is that he acted as the President in a TV series before becoming the President.”

The Ukraine leg was the last shooting schedule of the film and when the situation in Ukraine got escalated into a war with Russia, Rajamouli was sad. “We had gone there to shoot some crucial scenes. When we were shooting, I had no idea about the issues that have now escalated into a war. It was only after I returned and looking at things now, did I understand the seriousness of the issue,” he told in the interview.

‘Naatu Naatu’ was composed by Rajamouli’s brother MM Keeravani and the original Telugu lyrics were written by Chandrabose. Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava lend their voice in Telugu and KD Harisankar, Yazin Nizar, and Vishal Mishra to the dubbed versions and above all the credit goes to high-octane dance sequence choreographed by Prem Rakshith.

Indian American Jennifer Shah of ‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ sentenced to 78 months in jail

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American Indian Jennifer Shah, 49, who starred in ‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ has been sentenced to 78 months in prison for running a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted “vulnerable, elderly victims”.

Jennifer Shah previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. Besides the prison term, Shah has also been sentenced to five years of supervised release.

The court ordered her to forfeit $6,500,000, 30 luxury items, and 78 counterfeit luxury items, and to pay $6,645,251 in restitution.

“With today’s sentence, Jennifer Shah finally faces the consequences of the many years she spent targeting vulnerable, elderly victims,” Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement last week.

These individuals were lured in by false promises of financial security, but in reality, Shah and her co-conspirators defrauded them out of their savings and left them with nothing to show for it.

“This conviction and sentence demonstrate once again that we will continue to vigorously protect victims of financial fraud and hold accountable those who engage in fraudulent schemes,” Williams said.

According to court documents, from at least 2012 until her arrest in March 2021, Shah was an integral leader of a wide-ranging, nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that victimised thousands of innocent people.

The scheme principally involved selling those victims so-called “business services” in connection with the victims’ purported online businesses (the “Business Opportunity Scheme”).

Shah knowingly and intentionally facilitated the sale of “leads” a” contact information for potential victims who had been identified as susceptible to the scheme’s lies — to sales floors that were perpetrating the Business Opportunity Scheme and, during the latter portion of her participation in the scheme, owned and operated one of the sales floors that was part of the scheme, the court noted.

Many of Shah’s victims were elderly or vulnerable, and suffered significant financial hardship and damage, a US attorney office statement said. The victims were defrauded over and over again at Shah’s direction until they had nothing left.

She and her co-conspirators persisted in their conduct until the victims’ bank accounts were empty, their credit cards were at their limits, and there was nothing more to take.

The reality show star took a series of increasingly extravagant steps to conceal her criminal conduct from the authorities — she directed others to lie, she put businesses and bank accounts in the name of others, she required payment in cash, she instructed others to delete text messages and electronic documents, etc.

Shah also moved some of her operations overseas, and tried to put computers and other evidence beyond the reach of investigators,” the attorney office statement read.

“Jen Shah deeply regrets the mistakes that she has made and is profoundly sorry to the people she has hurt,” her defence lawyer Priya Chaudhry said in a statement.

Dozens of Shah’s co-conspirators have also been arrested by federal law enforcement. Out of them, many pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme, and two were convicted at trial.

RRR’s ‘Naatu Naatu’ song wins Golden Globe; Laurels pour in; Team upbeat in LA

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The song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the Indian film ‘RRR’ directed by S.S. Rajamouli was named the Best Original Song in Motion Picture bringing laurels for the RRR team from all corners.

Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’ won Best Picture, Drama and ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ bagged the Best Picture, Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes Awards.

The film bagged the Best Original Song in Motion Picture creating waves in India.

‘RRR’, which is also competing in the Best Non-English Language Film, stars NTR Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, and Olivia Morris.

Telugu flag flying high: Jagan 

The Telugu flag is flying high, said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in his reaction to blockbuster movie ‘RRR’ winning Golden Globes award.

On behalf of the people of Andhra Pradesh, he congratulated music director M.M. Keeravani, director S.S. Rajamouli, actors Junior NTR and Ram Charan and the entire team of ‘RRR’ on bagging the award for the best original song for ‘Naatu Naatu’.

“We are incredibly proud of you,” reads a tweet from the chief minister’s official Twitter handle.

As the Golden Globe for the number ‘Naatu Naatu’ has made headlines, the Indian attire sported by the ‘RRR’ family too grabbed eyeballs at the prestigious event.

‘RRR’ brought home the Golden Globe for Best Original Song in Motion Picture for the song ‘Naatu Naatu’, however, the film lost out the bigger share of the pie — that of the Best Motion Picture Non-English award to the Argentine film ‘Argentina, 1985’.

RRR women team in saree attire

It was Ram Charan, his wife Upasana, M. M. Keeravaani, his wife Srivalli S. S. Rajamouli and his better half Rama Rajamouli, who unlike any other global star chose to flaunt the Indian wear at the ceremony.

Ram Charan looked every inch dapper in an all black Kurta paired with straight pants and sunglasses. His wife Upasana dolled up in a printed saree.

Rajamouli chose a black kurta, red dhoti pants and a crisp red dupatta while his wife Rama, a costume designer, opted for a green and orange Kanjeevaram saree.

Keeravaani seemed to join the gang with a black kurta and straight pants. His wife chose a bright yellow and orengish-red nine-yard wonder.

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Jr. NTR looked every inch handsome as he opted for a black suit paired with a bow-tie and a white shirt.

‘RRR’ centres around two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, their fictional friendship and their fight against the British Raj.

Set in the 1920s, the plot explores the undocumented period in their lives when both the revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.

Shah Rukh Khan’s reaction

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan woke up and started dancing to ‘Naatu Naatu’ to celebrate ‘RRR’ team’s win at the 80th Golden Globes Awards.

Shah Rukh took to Twitter, where he replied to filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli appreciation tweet for the trailer of his upcoming film ‘Pathaan’.

“Sir just woke up and started dancing to Naatu Naatu celebrating your win at Golden Globes. Here’s to many more awards & making India so proud!!,” SRK wrote.

‘RRR’, which has become an international phenomenon with a collection of over Rs 1,200 crore (approximately) worldwide, stars Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead roles.

‘RRR’ centres around two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, their fictional friendship and their fight against the British Raj.

Set in the 1920s, the plot explores the undocumented period in their lives when both the revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.

New Year Gift? Dining out to be clostlier as cylinder price hiked

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Dining out in 2023 would be a costlier on New Year’s eve as oil companies on Sunday, the first day of the New Year, hiked the price of commercial LPG cylinder by Rs 25, effective from today. Rates of domestic LPG cylinders have been kept unchanged.

Rates of domestic LPG cylinders have been kept unchanged in view of Asembly elections for long and now with the hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices, it will cost Rs 1,768 per cylinder in New Delhi.

In Mumbai, a commercial LPG cylinder would cost Rs 1,721 per cylinder, while in Kolkata and Chennai it will cost Rs 1,870 and Rs 1,917 per cylinder respectively. The domestic cylinder is in the range of Rs.1,160 in many cities.

Times Square Ball Drop revives New Year spectacle again after Covid

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New York City ushered in 2023 with a dazzling Saturday night spectacle in iconic Times Square, kicking off New Year’s celebrations across the United States.

The night culminated with a countdown as a glowing geodesic sphere or the iconic Ball Drop weighing almost six tons descended from its lofty perch atop One Times Square.

Its surface is comprised of nearly 2,700 Waterford crystals that were illuminated, officials said, by a palette of more than 16 million colors.

At the stroke of midnight, a ton of confetti rained down on revelers, glittering amid the jumbo screens, neon and pulsing lights.

New Year’s Eve Ball Design

The Ball is a geodesic sphere, 12 feet in diameter, and weighs 11,875 pounds.
The Ball is covered with a total of 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles that vary in size,
and range in length from 4 ¾ inches to 5 ¾ inches per side.


For Times Square 2023, 192 Waterford Crystal triangles introduce the new Gift of
Love design represented by a circle of overlapping hearts entwined together.
192 are the Gift of Wisdom design of a central wheel with wedge cut petals of
knowledge growing ever forward.

  • 192 are the Gift of Happiness design of a sunburst of bright cuts radiating outward like a beautiul sunny day brings warm smiles and happiness. 192 are the Gift of Goodwill design of three pineapples signifying the traditional symbol of hospitality and goodwill. 192 are the Gift of Harmony design of small rosette cuts flowing into each other in beautiful
    harmony.
  • 192 are the Gift of Serenity design of butterflies flying peacefully above a crystal meadow capturing the spirit of serenity. 192 are the Gift of Kindness design of a circle of rosettes symbolizing unity with the fronds reaching out in an expression of kindness.
  • 192 are the Gift Of Wonder design of a faceted starburst inspiring our sense of wonder. 192 are the Gift of Fortitude design of diamond cuts on either side of a crystal pillar to represent the inner attributes of resolve, courage and spirit necessary to triumph over adversity.

The remaining 960 Gift of Imagination triangles are a series of intricate wedge cuts that are mirrored reflections of each other inspiring our imagination.

The 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles are bolted to 672 LED modules which are
attached to the aluminum frame of the Ball.

The Ball is illuminated by 32,256 LEDs (light emitting diodes). Each LED module
contains 48 LEDs – 12 red, 12 blue, 12 green, and 12 white for a total of 8,064 of
each color.

The Ball is capable of displaying a palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors
and billions of patterns that creates a spectacular kaleidoscope effect atop One
Times Square.

CES 2023: Samsung to unveil new refrigerator with larger screen

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Samsung Electronics said its new ‘Bespoke Refrigerator Family Hub Plus’, equipped with a large touch screen, will be unveiled at CES 2023 to be held in Las Vegas from January 5.

At 32 inches, it features a much larger display than the 21.5-inch screen found on previous generations of Samsung Family Hub refrigerators.

The new Family Hub has been enhanced to allow users to enjoy the “Samsung TV Plus” service, which allows users to watch approximately 190 US TV channels and approximately 80 Korean TV channels for free in “PIP (Picture in Picture) mode”, according to the company.

“Samsung Electronics newly introduced Bespoke Refrigerator Family Hub provides a vastly expanded experience as much as the larger screen. We will lead the innovation and evolution of refrigerators by reflecting style trends,” Junhwa Lee, vice president of Samsung Electronics home appliance division, said in a statement.

CES 2023: Samsung to showcase its new fridge with larger screen

The integrated SmartThings hub controls and monitors multiple SmartThings devices and supports six SmartThings Home Life services — Air Care, Home Care, Pet Care, Clothing Care, Energy, and Cooking, said the company.

The Amazon Your Essentials service is also supported by the new refrigerator, allowing users to order frequently purchased products and groceries via a widget on its touchscreen display.

Since the SmartThings hub is built-in, users can use the refrigerator as a home IoT hub by controlling lights, blinds, switches, motion detection sensors, and door open sensors from various companies with the Family Hub, the company added.

Michael Pratt, one of FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Captured in Spain

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Michael James Pratt, one of the FBI’s ten most wanted fugitives was arrested last week by Spanish authorities, said the agency. Pratt has been a fugitive since 2019 and was named to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List earlier this year.

Pratt is charged in a 19-count indictment with sex trafficking, production of child pornography, sex trafficking of a minor, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments in connection with the operation of the GirlsDoPorn adult website.

Pratt was arrested by Spanish National Police on December 21, 2022, in Madrid, Spain, pursuant to an Interpol Red Notice. A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. Pratt is being held in Spain pending extradition.

“The capture of Michael Pratt is an example of how the FBI will pursue justice beyond U.S. borders—you can run but you can’t hide,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Stacey Moy of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Thank you to our determined FBI San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and to our federal and international partners for their commitment to making sure that Michael Pratt is brought to justice.”

SAC Moy would like to thank the Spanish National Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their coordination in the arrest of Michael Pratt, and the public for their assistance in this investigation.

Pratt was the 529th person to be placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, which was established in 1950. Additional information concerning Pratt and the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives can be found by visiting the FBI’s website at fbi.gov/topten.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Any additional victims of the alleged crime are encouraged to call the FBI National Threat Operations Center at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

Who’s Rajeev Badyal? New Indian American chosen to serve in National Space Council

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Indian-American Rajeev Badyal has been chosen to be one the 30 members selected by US Vice President Kamala Harris to serve on the National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group (UAG) to provide advice on space-related projects and issues.

Rajeev Badyal presently leads Amazon’s Project Kuiper — an initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites to provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

As a selected member of the UAG, Badyal will serve to enable the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to maintain a robust and responsible US space enterprise and preserve space for current and future generations, according to a White House statement.

The UAG will provide the National Space Council advice and recommendations on matters related to space policy and strategy, including but not limited to, government policies, laws, regulations, treaties, international instruments, programmes, and practices across the civil, commercial, international, and national security space sectors, the statement further read.

The candidates selected by Kamala Harris, who is Chair of the National Space Council, represent a cross-section of companies and organisations that support the large and highly skilled space workforce; users of space services, including climate scientists and agriculture providers; individuals focused on developing the next generation of space professionals; and leading experts in space.

The members are currently awaiting their official appointment by Bill Nelson, Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The board will be chaired by retired US Air Force general Lester Lyles, Harris had announced at a space council meeting in September. Lyles also serves as chair of the NASA Advisory Council.

Before joining Amazon, Badyal was the vice president of Satellites at SpaceX. He is armed with a Masters in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Oregon State University.

Remote Internet Voting System: Congress opposes, cites German example

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The Congress on Thursday expressed its objections to the Election Commission proposal inviting political parties to observe the functioning of a prototype Multi-Constituency Remote Electronic Voting Machine on January 16, 2023 and to make written submissions by January 31, 2023.

The Election Commission of India earlier today said that it is ready to pilot remote voting for domestic migrants, and the migrant voters need not travel to their home states to vote and added that it has developed a prototype Multi-Constituency Remote Electronic Voting Machine inviting political parties for demonstration of the prototype RVM, which can handle multiple constituencies from a single remote polling booth.

“The migration based disenfranchisement is indeed not an option in the age of technological advancement. The voter turnout in General Elections 2019 was 67.4 per cent and the Election Commission of India is concerned about the issue of over 30 crore electors not exercising their franchise and also differential voter turnout in various states/UTs,” the commission said.

The ECI said that there are multifarious reasons for a voter not opting to vote in a new place.

“Inability to vote due to internal migration (domestic migrants) is one of the prominent reasons to be addressed to improve voter turnout and ensure participative elections. Although there is no central database available for migration within the country, the analysis of available data in public domain points to work, marriage and education related migration as important components of domestic migration,” it said.

The ECI team has deliberated at length to find inclusive solutions to facilitate electoral participation of migrants across all socio-economic strata and explored alternative voting methods like two-way physical transit postal ballots, proxy voting, early voting at special Early Voting Centres, one-way or two-way electronic transmission of postal ballots (ETPBS), Internet-based voting system.

Congress cites German court verdict

In its reaction to the remote voting system, Congress said, “Trust in the electoral system is paramount for democracy to function. The German Federal Constitutional Court struck down Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in Germany in 2009 because the opacity of the machine cannot give a voter the confidence that his or her vote is being correctly recorded.

“In spite of their widespread use, EVMs have aroused much controversy in India. Unfortunately, fears of their misuse have not been systematically addressed. Voters and parties must have confidence in the electoral system. However, this trust has been repeatedly violated in recent years on account of pressure being put on the Election Commission of India by the (Narendra) Modi government,” Congress General Secretary, in charge of communication, Jairam Ramesh said.

He said the most recent examples was the Election Commission delaying the announcement of the election schedule in Gujarat to give PM Modi more time for electioneering in his home state. “It also gave him yet another free pass to violate the model code of conduct by allowing a road show on voting day in Gujarat, ” he said.

Suspicious voting in last hour

“On issue after issue, our representations to the Election Commission result in no action. In Gujarat this time we also saw suspicious voting numbers which showed that 10-12 per cent of voters cast their votes in the last hour of voting. This translates into an impossible 25-30 seconds being taken to cast each vote. You need a minimum of 60 seconds to cast a vote.

“Now imagine if these suspicious patterns can be extended via a multi-constituency voting machine to other locations. This would seriously undermine trust in the system,” he added.

Ramesh said the Congress has made constructive suggestions in the past to increase confidence in the voting process by expanding the number of booths in which Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips are counted. However this has also not been accepted.

New Year Celebrations: Delhi Police imposes traffic restrictions at CP

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1952 – Republic Day Cultural Parade In Connaught Place , Delhi ((Photo Division, PIB )

The Delhi Police on Thursday announced deployment of more than 18,000 personnel across the national capital ahead of New Year’s celebrations on Saturday night with usual traffic restrictions at Connaught Place from 8 p.m. onwards, besides testing drunk drivers.

The traffic will be restricted to enter Connaught Place and only authorised vehicles will be allowed there. Mobile teams will also be placed for checking in the city. Special arrangements have been made for the areas in the vicinity of Connaught Place and no vehicular traffic shall be allowed in its inner, middle, or outer circles, except for those carrying valid passes.

“The commuters coming towards Connaught Place can park their vehicles near Gole Dak Khana, Patel Chowk, Mandi House, Minto Road on D.D. Upadhyay Marg and Press Road area, Panchkuian Road, K.G. Marg-Ferozshah Road Crossing on Copernicus Lane as well as KG Marg towards C hexagon, round about Bengali Market,” the advisory said.

Otherwise, elaborate traffic arrangements have been made at and around India Gate for regulation of traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular. In case of heavy pedestrian movement, vehicles may not be allowed to go through C-Hexagon, India Gate area and diverted.

“Visitors are advised to use public transport as there is a shortage of parking space at India Gate. In view of large gatherings expected at Delhi Zoo resulting in congestion on Mathura Road, the general public/motorists are advised to avoid Bhairon Road, Mathura Road between Hazrat Nizamuddin and Pragati Maidan,” the advisory read.

Traffic cops said that strict action will be taken against drunk driving, stunt biking, over-speeding, sig-zag, reckless, and dangerous driving. Special Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Dependra Pathak said that over 16,500 personnel from local police will be deployed across the city and more than 20 companies from outside forces.

“This time, there will be anti-terror measures in high footfall areas where local police, in real-time coordination with the Special Cell, have made the arrangements. Women safety will also be our focus area and more than 2,500 women personnel will be deployed in the city,” he said.

Pathak said that more than 1,600 pickets, over 1,200 mobile patrolling vehicles and 2,074 bikes will be deployed, mostly to keep vigil at footfall and celebrations areas in two shifts from 4 to 5 p.m. till early morning and both the shifts will overlap each other.

People may assemble for the celebration at Pitampura, Model Town, Hudson Lane, Mukherjee Nagar, Karol Bagh, Cross River Mall in Shahdara, Connaught Place, New Friends Colony, Lajpat Nagar Central Market, M&N Block Market of Greater Kailash, Defence Colony Club, INA Market, South Extension Market, Lodhi Institutional Area, Hauz Khas Village, Qutub Minar, Chattarpur, Vegas Mall in Dwarka, Janakpuri District Centre, Punjabi Bagh, and Tilak Nagar Market.