COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerability of energy value chains but solar power could be an indigenous solution to keep the lights on during a crisis.

The surge in online learning in the People’s Republic of China during the coronavirus outbreak highlights the importance of infrastructure, platforms and the preparedness of teachers, students and parents.

In some of his YouTube videos, the user "Beleza em pessoa" criticized Mozambican prophets.

Despite the global outcry against animal sacrifice in Nepal, the tradition persists.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced Wednesday the German soccer league Bundesliga can resume playing later this month, ending a two-month pause prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.Merkel made the announcement as one of a range of containment measures being relaxed, following a meeting with the c...

Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong faces two major legal hurdles over his underhand takeover of management control from his incapacitated father, who fell into a coma after a heart attack in 2014.The first legal hurdle is an ongoing investigation into Samsung BioLogics, which is accused of intentionally inf...

Islamabad : The Ministry of Human Rights on Friday issued guidelines to create public awareness on the protection of mental and physical health of children and their online safety during COVID-19 lockdown days.According to guidelines issued on different media forums, parents are advised to engage...

The Sindh revenue department has written a letter to Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah for sanctioning extra incentives to the officials and officers of different departments participating in the battle against COVID-19.The letter, which was sent to the CM on Friday, reads that as the...

There is a growing perception among the people of Karachi that they are being intentionally deprived of their fundamental rights by both the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf -led federal government and the Pakistan Peoples Party -led Sindh government.Pak Sarzameen Party Chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal said...

Safeguards due diligence reports are prepared as part of safeguard due diligence and review to ensure compliance with ADB safeguard policy due diligence requirements. This document dated May 2020 is provided for the ADB project 51039-002 in Afghanistan.

Safeguards due diligence reports are prepared as part of safeguard due diligence and review to ensure compliance with ADB safeguard policy due diligence requirements. This document dated May 2020 is provided for the ADB project 2020-05-07 in Afghanistan.

The ADB Sanitation Dialogue 2020, to be held on 29 June to 1 July 2020 in Manila, engages ADB's developing members and other development partners toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.2 on sanitation for all.

Lebanon’s mosques reopened their doors for Friday prayer as the country gradually scales back its coronavirus containment measures implemented almost two months ago.

NEW DELHI: India’s top medical research body has turned down a proposal by the Modi government to test water from the Ganges river as a cure for coronavirus, ThePrint news portal said on Thursday.

It said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) turned down the government’s “request” to conduct research on a theory that Gangajal, or water from Ganges river, could possibly cure Covid-19.

Speaking to ThePrint, a source in the ICMR said the agency has refused to get involved as it is focussing on the Covid-19 battle and doesn’t want to waste time on other research amid the pandemic.

The move came after the country’s apex medical research body received a “request” from the Ministry of Jal Shakti to conduct “further research” on a proposal by an NGO, Atulya Ganga, said an ICMR official, who didn’t wish to be named.

In its letter last month, Mr Atulya had cited the presence of a “ninja virus”, called bacteriophage, in Ganges water that could cure Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Bacteriophage is a special type of virus that eats harmful bacteria, the letter said.

According ThePrint, the NGO asked the government on April 3 to conduct a study on the possibility of this virus acting as a cure. It sent a copy each to the ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The ministry’s National Mission for Clean Ganga, the department administering the Modi government’s ambitious Namami Gange programme, then wrote to ICMR on April 30 requesting a clinical trial.

The ICMR then held a meeting to discuss the idea, but refused to proceed, offering only its “help” to the NGO, ThePrint said. “We had indeed received a letter from the Ministry of Jal Shakti for such research. The experts at ICMR also held a meeting on this matter. Then we asked those proposing this research that you should tell us about hospitals and doctors that are ready and willing to conduct some research on it. We will certainly help them in this regard,” said the ICMR official.

“As of now we are still treating plasma therapy as a trial for treatment for corona (Covid-19), then how can we so quickly accept a virus called bacteriophage, found in the water of Ganges, as a cure? Right now, there is no logic in the argument that the virus found in Ganga’s water can indeed fight the coronavirus disease,” added the official.

However, he added that if the ministry takes an initiative into the matter then ICMR will extend its assistance to it.

Speaking to ThePrint, Dr Rajnikant Srivastava, ICMR’s head of the Department of Research Management, Policy Planning and Communication, in Delhi and Director of Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur, said: “A presentation was made after the Jal Shakti ministry’s proposal. The matter is at a very preliminary stage. Nothing has been decided on the future course of action. We will support the Jal Shakti ministry in all the work it does on this front.”

A senior official of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, meanwhile, said there are several special properties in the river and many people were demanding research on them.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2020

SRINAGAR: Anti-India protests and clashes continued for a third day in occupied Kashmir on Friday, following the killing of a top resistance leader by Indian forces.

Kashmiri leader Riyaz Naikoo and his aide were killed in a gunfight with Indian troops on Wednesday in the southern Awantipora area, leading to massive clashes at several places.

The clashes continued on Friday as anti-India protesters threw stones at government forces, who fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to quell the spiralling protests.

At least one man was killed and 50 others were injured in the three days of clashes, residents and medics said. Most of the injured were treated locally.

However, at least a dozen people with bullet and pellet injuries were taken to a hospital in Srinagar for treatment, a doctor said on condition of anonymity. She said most of the injured had been hit by pellets in one or both eyes.

Residents said Indian troops swooped into the Kashmiri leader’s native village on Thursday, and accused them of vandalising a tent which villagers had set up for mourning his death, triggering large protests and clashes in the area.

Authorities did not hand over the bodies of the two slain fighters to their families under a new Indian policy designed to thwart large-scale funerals. Instead, police buried the bodies in a mountainous graveyard about 100 kilometres from the village.

Authorities have shut down mobile phone and internet services since Wednesday, a common Indian tactic in the disputed region when such protests erupt. They also imposed a near total information blackout and refused to brief media about the situation.

India imposed similar measures in 2019 when it revoked the disputed region’s semi-autonomous status and statehood and imposed direct federal rule.

Indian security officials and some members of the ruling party called Naikoo’s killing a victory against the Kashmiri fighters. Naikoo, 35, was the chief of operations of the region’s largest indigenous armed group, Hizbul Mujahideen, which has spearheaded a rebellion against Indian rule.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2020

Around 500 migrants are arriving at the Colombian border city of Cúcuta every day intending to return to Venezuela. As of April 15, a total of 34,000 people had passed through the city.

The government has advised people to make homemade masks using capulanas – a traditional Mozambican cloth generally worn by women – and other readily available materials.

This policy dialogue session on water-related disaster resilience with various public scientific agencies, ministries and Senior public works department officials from Japan and developing countries in Asia.

The ADB Sanitation Dialogue 2020, to be held on 29 June to 1 July 2020 in Manila, engages ADB's developing members and other development partners toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.2 on sanitation for all.

Answers are provided to questions about ADB’s $20 billion COVID-19 pandemic response.

Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT)

The Strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training Project took on some of the obstacles to creating a place for women in the so-called blue-collar occupations.

Desi billionaires hold 44 per cent of their wealth in property, while the global average is 24 per cent. From Africa to America, the rich world-over have their wealth where their heart is — in their homes. Nearly a third of the wealth held by the super-rich (those with over $30 million of assets) in Europe is locked in real estate assets worth $2,391 billion, according to data from Savills, a global property consultant. The Asians are second, with $1,800 billion, or nearly 27 per cent of their wealth, in property. Over-investment The super-rich in India, as expected, beat the global averages by a big margin. Nearly 44 per cent […]

Approved project 53313-001 in Indonesia.

The intuitive habit of drawing macroeconomic conclusions (about India) from the corporate feedback (and vice versa) is fraught with risk. After all, only half of India’s GDP and 10% of India’s employment are in the formal sector. Further, only a fraction of the formal sector is listed.” This is not any Swadeshi ideologue speaking. This is what the Asia Pacific/India Equity Research paper of Credit Suisse titled “India’s better half: The Informal Economy” says about the most unique aspect of Indian economy. The paper points out that corporate sector accounts for only one-fourth of the national capital formed – the share of listed corporates in it is even less, just […]

High labor productivity, a large firm size, foreign ownership, and high technological capability are important for a firm to participate in global value chains.

Financial constraints are a significant barrier for India's SMEs participating in global value chains.

High labor productivity, a large firm size, foreign ownership, and high technological capability are important for a firm to participate in global value chains.

Financial constraints are a significant barrier for India's SMEs participating in global value chains.

AN3444 Driving LEDs with Constant Current and Sequential Linear LED Drivers

ATMX150RHA Power-supply sequencing

Kolkata is all set to turn into a blue-and-white city during the Mamata government. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) announced Monday that if you paint your house’ exterior blue-and-white, you will be fully exempted from paying property tax to the government. The Trinamool Congress-run KMC has come up with a proposal to waive the property tax for 2014-15 if a residential building or house is painted in the party’s favorite color combination — white and sky blue. “We will allow full waiver of property tax for 2014-15 if anybody wishes to paint his/her house or even apartment buildings, of course residential, in white and sky blue – the theme color […]

Mid-segment residential properties witnessed the highest appreciation in Bangalore in the past three years, while in the high-end category the credit went to Pune, says a study. As per the report by global real estate consultants, Cushman and Wakefield, mid-segment residential property prices almost doubled in the north-west part of Bangalore, while they were up nearly two-thirds in some areas of Pune. The study spanned between first half (January-June) of 2011 and first half of 2014. In the mid-segment, Chennai with 27 percent, Delhi region with 22 percent and Kolkata with 17 percent, also saw some noteworthy increases, while Mumbai saw the second-lowest jump with 16 percent, following Hyderabad with […]

NEW DELHI: As more Indians log online to seek information before entering into property deals, Internet today is estimated to be influencing decisions worth about USD 43 billion, search engine giant Google said. According to a study commissioned by the US-based firm, over 50 per cent of real estate buyers’ decisions are influenced by Internet research. “This phenomenon of researching online for real estate information before making a decision is not limited to metros but also extended to buyers in tier II cities,” Google India Industry Director Nitin Bawankule told reporters here. The overall influence of Internet on real estate transaction value of both residential and commercial property including rentals […]

In order to expedite the completion of eight stalled residential projects in Noida and Greater Noida, the National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC) would soon issue a tender. The NBCC has plans to float a tender for completing the eight stalled housing projects of Amrapali, which includes over 23,000 residential units in Noida and Greater Noida with a total investment of over Rs 5,000 crore. The decision to issue the tender was made after the directive issued by the Supreme Court (SC) to take over the stalled projects in the region. Last year, the apex court had given the responsibility to State-owned NBCC to complete the delayed projects in NCR at the […]

MUNICH, Germany – HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, today announced the opening of its first Experience Store in Europe....

CES 2020 – LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 6, 2020 – It’s time to ditch your generic, piercing smartphone alarm. The JBL Horizon 2 Bluetooth clock radio and speaker duo customizes the wake-up experience to help make anyone a morning person. Following the success...

CES 2020, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 6, 2020 – Movie lovers, listen up. The latest addition to JBL’s popular Bar Series brings the audio experience of a movie theater to your living room. The JBL Bar 9.1 creates true wireless surround sound with crowd-pleasing...

CES 2020, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 6, 2020 – No wires? No problem. JBL continues to elevate its true wireless headphones portfolio by adding two more options to their existing lineup. Whether it’s window shopping on city streets, commuting into the office, or...

CES 2020, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 6, 2020 – HARMAN International Industries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, announces that the Personi-Fi platform...

MARCH 28, 2019, NEW DELHI, INDIA – HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced its sponsorship of Delhi Capitals, one of the key teams participating in the T20 Cricket Indian Premier League 2019, through its popular...

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—HARMAN Professional Solutions, the global leader in audio, video, lighting and control systems, today announced new JBL Professional One Series 104-BT and 104-BTW desktop reference monitors with Bluetooth will be making their debut at...

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—HARMAN Professional Solutions, the global leader in audio, video, lighting and control systems, today announced new AKG K361-BT and K371-BT professional studio headphones featuring Bluetooth connectivity at the 2020 NAMM show in...

Special-Edition JBL Flip 5 Eco is made from 90% Recycled Plastic and Features an Eco-Friendly Case By Andy Tsui    April 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, so environmental stewardship is top of mind for consumers, companies and...

Isolation, quarantine, social distancing… all of these terms have two things in common: 1.) they are necessary and powerful tools that are saving lives in the global battle against Covid-19. 2.) they are cutting people off from one another and...

Satte Bässe oder heiße Gitarrensolos! Die neuen JBL Link Portable und JBL Link Music sind ab sofort verfügbar. Mit 360°-JBL Signature Sound, WLAN und Bluetooth-Konnektivität, integriertem Chromecast und Google Assistant klingen die beiden Lautsprecher genauso gut wie sie aussehen.

HARMAN International, eine hundertprozentige Tochtergesellschaft von Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., die sich auf vernetzte Technologien für Automobil-, Konsum- und Unternehmensmärkte konzentriert, freut sich, dass seine Marke JBL den enormen Meilenstein von 100 Millionen weltweit ausgelieferten tragbaren Lautsprechern erreicht hat. JBL festigt damit seine Position als Marktführer für tragbare Audiogeräte und als prägende Kraft der Branche. JBL verschiebt die Grenzen des Möglichen immer weiter und erweckt Musik so zum Leben, dass sie für Zuhörer an jedem Ort fühlbar wird. Heute ist JBL nicht nur auf der ganzen Welt die treibende Kraft hinter der Leistung von Musikern und Sportlern, sondern sorgt auch für den perfekten Klang bei Veranstaltungen und in Automobilen. Außerdem ist JBL mit einem aktuellen Anteil von 34,2 Prozent auch Marktführer bei tragbaren Lautsprechern.

Continuing our global efforts to provide opportunities to young students  to learn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), HARMAN India has renewed its partnership with Christel House, a non-profit school that is transforming lives of impoverished...

Rethinking Design for Man & Machine: Q&A with Huemen’s Stephanie Tuttle Design has an instrumental role in delivering powerful experiences. HARMAN’s mission to unlocking and elevating experiences for a wide range of stakeholders, from automakers and...