Fighting Covid-19: How, when, and why should you clean your cloth mask? Face coverings, such as cloth masks, are mandatory for all Victorians and are being recommended for public use in some other parts of the country.
Importantly, they should also be washed properly. If you come into contact with an infected person while wearing a mask, virus particles could land on your mask and contaminate it. If you don’t handle and wash your mask correctly, you may infect yourself or others by touching the contaminated mask. When to clean Cloth masks should be cleaned after each use. Remember the mask may be contaminated, so don’t touch the front of it when taking it off. If you happen to have a surgical or medical mask, these are single-use only, so should not be laundered, cleaned or reused. How to clean Washing cloth masks is pretty straightforward. There is no need to use disinfectant in your wash. If you want to wash your cloth mask by hand, use a bucket of hot water with a detergent. Let the cloth mask soak in the water, give it a hand wash and rinse. Apple iMac gets SSDs across variants, Retina 5K display, and other upgrades. Apple has refreshed its iMac-series of all-in-one desktop computers with solid-state drives (SSDs) across the line, Retina 5K display, higher quality camera, speakers, mics, and more.
Most of these upgrades come to 27-inch iMac, whereas, the 21.5-inch iMac now comes with SSDs as standard storage across the line. There is also an option to choose from Fusion Drive. Besides upgrading the iMac, the Cupertino-based technology giant also announced upgrades for its iMac Pro. The Pro model now comes standard with a 10-core Intel Xeon processor with up to 18 cores, 256GB quad-channel ECC memory, and a 27-inch Retina 5K display. The 27-inch iMac, 21.5-inch iMac and iMac Pro now starts at Rs 169,900, 99,900 and Rs 464,900, respectively. Clean up balance sheets of corporates, banks to rein in fiscal deficit: IMF. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has suggested to India that it should clean up balance sheets of banks, non-banking financial companies, and corporates to rein in fiscal deficit.
In its external sector report, IMF also called upon India to strengthen the governance of public sector banks. The Fund pegged the country’s current account deficit at 0.3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the current fiscal year. Improving the business climate, easing domestic supply bottlenecks, and liberalising trade and investment will be important to help attract foreign direct investment (FDI), boost the current account financing mix, and contain external vulnerabilities, the Fund said. “The current account deficit is projected to narrow to 0.3 per cent of GDP for India in 2020-21 driven mainly by lower oil prices and import compression due to weak domestic demand with unusually high uncertainty, including over the cyclical position of the economy,” the Fund said.
'I rather not travel': Defending champion Rafael Nadal pulls out of US Open. Defending champion Rafael Nadal has announced that he won't be playing the US Open, citing concerns over the coronavirus.
The world number two men's tennis star also criticised the revised calendar for tennis and labelled it as "barbaric". TRAI inquiry into Voda Idea's RedX premium plan prima facie finding: TDSAT. Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) on Tuesday said that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's inquiry into Vodafone Idea's RedX premium plan based on a complaint by Reliance Jio was a 'prima facie' finding and will not impact the ongoing enquiry into the matter.
The tribunal did not modify its order observing that the probe in the premium plan was prompted by a complaint by Reliance Jio. The regulator had asked for changes to the the July 16 order of TDSAT, which said that TRAI probed the validity of the premium plan for high-paying postpaid customers due to a complaint filed by Reliance Jio on July 8. However, on Tuesday, TDSAT said that the statement recorded based on prima facie finding will not affect the ongoing enquiry being conducted by TRAI. Cricket Australia announces postponement of T20I series against Windies. Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday confirmed the postponement of the men's T20I series against West Indies which was slated to be played in October this year.
CA and the West Indies Cricket Board agreed to postpone the T20I originally scheduled for Queensland in October.The matches were scheduled to be played at Townsville, Cairns and the Gold Coast on October 4, 6 and 9 respectively. These matches were to serve as warm-ups for the ICC T20 World Cup but now the tournament has already been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. "In light of this development, and given the preference to host the warm-up three-match T20 series against the West Indies to coincide with the rescheduled T20 World Cup in Australia (which will take place in either 2021 or 2022), it has been agreed to postpone the matches," CA said in an official statement.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had confirmed earlier that the T20 World Cup would not be going ahead this year. Google Pixel 4a with 5.8-inch display unveiled: India launch, specs, & more. Google has unveiled Pixel 4a smartphone and it is coming to India as Flipkart-exclusive in October.
Successor to the Pixel 3a, the Pixel 4a is a trimmed down version of the technology giant’s Pixel 4 smartphone, which was announced late last year but did not come to India due to regulations around its ‘Soli Radar’ feature. Google Pixel 4a price in India and availability details The Google Pixel 4A comes in 6GB RAM + 128GB internal storage variant, priced at $349. It will initially be available for pre-order in the US and goes on sale from August 20. In India, however, the phone will be available in October, exclusively on home-grown e-commerce platform Flipkart. Google Pixel 4a variants. How Beijing's security law transformed Hong Kong in one short month.
The original post was written by Jennifer Creery and published on the Hong Kong Free Press on August 1.
The following edited version is published on Global Voices via a content partnership agreement. Once a vague spectre, national security legislation became a reality in Hong Kong last month when, in less than six weeks, Beijing imposed a law granting authorities sweeping powers to clamp down on dissent. Drafted behind closed doors without local legislative input, the law ostensibly targets acts in the city deemed a threat to state security, including terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, following months of sometimes violent democracy protests.
With broad, catch-all provisions that encompass acts committed abroad and charges punishable with up to life imprisonment, the law has sent shivers down the spines of activists who fear it will chip away at the territory’s treasured civil liberties. First arrests under the security law. Sashidhar Jagdishan to succeed Aditya Puri as HDFC Bank CEO. Sashidhar Jagdishan will be the new CEO of HDFC Bank to replace the private lender’s long-serving leader Aditya Puri.
Jagdishan, 55 and group head and change agent at the Bank, will take over when Puri retires in October. Jagdishan was one of three candidates shortlisted for approval by the Reserve Bank of India. Jagdishan's name was approved last night and HDFC Bank will make formal announcement soon, sources said. He joined the Bank in the 1996 and heads finance, human resources, and other departments. He is a chartered accountant and holds a Master’s degree in Economics of money, banking and finance. Kaizad Bharucha, head of HDFC's wholesale banking division, and Sunil Garg, of Citibank, were among the other candidates in race for the post. Kerala to train, export health workers; capitalise on remittances: FM Isaac. Kerala, famed for development indicators comparable to the first world, will invest in training and exporting health workers with the aim of capitalizing on their remittances, its Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said.
Countries have “realized that lack of investment in public health system can, in a pandemic time, be totally debilitating to the national economy,” Isaac said in a telephone interview. “There will be demand for Kerala nurses and paramedics all over the globe.” Kerala has historically benefited from a large population of expatriates sending money back home, helping drive economic and social gains such as India’s highest literacy rate and the country’s highest sex ratio.
The state accounted for about a fifth of some $80 billion sent home last year by Indians living abroad. Over 1,000 companies boycotted Facebook. Did it work? The advertiser boycott of Facebook took a toll on the social media giant, but it may have caused more damage to the company’s reputation than to its bottom line. The boycott, called #StopHateForProfit by the civil rights groups that organised it, urged companies to stop paying for ads on Facebook in July to protest the platform’s handling of hate speech and misinformation. More than 1,000 advertisers publicly joined, out of a total pool of more than 9 million, while others quietly scaled back their spending. The 100 advertisers that spent the most on Facebook in the first half of the year spent $221.4 million from July 1 through July 29, 12 percent less than the $251.4 million spent by the top 100 advertisers a year earlier, according to estimates from the advertising analytics platform Pathmatics.
Of those 100, nine companies formally announced a pullback in paid advertising, cutting their spending to $507,500 from $26.2 million. The boycott complicated planning for advertisers. 'Thanks for Flying SpaceX': NASA Astronauts splash down in Gulf of Mexico. The first astronaut trip to orbit by a private company parachuted to a safe conclusion in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday. It was the first water landing by NASA astronauts since 1975, when the agency’s crews were still flying to and from orbit in the Apollo modules used for the historic American moon missions. Riding in a capsule built and operated by SpaceX, the rocket company founded by Elon Musk, two NASA astronauts — Robert L. Behnken and Douglas G. Hurley — splashed down near Pensacola, Fla., on Sunday afternoon.
The Crew Dragon capsule, suspended under four giant billowing orange-and-white parachutes, settled upright into the water at a gentle pace of 15 miles per hour at 2:48 p.m. “On behalf of the SpaceX and NASA teams, welcome back to planet Earth,” Michael Heiman, the SpaceX engineer communicating with the astronauts, said after splashdown. TikTok cannot stay in current format in US: Treasury Secy Steven Mnuchin. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Sunday said TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app, cannot stay in the current format in the US as it "risks sending back information on 100 million Americans". His comments came two days after President Donald Trump on Friday said he will act to ban TikTok in the US, amidst reports of American technology giant Microsoft being in advanced talks to acquire the popular video sharing platform.
"I've said publicly that it's under review. I will say publicly that the entire committee agrees that TikTok cannot stay in the current format because it risks sending back information on 100 million Americans," Mnuchin, who chairs the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, told the ABC News in an interview. 'Fair go': Australia to make Facebook, Google pay for news in world first. Australia will force U.S. tech giants Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google to pay Australian media outlets for news content in a landmark move to protect independent journalism that will be watched around the world.
Australia will become the first country to require Facebook and Google to pay for news content provided by media companies under a royalty-style system that will become law this year, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. "It's about a fair go for Australian news media businesses. It's about ensuring that we have increased competition, increased consumer protection, and a sustainable media landscape," Frydenberg told reporters in Melbourne. "Nothing less than the future of the Australian media landscape is at stake. " The move comes as the tech giants fend off calls around the world for greater regulation, and a day after Google and Facebook took a battering for alleged abuse of market power from U.S. lawmakers in a congressional hearing. National Education Policy: 10 key highlights of school education reforms. The government has replaced the 34-year-old National Policy on Education, framed in 1986, with the National Education Policy of 2020.
The NEP 2020 has introduced several reforms in school education. Here is all you need to know about the new education policy reforms for students, teachers and schools. Nasa's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover mission launched to Red Planet. Nasa's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover mission launched to Red Planet. Nissan Magnite: Japan automaker bets big on small SUV to revive India biz. 'They have too much power': US lawmakers grill Big Tech as Trump weighs in. A much-anticipated congressional hearing featuring the CEOs of four of America's largest tech firms kicked off on Wednesday afternoon in a confrontation that promises a healthy dose of political theatre, while also offering a window into the thinking of lawmakers trying to rein in Big Tech.
Punjab National Bank's UK unit wins court battle over unpaid loans. Imperative for banks to expand balance sheets: India Ratings report. It is imperative for banks to expand their balance sheets and revive credit offtake instead of just concentrating on asset quality, says a report. Few sanitation workers getting training, info on health checkups: Survey. India has now reported more than 1.5 million Covid-19 cases, making it the country with the third-highest number of cases in the world after the US and Brazil. But even as the contagion surges across the country, sanitation workers continue to be inadequately protected, noted a report based on a telephonic survey of 214 sanitation workers in five states and two metros by two independent researchers.
Medical bed isolation system 'Aashray' launched to combat coronavirus. Amid the rising cases of coronavirus, a Pune deemed to be University has developed 'Aashray', a medical bed isolation system to combat COVID-19 by preventing or minimising the spread of the virus. MoD procurement policy proposes ban on import of specific weapons. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday issued a second draft of the Defence Procurement Procedure of 2020 (DPP-2020) and solicited comments by August 10, four months after it put out the first draft of the new manual that will supersede and update the current DPP-2016.
Role in world's biggest science project reflects India's capabilities: PM. India is proud to be a part of global enterprise that is at the frontier of science and engineering, Indian Ambassador to France, Jawed Ashraf said while delivering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message at the official start of ITER Assembly. Titan eyes expansion in international watches' range with new launches. Titan is eyeing an expansion in its international range offering by launching at least three collections in the category this year. The company has already launched one collection called ‘Anne Klein Considered’ in the price range of Rs 9,500 to Rs 15,000.
The international portfolio currently generates around 10 per cent of the revenue in the watches division for the Bengaluru-headquartered company, which is looking to grow by adding new collections to its range. “The growth in the international brands segment is very healthy and we are hoping to continue that,” said Suparna Mitra, CEO, Watches and Wearables Division, at Titan. Hunger killing over 10,000 children a month owing to Covid-19 curbs: UN.
India in community transmission, moving towards herd immunity: Expert. Nature Conservation Day 2020: How man vs wild conflict gives birth to pandemics. Telegram Messenger gets profile videos, 2GB file sharing, other features. France's Health Minister says coronavirus tests now free of charge. Israeli delegation to participate in Covid-19 testing programme in India. Oscar-winner Olivia de Havilland, Hollywood's Golden Age icon, dies at 104. Zee5 launches 'Zee5 Club' yearly subscription package: Price, other details. Covid-19 crisis: Ratan Tata says layoffs show India Inc's lack of empathy. One year of Chandrayaan-2: Isro gears up for Chandrayaan-3, Gaganyaan. RBI seeks internal car loan investigation details from HDFC bank. WFH can boost women's participation, says Arundhati Bhattacharya. Facebook rolls out 'App Lock' for Messenger to protect users' privacy.
France imposes de facto ban on Huawei 5G equipment, says report. No one wants conflict in Indo-Pacific, need to work with partners: US envoy. Will be conscious of govt directives: L&T on partnering with Chinese firms. NCERT adds abrogation of Article 370 to CBSE Class 12 pol science syllabus. Netflix tests low-cost subscription plan. Check price, compare with others. WADA extends suspension of India's dope testing laboratory for 6 months. Why don't PSBs invoke personal guarantees? SC questions govt on bad loans. Coronavirus vaccine update: Oxford, Wuhan Covid vaccines promise immunity. Covid-19 Factoid: Gap between daily new cases, recoveries widening in India. India begins human trials of Coviaxin, hoping for Covid-19 vaccine success. Oxford-Astra Covid-19 vaccine shows dual immune action, says researcher. Cipla, Amgen settle case involving generic cinacalcet hydrochloride tablets. Corona Kavach health insurance policy evokes good response: Insurers.
India is likely to see a wave of peaks in Covid-19 cases, say experts. MFIs in India should be allowed to accept deposits from public: Yunus. Netflix adds 10.09 million subscribers in Q2, forecasts weak growth in Q3. TikTok enlists army of lobbyists as suspicions over China ties grow. YouTube removes 480p video quality cap on smartphones, but not for everyone. Zydus gets nod from Mexican authority for Covid-19 therapy clinical trials. Google to invest Rs 33,737 crore for 7.73% stake in Jio Platforms. How 'good' does a Covid-19 vaccine need to be to stop the pandemic? Remdesivir to Itolizumab: How effective are the drugs for Covid treatment? Twitter handles of Obama, Biden, Musk hacked to solicit digital currency. Google is in advanced talks to invest $4 billion in Jio Platforms. Infectious disease expert Fauci urges Americans to trust medical experts.
Mukesh Ambani is world's 6th richest, pips Elon Musk, Google founders. Travellers to NY from Covid-19 hotspots need to provide contact info. HDFC Bank probes lending practices at vehicle-financing operation. Life insurance industry to recover in next quarter, says CARE Ratings. Manchester City overturns two-year ban from Champions League. Over 55 million households demand work under MGNREGA this year so far. Fauci sidelined by the White House despite coronavirus surge: Report. Microsoft joins Google to create new generation Progressive Web Apps. New Zealand's top cricketers to start squad training this week: NZC. We were very dominant: Jose Mourinho after Tottenham's victory over Arsenal.
Farm organisations need better market linkage for returns, says report. PNB gets board go-ahead to tap market for raising Rs 10,000 crore. Tesla very close to level five autonomous driving tech: Elon Musk. WhatsApp rolls out animated stickers for all: Here is how to use them. Covid-19 crisis: Budget blowout may see RBI resort to direct financing. Indian Army asks personnel to delete 89 apps including Facebook, PUBG, Zoom. Mysterious pink ice on Italian Alps sound alarm bells for climate change. Number of willful defaulters rose before coronavirus lockdown: Analysis. Instagram rolls out 'pinned comment' feature for everyone: Details here. OnePlus Nord-series smartphone set to go official on July 21: Details here. Samsung to host online Galaxy Unpacked event 2020 on August 5: Details here. US probing allegations TikTok failed to protect children's privacy: Report.
SoftBank-backed startups among those approved for US paycheck loan program. PNB says board will consider a proposal to raise capital on July 9. Diplomacy has gone digital and India is at the forefront: Foreign secy. China has caused great damage to the US, rest of the world: Trump. Paytm, CEO Sharma to acquire general insurer Raheja QBE for Rs 568 crore. Samsung's 2nd quarter chip sales unlikely made up for smartphone weakness. Traders' body CAIT demands ban on China's Huawei, ZTE from India 5G rollout. Uber to buy Postmates for $2.65 bn in an all-stock agreement: Report. Investors should be cautious on gold after recent rally: Tradebulls Sec. JSW group will bring down China imports to zero in 2 years: Parth Jindal. Murugappa's Tube Investments plans to set up truck body building plants.
Reliance launches JioMeet to take on Zoom, can support up to 100 members. Emerging market FX pickup exposed to reversal after new virus surge: Report. How to recover deleted files using Microsoft's Windows File Recovery tool.