Author: Santosh

Congress seeks ECI action over PM Modi’s video message after the ‘silence period’

Santosh

The Congress party called on the ECI to take immediate action against PM Narendra Modi and several BJP leaders for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and the provisions of the Act, ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections.  According to the complaint, PM Narendra Modi, in a video message uploaded during the ‘silence period’, appealed to the voters of Karnataka on behalf of the BJP.  “The ECI must take immediate note of this and initiate appropriate proceedings against Shri Narendra Modi, other leaders, and the BJP party,” the letter…

A High Court does not have the power to direct changes in the Scheduled Tribes list, it is a Presidential power: CJI

Santosh

The unrest in Manipur erupted after a protest march organized by the Kuki tribes sparked clashes with the non-tribal Meitei community.  Violent clashes and deaths followed in the days after a Single Judge Bench of the Manipur High Court, directed that the State government “shall consider the case of the petitioners for inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list.  Chief Justice Chandrachud orally said a High Court does not have the power to direct changes in the Scheduled Tribes List. “It is a Presidential power to designate…

Intel plans to further cut its workforce to reduce costs: joins Amazon, Google, Meta & others in layoff race

Santosh

Chip manufacturer Intel, in a statement to the press, has confirmed that it plans to further cut its workforce to reduce costs while navigating a challenging macroeconomic environment.  “We are focused on identifying cost reductions and efficiency gains through multiple initiatives, including some business and function-specific workforce reductions in areas across the company,” a company spokesperson said.  According to reports, the semiconductor major may lay off up to 20 percent of the employees at its client computing and data center divisions.  Last October, Intel announced plans to cut its expenses…

Canada expels Chinese diplomat: set off a diplomatic spat between the two countries

Santosh

Ottawa announced the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat who was accused of trying to threaten a Canadian lawmaker who was critical of Beijing.  After allegations of political interference caused controversy in Canada, the country has decided to expel a Chinese diplomat.  Beijing, on the other hand, has vehemently denied any election interference, describing the claims as “purely baseless and defamatory.”  This set off a new diplomatic spat between the two countries.  In a statement Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated, “We will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our…

Russia has billions of rupees in Indian banks which it can’t use due to Currency restrictions

Santosh

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia has accumulated billion of rupees in Indian bank accounts but to use this money it needs to be transferred to another currency.  Citing two government officials, news agencies reported that after months of negotiations India failed to convince Russia to keep rupees in its coffers.  The Kremlin initially encouraged India to trade in national currencies following sanctions on Russian banks and a ban on transactions using the SWIFT messaging system.    But volatility in the ruble soon after the war began meant plans…

Foreign contributions to the PM CARES Fund declined to Rs 535 crore: Report

Santosh

As per records, PM CARES Fund received Rs 535.44 crore as foreign donations during the last three years The PM CARES Fund was set up in 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and registered as a public charitable trust under the Registration Act The audit report shows that foreign contributions to the PM CARES Fund peaked during 2020-21, the financial year that witnessed the outbreak of the pandemic, but it plummeted then after The details of the expenditure of the PM CARES Fund show that the amounts were…

Tiger Woods Sued for Sexual Harassment by Ex-Girlfriend: Court document

Santosh

The ex-girlfriend of professional golfer Tiger Woods, Erica Herman, has accused him of sexual harassment, according to a court filing by Herman’s attorney in Florida. Woods is accused of pursuing a sexual relationship with Herman while she worked for him and then forcing her to sign a non-disclosure agreement or she’d be fired from her job, the document says. Herman has brought two separate complaints involving Woods in the past year. The petition is part of a legal battle that erupted between Herman, 39, and Woods, 47, after they split…

India, Russia suspend negotiations to settle trade in rupees

Santosh

India started exploring a rupee settlement mechanism with Russia soon after the invasion of Ukraine last year, but there has been no reported deal done in rupees. India and Russia have suspended efforts to settle bilateral trade in rupees after months of negotiations failed to convince Moscow to keep rupees in its reserves. With a high trade gap in favour of Russia, Moscow believes it will end up with an annual rupee surplus of over $40 billion if such a mechanism is worked out. The rupee is not fully convertible.…

Apple iPhone sales inch up, strengthening results amid shaky economy: CEO Sees India at “Tipping Point”

Santosh

Apple Inc’s results beat expectations, showing off the tech giant’s resilience in a slowing global economy.  Shares of the largest U.S. company by market value rose 2% after Apple exceeded Wall Street’s expectations for revenue and profit for the April 1 quarter.  iPhone sales were up 1.5% to $51.3 billion, besting expectations for a 3.3% drop even as consumers and businesses tightened up spending due to rising inflation.  Apple Inc chief Tim Cook singled out India as pivotal for the iPhone maker, underscoring how the world’s most populous country is…

SpiceJet To Borrow Rs 400 Cr from Emergency Fund to Revive 25 Grounded Planes

Santosh

SpiceJet would draw funds from the government’s Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) to bring 25 of its grounded aircraft back into service.  The announcement came a day after ‘Go First’ filed for insolvency proceedings with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).  Go First filed for insolvency, marking the first major airline collapse in India since Jet Airways filed for bankruptcy in 2019.  In February, SpiceJet had said it will consider options to raise fresh capital by issuing securities to qualified institutional buyers amid a string of quarterly losses and…