THE INDIAN TECH GUY

US President Donald Trump appears as the first result of suggested accounts when users type "racist" into Twitter's people search, it emerged Wednesday. The result, reported by the British news outlet The Independent and verified by AFP, highlights the intense discord around the president. Trump has more than 80 million followers, although there is much dispute about how many of them are genuine, active human Twitter users. Analysts said the news suggests Trump opponents, more than critics of any other Twitter account, have been labeling him as racist, although the social media giant itself did not confirm this was the case. Trump has been facing heightened criticism for his comments during protests over police brutality but has always dismissed suggestions that he is racist. Twitter offered little in the way of explanation, pointing out only that its search algorithms may reflect what is happening on the platform. Trump, in the midst of a heated war ...

Beijing has urged the United States to stop the "unreasonable suppression of Huawei and Chinese enterprises" after Washington announced new export controls to restrict the tech giant's access to semiconductor technology. The latest restrictions on the world's second-largest smartphone manufacturer, which is at the centre of US spying allegations, are a new escalation in the US-China battle for global technological dominance. "The Chinese government will firmly uphold Chinese firms' legitimate and legal rights and interests," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday. "We urge the US side to immediately stop its unreasonable suppression of Huawei and Chinese enterprises." The ministry said the Trump administration's actions "destroy global manufacturing, supply and value chains". The US Commerce Department said Friday the controls would "narrowly and strategically target Huawei's acquis...

कोरोना वायरस को फैलने से रोकने के लिए मोदी सरकार ने देशव्यापी लॉकडाउन 4.0 को 31 मई तक के लिए बढ़ा दिया है. इस बार कोरोना वायरस को लेकर देश में 5 जोन बनाने का फैसला लिया गया है. इनमें रेड जोन, ग्रीन और ऑरेंज जोन के अलावा बफर जोन और कंटेनमेंट जोन शामिल हैं. रेड जोन, ग्रीन और ऑरेंज जोन को लेकर फैसला राज्य सरकारें लेंगी. अभी तक कोरोना वायरस को लेकर देश में सिर्फ तीन जोन बनाए गए थे, जिनमें रेड जोन, ग्रीन जोन और ऑरेंज जोन शामिल हैं. बफर जोन को लेकर नियम अभी साफ होना बाकी है, लेकिन कंटेनमेंट जोन को लेकर गृह मंत्रालय की गाइडलाइन बिल्कुल साफ है. कंटेनमेंट जोन में केवल अनिवार्य सेवाएं मिलेंगी. कंटेनमेंट जोन में आने-जाने पर सख्त पाबंदी होगी.कॉन्टैक्ट ट्रेसिंग और घर-घर जाकर स्वास्थ्य जांच होगी. रेड जोन, ग्रीन जोन और ऑरेंज जोन का फैसला राज्य सरकार करेगी, जबकि कंटेनमेंट जोन और बफर जोन का फैसला जिला प्रशासन करेगा. कंटेंनमेंट और बफर जोन में गृह मंत्रालय द्वारा जारी किए दिशा निर्देश का पालन करना होगा. वहीं, ग्रीन जोन में वो जिले आएंगे, जहां कोरोना वायरस के एक भी मामले नहीं होंगे. ...

Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines & Rules, Coronavirus India Lockdown Extension LIVE Updates: The Centre has extended the nationwide lockdown for two more weeks until May 31. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has directed the National Executive Committee, headed by the Union Home Secretary, to issue modifications in the guidelines keeping in view the need to open up economic activities while containing the spread of Covid-19. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will shortly issue a new set of guidelines pertaining to what is allowed and restricted in different zones. Earlier today, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu joined Punjab and Mizoram in extending the lockdown till May 31. Telangana has already extended it till May 29. Karnataka became the third southern state to extend the lockdown. However, unlike other states, Karnataka has extended it only for two more days till May 19. The government officials clarified that all orders in force from May 4 will continu...

Even as the central government prepares a roadmap for lockdown 4.0, the post May 17 lockdown e-passes are set to witness more relaxations with the government planning to widen its ambit beyond medical staff and emergency services in green and orange Covid-19 zones. The idea is not just to ease travel restrictions in Covid-19 safe zones but address several harassment complaints by domestic help in areas that are safe but face tough lockdown norms endangering the livelihood of locals. According to Union government sources, a detailed plan in this regard will be out later this week. The government has also clarified that stiff restrictions will, however, continue in areas marked as Covid-19 red and containment zones. Meanwhile, the government further plans to streamline the online system that issues these epasses. A new template for online epasses is likely to be shared with each state government to make such a process swift and hassle free. The state-wise lockdown...

The coronavirus "may never go away", the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, WHO emergencies director Dr Mike Ryan warned against trying to predict when the virus would disappear. He added that even if a vaccine is found, controlling the virus will require a "massive effort". Almost 300,000 people worldwide are reported to have died with coronavirus, and more than 4.3m cases recorded. The UN meanwhile warned the pandemic was causing widespread distress and mental ill health - particularly in countries where there's a lack of investment in mental healthcare. The UN urged governments to make mental health considerations part of their overall response. What did WHO say? "It is important to put this on the table: this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus may never go away," Dr Ryan told the virtual press conference from Geneva. "HIV has not ...

Coronavirus has Americans picking up two new summer accessories: a mask and an alcoholic to-go drink. After weeks of sheltering in place, many Americans are looking for ways to cut loose. With bars and restaurants closed to the public in most states, and summer weather approaching, that means that many are heading outdoors to relax and socialise. And for some, that means having a drink - sometimes in spite of the law. Veteran drinks writer Amanda Schuster says that in her neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York, "it seems like everyone's over" prohibitions on public drinking. "It's as if people have the attitude that 'no one's going to arrest us for this when they have other things to do,'" Ms Schuster, who is the editor-in-chief for online magazine Alcohol Professor, told the BBC. This laissez-faire approach is something Americans used to have to go abroad to experience. While an 18-year-old can walk into a London pub and or...

A former top US health official has told Congress the country could face its "darkest winter in modern history" because of the coronavirus. Rick Bright led the government agency trying to develop a vaccine, but was removed from his post last month. He has previously said he was ousted from the job for raising concern over a treatment being touted by President Donald Trump. The US leader dismissed him as a "disgruntled" employee. 'Ousted' US vaccine expert to file complaint Senate intelligence chief steps down for FBI probe How the pandemic is relaxing US drinking laws Mr Bright also told the House of Representatives subcommittee on health "lives were lost" because of government "inaction" in the early stages of the outbreak. He said he first spoke out about a medical equipment shortage in January, raising the issue to the "highest levels" of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), but "go...

After more than 40 state-wide lockdowns were put in place across the US throughout March and April, many states are now easing restrictions - but some are going against White House guidelines, worrying public health experts. Dr Anthony Fauci, the White House's top infectious disease adviser, has said he's concerned some states are opening up too soon and risk triggering "an outbreak that you may not be able to control". Dr Fauci said: "I've been very clear in my message to try, to the best extent possible, to go by the guidelines that have been very well thought out and very well delineated." What are the guidelines? The reopening guidelines laid out by the Trump administration in April propose that states should have a "downward trajectory" of reported cases, or a falling share of positive tests, over a 14-day period before beginning a gradual reopening. They also say states should have a robust testing programme in p...

US President Donald Trump has said a sobering warning by his top infectious diseases expert about lifting pandemic restrictions too soon was unacceptable. He accused Dr Anthony Fauci of wanting "to play all sides of the equation" in his testimony to lawmakers on Tuesday. The president said he was especially dissatisfied with Dr Fauci's caution around reopening schools too quickly. Covid-19 has infected nearly 1.4 million people in the US and killed 84,000, while ravaging the economy. Things the US has got right - and got wrong Fed warns of slow recovery without more virus aid US accuses China of hacking coronavirus research What did the US president say? Speaking on Wednesday at the White House, Mr Trump took issue with Dr Fauci's comments to a Senate hearing a day earlier about the risks to children of reopening and his assessment that a vaccine was unlikely before classes could begin this autumn. "Look, he wants to play all sides of th...

As long, jostling queues formed outside liquor stores in India during the easing of a coronavirus lockdown, Karthik Velayutham found a way to maintain social distancing -- by building a robot to shop for him. The humble machine -- a cardboard box resting on a four-wheel wooden platform -- took the computer engineer two days to make and cost Rs. 3,000 rupees. But it is performing a crucial job for its creator at a time when social interactions carry the risk of catching the coronavirus that has infected more than four million people and killed over 297,000 worldwide. "I ran my robot to the wine shop as a trial to demonstrate how someone can use it in a crowded place and to create awareness about the importance of social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus," Velayutham, 31, told AFP. "I have tested this device on the streets and it has no problems and goes smoothly, even over speed bumps because I have used a gear motor." Velayutham co...

RBI/2019-20/231 DOR.Dir.BC.No.69/04.02.001/2019-20 May 13, 2020 All Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs) Small Finance Banks, Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks and EXIM Bank Dear Sir / Madam, Interest Equalisation Scheme on Pre and Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit-Extension Please refer to the operational instructions for the captioned Scheme contained in RBI circular on Interest Equalisation Scheme on Pre and Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit issued vide DBR.Dir.BC.No.62/04.02.001/2015-16 dated December 4, 2015 ; DCBR.CO.SCB.Cir.No.1/13.05.000/2015-16 dated February 11, 2016 , DBR.Dir.BC.No.09/04.02.001/2018-19 dated November 29, 2018 and DBR.Dir.BC.No.22/04.02.001/2018-19 dated January 11, 2019 . 2. In this connection, Government of India has approved the extension of Interest Equalization Scheme for pre and post shipment Rupee export credit, with same scope and coverage, for one more year i.e. upto March 31, 2021. Th...