Weekly Update: September 28, 2020 - October 02, 2020

It took just one minute for me to decide that i wanted to start working on my blog again. I now feel excited while publishing my blog every week. Thank you so much for making this happen. I await to receive your feedback for improvement.

 Let's start!

Did you know that there is a theory called, "Pinocchio's Paradox"? The theory is based on an assumption, according to which Pinocchio says that his nose would grow now.

Image Credit: https://www.ravepubs.com/

If his nose grows then his statement would not be a lie, but if it does not grow then his statement would be a lie.

September 28, 2020 (Monday)
:::The number of Corona Cases as reported were:
Confirmed - 60,74,702
Recovered - 50,16,520
Deceased - 95,542

:::State Bank of India (SBI) warned its customers against cyber criminals who are targeting them on WhatsApp. Cyber criminals first contact the customers via WhatsApp by using a fake SBI number & entice them by saying that they have won a lottery or a prize, and then ask the customers to share their account & other confidential details. SBI has clarified that it has never organized any such event or gift offer.

Image Credit: SBI Official Twitter

It is recommended to not answer any WhatsApp calls or messages from an unknown number.

:::Carl Nichols, a U.S district judge, temporarily blocked an order of the Trump Administration that called for a ban of download of TikTok from Apple and Google. The ban was scheduled to take effect at 11:59pm on September 27, 2020. John E.Hall, lawyer for TikTok, responded to this decision by saying that the ban was unprecedented and irrational.

Image Credit: https://gadgets.ndtv.com/

Carl Nichols, however, declined to block the restrictions on technical and business arrangements that are crucial for the app to function properly.

:::Delhi Court declared Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara and Dipti (wife of Chetan Sandesara) as fugitive economic offenders under the Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEO) Act. Nitin & Chetan are the promoters of Gujarat based Sterling Biotech Group. They allegedly defrauded several banks of Rs.14,500 crore through loans, and left India in 2017. In June 2019, Enforcement Directorate attached the movable & immovable properties of Sandesaras, including four oil rigs & oil fields in Nigeria and several ships apart from a Gulfstream aircraft & a flat in London. Nitin, Chetan and Dipti are now being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department.

Image Credit: https://www.republicworld.com/

Only Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi have been declared as fugitive offenders before them.

:::Scientists at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found that Cat Que Virus (CQV), that has been largely reported in China and Vietnam, has the potential to cause disease in India too as the India mosquitoes have been found as a potential vector for COQ. COQ is found in pigs & culex mosquitoes and it can cause febrile illness, meningitis & paediatric encephalitis in humans.

Image Credit: https://www.india.com/

ICMR tested a few samples of human serum and found the antibodies for the virus in only two out of eight hundred & eighty three candidates.

September 29, 2020 (Tuesday)
:::The number of Corona Cases as reported on Aarogya Setu App were as follows:
Confirmed - 61,45,291
Recovered - 51,01,397
Deceased - 96,318

:::Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) shortlisted Clean Slate, Peer Robotics, Vicara, Hyper Reality and URJA, as a part of its third cohort of Mobility & Automobile Innovation Lab (MAIL) Programme. The start-ups underwent an extensive shortlisting process in which Clean Slate Technologies from Bengaluru was declared as a winner, Peer Robotics from Gurgaon was declared as the first runner-up and Vicara from Bengaluru was declared as the second runner-up. Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of MSIL, said in an official statement that the lookout for new technological aids to assist the extremely dynamic industry and continue working efficiently is an ever-evolving task.

Image Credit: Image Credit: http://bwautoworld.businessworld.in/

MAIL was launched in partnership with GHV Accelerator in January 2019, with an aim to nurture innovation in the automobile and mobility sector. MSIL is now engaged with fourteen start-ups under MAIL.

:::Palghar Administration asked the district authorities of Maharashtra to remain alert over the possible spread of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), that is commonly known as Congo Fever. It is a matter of concern for cattle-breeders, meat sellers and animal husbandry officials as Congo Fever is transmitted to humans through contact with the blood of an infected animal and by eating the meat of an infected animal. Dr.Prashant D Kamble, Deputy Commissioner of Palghar Animal Husbandry Department, issued a circular that said that CCHF has also been found in some districts of Gujarat. The World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement saying that the virus causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks with a fatality rate of 10%-40%.

Image Credit: https://www.cdc.gov/

There is currently no vaccine to cure CCHF. Human-to-human transmission, even though is a rare case, can occur due to close contact with the blood, secretion, organ or other bodily fluids of infected persons.

:::The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conferred Sonu Sood, an actor, with the SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award for helping people amid the Corona Virus pandemic. He had extended a helping hand by sending lakhs of migrants back to their home and by providing free education & medical facilities to young children. He also helped thousands of students, who were stranded abroad, to reach home. Sonu Sood, after receiving the award, said that he did whatever little he could do in his own humble way for his fellow country men without any expectation.

Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/sonu_sood/

Sonu Sood received the award at a virtual ceremony. After receiving this award, he has joined the likes of Anjelina Jolie, Leonardo DiCaprio and Priyanka Chopra who have been similarly honored by different bodies of the United Nations.

September 30, 2020 (Wednesday)
:::The number of Corona Cases were:
Confirmed - 62,25,763
Recovered - 51,87,825
Deceased - 97,497

:::India successfully tested the extended range version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. The test took place from a land-based mobile launcher. BrahMos missiles can conceivably be used for pinpoint strikes on terror camps that are located deep inside the enemy territory, or to take out an underground nuclear bunker, or a high-value military target like aircraft carriers on the high seas from a long distance.

Image Credit: https://www.dnaindia.com/

A sleeker version of air-breathing missile was also test-fired from Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets in 2019.

:::Honda Motorcycles and Scooters unveiled H'ness CB350 Cruiser, which is likely to be priced at Rs.1.90 lakh (ex-showroom) with six color options. It will be offered in two variants: Deluxe and Deluxe Pro. It is loaded with features like smartphone voice control, select-able torque, Bluetooth connectivity, dual channel ABS with 310mm front disc brake & 240mm rear disc brake, engine start-stop switch, circular headlamps, semi-digital instrument dial, leatherette seats and dual tone tank design. It has a fuel tank capacity of 15 litres, and it is powered by 350cc air cooled 4-stroke OHC single cylinder engine that can produce a max power of 15.5 kW with a net torque of 30Nm. Deluxe Pro has additional features like double horn, dual tone color and smartphone voice control system - music on the go & incoming call alert.

Image Credit: https://www.indiafinancenews.com/

The bike would initially be available only in BigWing outlets located in Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi and Bhilai. It would be made available from other dealerships by the beginning of the festive season

:::As per a report released by Linkedin, the hiring of female members increased from 30% in April 2020 to 37% in July 2020 across various sectors like corporate services, education, health care and media & communications, except in manufacturing. Linkedin, in an official statement, said that the hiring improved as it is possible that these industries are inherently more family-friendly in terms of hours and work arrangement and hence female members do not face a lot of challenge while juggling their work & household responsibilities. Another reason that has been stated is the support they get from live-in & grand-parents, and remote working schemes.

Image Credit: https://www.inc.com/

Overall, hiring improved by 10% in July 2020 as compared to July 2019.

:::Surendra Kumar Yadav, a Special CBI Judge, acquitted all the thirty-two accused in Babri Masjid demolition case after twenty-eight years. He dismissed charges under several sections of the IPC including criminal conspiracy, rioting, promoting enmity between different groups & unlawful assembly, and established that the demolition was a spontaneous act carried out by some mischievous elements, & that it was not a pre-planned act. Some of the accused who have been acquitted are Lal Krishna Advani (former Deputy Prime Minister), MM Joshi & Uma Bharti (former Union Ministers) and Kalyan Singh (former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh).

Image Credit: https://www.ndtv.com/

LK Advani responded to the decision by saying that the judgement indicated his personal and BJP's belief & commitment towards the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement.

:::Public App, launched by Inshort in 2019, raised Rs.260 crore from Additional, SIG Global and Tanglin. Public App is a social network app for everything local like updates, commerce, jobs, classified, etc. Azhar Iqubal, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Public App, said that with over fifty million active users, they aim to connect the local communities of Bharat and provide a solution to all their local needs.

Image Credit: https://blog.inshorts.com/

The app is available in all the major Indian languages: Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Assamese, Gujarati and Marathi.

October 01, 2020 (Thursday)
:::The number of Corona Cases as reported on Aarogya Setu App were as follows:
Confirmed - 63,12,584
Recovered - 52,73,201
Deceased - 98,678

:::TSW partnered with IIT Roorkee to launch Post-Graduate Certificate Program in Data Science & Machine Learning (PGCPDSML). It is an online program that has been designed specially for the working professionals with insights from academics & industry experts. Some of the highlights are:

1) Program has ten modules;
2) The program is for a duration of eleven months (weekends only); and,
3) It has 450+ study hours that include forty hours of campus immersion session, self-learning content and live virtual sessions by faculty & industry experts.

The selection for the program is based on application and interview. A candidate must have a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering with a minimum of 50% aggregate in Science/Engineering along with a minimum of two years of experience, preferably in the software domain. A candidate is not required to have a prior knowledge of coding.

Image Credit: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

The specializations offered under the program are: Computer Vision & Image Recognition; Speech Recognition; and Data Engineering.

:::Supreme Court bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, RS Reddy & MR Shah approved the formulation drafted by Directorate General of Civil Aviation and ordered the airlines to refund the tickets that were booked prior to Covid-19 lockdown for travel up to May 24, 2020. Airlines also have an option to create a transferable credit shell in the name of the passenger that can be availed for travel on any route before March 31, 2021. Supreme Court also said that the interest would accrue on the money in the credit shell as follows:
From the date of cancellation til June 30, 2020 = 0.5%; and,
thereafter till March 31, 2021 = 0.75%.

Image Credit: https://www.business-standard.com/

Tickets booked through a travel agent will be refunded through the travel agent only.

:::Air India One arrived in India. It will be exclusively used by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. The aircraft will be operated by the pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF) and it will be maintained by Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL). It has been modified for VVIP travel. It can fly continuously for seventeen hours without refueling. It is configured to provide office space, meeting rooms and advanced communication systems.

Image Credit: http://aviatorflight.com/

In terms of security, Air India One is in par with the U.S President's Air Force One. It is equipped with a laser-based missile defense system. Additionally, it has self-protection suites (SPS) that can jam enemy radar frequencies & divest heat-seeking missiles by disturbing their guidance systems.

October 02, 2020 (Friday)
:::The number of Corona Cases were as follows:
Confirmed - 63,94,068
Recovered - 53,52,078
Deceased - 99,773

:::Mahindra Automotive launched Mahindra Thar Second Generation. It will be available in three variants: LX, AX and AX(O), for both petrol and diesel. The price for AX series starts from Rs.9.80 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs.12.80 lakh (ex-showroom). The price for LX series starts from Rs.12.49 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs.12.95 lakh (ex-showroom). The price for the automatic variant in LX series starts from Rs.13.45 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs.13.75 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUV has a six speed manual and a six speed automatic torque converter. It offers two engine options: 2.0 litre mStallion 150 petrol engine; and, 2.2 litre mHawk 130 diesel engine.

Image Credit: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Second generation Thar is loaded with features like third generation rigid chassis, washable interiors, 226mm ground clearance, water wading ability of 650mm, removable door, roof mounted speakers, dual airbags, ABS, rear parking assist, hill hold & hill descent control and tyre pressure monitoring system.

:::According to the latest ranking released by National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), Uttar Pradesh has topped the list in tackling the cases of crime against women. Data also shows that Uttar Pradesh holds first position in filing chargesheets in cyber crime cases, with as many as 272 cases being solved in 2019. The state claimed the top spot in seizure too, after it seized around 36,913 arms.

Image Credit: https://www.jatinverma.org/

While reacting to the latest rankings, officers at DGP headquarters said that the reduced time of responding to distress & emergencies in loot & dacoity cases by police response vehicles of UP112 has dissuaded criminals from easily committing a crime.

:::Drug Control and Enforcement Agency (DCEA) of Tanzania arrested Mary Edson, a Tanzanian woman, for her involvement in trafficking drugs to India. She has been detained on the charges of mailing 450gms of heroin by packing them inside a book, on the directions of her Nigerian partner who has now moved to Uganda. James Kaji, Commissioner of DCEA, said in an official statement that she has previously done this at least three times.

Image Credit: https://zeenews.india.com/

As per the World Drugs Report by United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, 87% of the global opium is produced in Afghanistan, where most of the opium fields are controlled by the Pakistani ISI who later transports opium poppy to Pakistan for processing into heroine and then traffics it to all over the world.

:::Fifty-Six founders of Indian Start-Ups met over a Zoom call and discussed a possibility to establish an alternative to Google Play Store, after Google announced that it will start charging the newer categories of online services, like education, health and dating, a 30% fee for the payments made within its app system. The meeting was attended by Yashish Dahiya (Policy Bazaar), Harshil Mathur (Razorpay), Vishal Gondal (GOQii), Vijay Shekhar Sharma (Paytm), to name a few.

Image Credit: https://www.smartprix.com/

The group of fifty-six founders is considering lobbying with the Government of India to have two biggest global technology companies - Google & Facebook - become local. This would involve getting Google and Facebook to incorporate local entities that are listed in the local stock markets and governed by the local legislation & policy.

In this week's Special Section, i would like to highlight 'Vadodara Hip Hop', also known as VHH.

Image Credit: VHH Music

VHH is a new age music label that supports indigenous hip-hop artists of Vadodara. They also make sure to take care of the brands that associate with them. They have recently started their YouTube channel, where they aim to frequently upload their videos. Here is a video that they recently uploaded on their YouTube channel:

To connect with them on Instagram, click here.
To subscribe to their YouTube channel, click here.

That is all for this week.

Do follow my blog to get the updates. You can connect with me on Instagram @sachdev_ankur.

I hope that the blog was useful and it helped you in catching up with what happened. If you have anything to contribute, then please feel free to comment. Do share this blog with everyone you know and help them too.

*Disclaimer: The information has been presented in this blog after reviewing various news articles. In case you find any article, or if you have any article, that states some facts differently, then share them in the comment section. Please keep the publishing date of the article in mind as it may be an update on the article which was published previously, or it may contain outdated information if it was published before the date mentioned in this blog.