Day: September 26, 2023

India demands $150 mln in taxes from Tiger Global-backed gaming firm Dream11

Manish Kumar

India’s tax department has demanded around $150 million from Tiger Global-backed gaming company Dream11 for underpaying taxes during 2017-2019.  Dream11 and Indian tax authorities are in a dispute over what tax rates should be paid by such gaming platforms, which have become hugely popular for the fantasy cricket games they offer.  Indian tax inspectors are “alleging that the service” provided by Dream11 “is that of betting/gambling/wagering”, court papers stated.  But Dream11 argued its gaming platform is a “game of skill” and attracts a lower tax rate which should be levied…

Jewlery worth at least ₹25 crore was stolen from a store in New Delhi; Jewel thieves bore a hole in the shop’s wall

Manish Kumar

Ornaments worth nearly ₹20-25 crores were stolen from Umrao Singh Jewellery shop in Jangpura’s Bhogal locality.  The thieves reached the strong room that has the lockers of the jewellery shop by creating a hole in the wall near it,” said the DCP, southeast Delhi.  The thieves decamped with all the gold and diamond ornaments leaving behind just the ones made of silver.  The owner, and later the police, found that the security and alarm systems in the shop had been disabled and did not trigger any alarm when the intruders…

Ford pauses work on $3.5 bln battery plant in Michigan, Biden to head to Michigan to stand with UAW workers

Manish Kumar

Ford Motor said it has paused work on a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, citing concerns about its ability to competitively operate the plant at a time when it remains locked in broader contract negotiations. United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain blasted Ford, saying the announcement was “a shameful, barely-veiled threat by Ford to cut jobs. We are simply asking for a just transition to electric vehicles and Ford is instead doubling down on their race to the bottom.” Ford has repeatedly raised its offer to…

Nagorno-Karabakh: 20 killed in fuel depot blast in strife-torn region as residents flee; nearly 300 injured

Manish Kumar

At least 20 people were killed and around 300 others sustained injuries by an explosion at a gas station as people seeking to flee to Armenia lined up for fuel.  The explosion took place as the people arrived at the station to refuel their cars in order to leave the region.   According to the department, 290 people have been hospitalized, among whom several remain critical.  Thousands of Nagorno-Karabakh residents are leaving the region and fleeing to Armenia after Azerbaijan’s military launched a swift operation to fully reclaim the region. …

Time running short to fund The U.S. government: Countdown for a government shutdown

Manish Kumar

A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to approve funding for federal agencies. Before 1980, agencies largely continued operating during a lapse in funding with the assumption that Congress would act quickly. But in 1980 and 1981, then-Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti authored a series of legal opinions that found government agencies didn’t have the authority to continue running during a gap in funding. The U.S. House and Senate on Tuesday plan to take sharply divergent paths in a high-stakes spending battle, with just five days remaining until a deadline that…

Disease X Could Bring Next Pandemic deadlier than Covid-19, kill 50 million People, Says Expert

Manish Kumar

A UK health expert has said that Disease X, the name given by World Health Organisation (WHO), can cause another pandemic deadlier than Covid-19.  Kate Bingham, chair of the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce, said the new virus could have a similar impact to the devastating Spanish Flu of 1919-1920.  “The world will have to prepare for mass vaccination drives and deliver the doses in record time”, she told in the interview.  According to WHO, Disease X could be a new agent – a virus, a bacterium, or a fungus – without…

Nearly after 25 years Supreme Court Sets Up 7-Judge Bench to Reconsider Its Verdict- read to know

Manish Kumar

Supreme Court Sets Up 7-judge Bench to Reconsider Its 1998 Verdict Involving MPs.  Nearly 25 years after the JMM bribery scandal rocked the country, the top court had agreed to reconsider its 1998 judgment.  Supreme Court said it was an important issue having a significant bearing on the “morality of polity”.  Constitution Bench comprising the Chief Justice of India, and six others is constituted to hear criminal appeal titled Sita Soren vs Union of India on October 4.  The top court had in its verdict delivered in the PV Narasimha…

Waheeda Rehman To Receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s Highest Film Honour

Manish Kumar

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced that this year’s Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be veteran actor Waheeda Rehman.  The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the country’s highest film honour and is given by the government.  Actor Waheeda Rehman is the latest Bollywood actor to get honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award. Last year, it was presented to Asha Parekh.  “Waheeda ji has been critically acclaimed for her roles in Hindi films, prominent among them, Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Chaudhavi Ka Chand, Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam,…

Kapil Sibal took a swipe after AIADMK leaves NDA “BJP is like the camel in the tent”

Manish Kumar

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal took a swipe at the BJP over the AIADMK walking out of the National Democratic Alliance.  Those still with them (NDA) are “opportunistic alliances with no ideological glue”-Sibal said.  The BJP is like the “camel in the tent”, he said.  The AIADMK-BJP alliance has been on the brink after the Tamil Nadu party’s anger over BJP state boss K Annamalai’s comments about late former chief ministers CN Annadurai and J Jayalalithaa.  The break-up was announced by AIADMK Deputy General Secretary KP Munusamy after a resolution…

“Terrorists Found Safe Haven in Canada”: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister

Manish Kumar

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry on Monday, reacting to the India-Canada diplomatic row, said terrorists have found safe haven in Canada.  Speaking to a news agency, Mr Sabry said he is “not surprised” by his remarks since Trudeau keeps making “outrageous and substantiated allegations.”  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came out with the outrageous allegations without any proof.  “The same thing they did for Sri Lanka, a terrible, total lie about saying that Sri Lanka had a genocide.” Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said.  Mr Sabry said Trudeau’s “genocide” comment had…