Magnitude 7.8 earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula triggers tsunami warning

The earthquake was very shallow, only 6 miles (10 km) below the seabed, which would have amplified its effect, but it was far from any mainland and there were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula triggered a tsunami warning but the threat has now passed, the US Geological Survey and US Pacific Tsunami Center said.

The quake struck at 11:34 am on Tuesday (2334 GMT on Monday) some 125 miles (200 km) from the city of Nikolskoye on Bering island off the Kamchatka Peninsula. The epicenter was west of Attu, the westernmost and largest island in the Near Islands group of Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands.

The earthquake was very shallow, only 6 miles (10 km) below the seabed, which would have amplified its effect, but it was far from any mainland and there were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.

The Kamchatka branch of Russia’s emergency situations ministry had warned that waves up to 50 cm (1-2/2 feet) high could reach Nikolskoye.
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had warned earlier that “hazardous tsunami waves were possible for coasts within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake epicenter.” But it later said that based on all available data the tsunami threat from this earthquake had passed.

The quake was initially reported as a magnitude 7.7 before being revised down to 7.4 and finally upgraded to 7.8, a major quake normally capable of causing widespread and heavy damage when striking on or near land.
The quake was followed by numerous aftershocks, including several above magnitude 5.0.

Presidential Elections today: Ram Nath Kovind favoured over Meira Kumar as Oppn readies assault against Govt…

It promises to be a heavy-duty Monsoon Session for the Narendra Modi government in Parliament. From Monday, the Opposition is likely to put the government through some litmus tests on vital issues that may not affect its standing within Parliament but will definitely test its ability to take some firm decisions and stand up for those it has already taken.

While there are several issues almost begging for a heated debate, the most important will be the election of the new President of India slated for Monday.

Polling will take place between 10 am and 5 pm at Room No 62 in Parliament House. The two main contenders for the country’s top post are NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and Opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

Apart from this, the India-China border crisis, Amarnath terror attack, lynching by cow vigilantes, farmers’ agitation and of course, the GST, are likely to be on top of the Opposition’s agenda as it gets an official opportunity to demand answers from those in power. However, the Modi government has already tried to shore up its defences.

To begin with, it has saved the Parliament quite a bit of pandemonium by calling an all-party meet on the India-China border issue on 14 July. In doing so, the government has already achieved consensus on one of the most pressing issues. This is being billed as an astute move by the government, not just to achieve consensus but also to make the functioning of the Parliament smoother as it gets down to business on Monday.

Political activities ahead of D-day

As is the custom, ahead of the 12th session of the 16th Lok Sabha, the government called an all-party meet on Sunday at 11 am to determine the Opposition’s agenda and communicate its own stand. It was attended by leaders of various parties in both the Houses of the Parliament. The prime minister addressed the meeting. However, Trinamool Congress (TMC) reportedly skipped the meeting.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi convened a meeting of Congress MPs at 4 pm. Launching a scathing attack on the NDA government, she stated that the presidential election was a fight against “narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision”. Addressing Opposition leaders in the presence of their presidential and vice-presidential candidates — Meira Kumar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi — she said in these contests the numbers might be against them but “the battle must be fought and fought hard”. This meeting was followed by high tea.

Narendra Modi met NDA MPs at Parliament Library at 5 pm.

According to sources, both Meira Kumar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi met MPs of 18 non-NDA parties in a closed-door meeting and made presentations. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan called a meeting at 7 pm, the objective of which was to deliberate on the issues that are likely to be discussed in the Monsoon Session.

Issues likely to dominate Monsoon Session

The Opposition is expected to create pressure on the government on the following issues: Madhya Pradesh farmers’ agitation, Goods and Services Tax (GST), cow vigilantism and lynching by right-wing fringe elements, India-China border issues, India-Pakistan border issues, Kashmir, and the security lapse that led to the killing of pilgrims during Amarnath Yatra.

The Monsoon Session is also likely to discuss some acts which have been pending in Parliament for a long time. The session, scheduled between 17 July and 11 August, will witness a total of 19 sittings. The agenda for legislation includes 18 bills for consideration and passing. There are 16 bills listed for introduction, consideration and passing.

14 July all-party meeting: An astute move by government

The Modi government has insulated itself from any attack from Opposition on the border issue by garnering unconditional support from them during an all-party meeting convened by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on 14 July.

“It is important for Narendra Modi to stand firm on this border issue with China so that he can prove that he’s no Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Manmohan Singh. Because these two former PMs gave concessions to China and allowed Chinese military to have its own way,” political analyst professor MD Nalapat said.

“In fact, it is Pakistan who’s instigating Chinese military and the latter is serving Pakistan’s objective. Modi has taken a strong decision of keeping the troops stationed at Doka La to prevent China from constructing the road. By securing support from Opposition during all-party meet on Friday, the prime minister has already taken a leap ahead. Comparatively, the NDA government will be in an advantageous position during the Monsoon Session,” he added.

While addressing the customary all-party meet called by the parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar on Sunday — a day ahead of the first day of the Monsoon Session — Modi asserted that while Indians believe that the cow is like our mother, people should not take the law into their own hands. Modi said that cow vigilantism should not be given political or communal colour as the nation doesn’t benefit from it.

This statement has, once again, clarified his intent on the issue of cow vigilantism and lynching. The Opposition has decided to pursue this issue aggressively on the floor of Parliament.

The day’s programme

On the first day of the Monsoon Session, the Lok Sabha will not conduct any business. The session will begin at 11 am and the following members will take an oath or affirmation, sign the Roll of Members and take their seats in the House: Farooq Abdullah (Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, Jammu and Kashmir) and PK Kunhalikutty (Malappuram Parliamentary Constituency, Kerala).

It will be followed by obituaries honouring the following Members of Parliament (MPs): Vinod Khanna (sitting member LS), Anil Madhav Dave (Union minister of state and member Rajya Sabha) and former MPs Subedar Prasad Singh, Ajit Kumar Saha, Era Sezhiyan and Narayan Chaudhary.

The House will then adjourn.

In the Rajya Sabha, tribute will be paid to Akhilesh Das Gupta (former member), sitting members Anil Madhav Dave and PG Reddy and ex-members Dasari Narayan Rao, C Narayan Reddy and UK Lakshmana Gowda.

Shah Rukh Khan Relishes Traditional Rajasthani Thali in Jaipur

Bollywood’s Badshaah, Shah Rukh Khan, is currently on a promotional spree for his upcoming Imtiaz Ali project, ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal‘. The actor was recently in Jaipur for a promotional event and was caught relishing traditional Rajasthani thali at a popular restaurant. As the Raaes star enjoyed Dal Baati for the first time, he couldn’t help but share, “I had just heard of Dal Baati. It’s fantastic and really nice. I wonder how people finish this food. It’s really filling and very tasty. For me, it’s a first-time experience. Now, I will come here once in three months at least,” IANS reported.

Red Chillies Entertainment captured King Khan’s foodie avatar and instagrammed it a day ago on their official handle. “Harry’s tour continues with the royal taste of Rajasthan! It’s time for some Dal Baati & a plate full of delicacies,” said the social media post.

The land of Rajputs is known for its rich culture and lip-smacking food. Dal baati churma is the star of Rajasthani cuisine and an absolute must eat on your trip to Rajasthan. Some of the other notable Rajasthani delicacies include Lal Maas, Gatte ki Sabzi, Kairi Curry among others.

The Chennai Express actor was given a warm welcome and was presented with a Rajputana sword, a traditional pagdi and a garland. Shah Rukh looked dapper in an all black attire and a traditional Rajasthani pagdi.

Shah Rukh’s Jab Harry Met Sejal also stars the Sultan Actress Anushka Sharma and is set to hit the big screen on August 4th 2017.

IIFA 2017: KJo’s dig at Kangana to Katrina’s birthday, here’s all that happened

Bollywood fever has gripped New York City! As curtains came down on the 18th edition of the star-studded IIFA Awards at the MetLife Stadium, we saw the who’s who of Bollywood sashay down the green carpet. From Salman Khan to Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt to Bipasha Basu and even Varun Dhawan and Shilpa Shetty, all came dressed to impress.

Interestingly, Wizcraft entertainment is all set to make their foray into film production with a film based on the IIFA awards, co-starring Sonakshi Sinha and Diljit Dosanjh.The duo shot bits of the film on the green carpet and on stage as well. “We just shot a song on stage with this audience of NYC. I’m so happy Wizcraft is into production and I’m going to be there first heroine,” said Sonakshi.
And it’s none other than Salman Khan who has a cameo in the film. We caught Salman, Aditya Roy Kapur and Boman Irani filming scenes in and around the venue. Speaking to India Today at the green carpet Salman Khan said, “I’ve been working since the time I’ve come, I just shot a cameo for Vashu Bhagnani and IIFA.

The film is on IIFA so let’s see how that goes. I was just shooting for it right now.”
Hosts Karan Johar and Saif Ali Khan took several digs at Queen actress Kangana Ranaut through their act on stage. While they chanted “Nepotism rocks, nepotism rocks…” on loop, KJo yelled “I’m here because of my father, Saif is here because of his mother, and Varun is here also because of his father. What’s the big deal?” The trio then broke into a song and dance on stage to the song, Bole Chudiya Bole Kangana.

As the clock struck 12, we heard the entire MetLife Stadium come alive and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ for Katrina Kaif, who just blushed on stage.
Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt made their debut at the IIFA awards this year.

While Varun paid tribute to his film maker father David Dhawan, Alia was a bundle of nerves before her act. After her performance, Alia spoke to India Today TV and said, “I was so nervous, but my performance went very well. The best part was when I went into the audience and ran around the stadium. I was trying to connect with everyone there because at the end of the day we are here because of the fans.”

Meanwhile, Shahid Kapoor has been neck-deep in his commitments which hasn’t really pleased his wife Mira Rajput, who strutted down the green carpet with him. Shahid said, “My wife thinks I’m a boring husband because I’ve been working for the past three days. She’s like, ‘You’ve come all the way and you have no time.’ But having said that we’ll get a couple of days off when IIFA is over. She has been kind to take care of Misha on her own and allow me to take care of my work, but we’re hoping to spend some more time in the coming days.” Mira, on the other hand, has been exploring new York City with her baby girl Misha. “I’ve been taking Misha around, showing her NYC, showing her Central Park and museums. Shahid has joined us on a couple of occasions,” Mira said.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui concluded the evening with his take on award shows. He said, “I don’t believe in awards but it’s good, cause people get motivated to work harder. If you perform only keeping awards in mind, then it’s not good, you get corrupted. You should celebrate awards and then get back to your aukat and start working harder.”

The smartphone is ultimately going to die, and Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook are racing to kill it…

These are the quiet times.
From April to June, tech’s biggest companies all held their annual mega-events, laying out their grand visions for the next 12 months or so.

Facebook kicked it off in late April with its F8 conference , followed by Microsoft Build , then the Google I/O conference , and Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference finished things off. Amazon doesn’t really hold events, but it unveiled two new Amazon Echo smart speakers during that period for good measure.

And things will get exciting again, sooner than you know it. This Fall, Apple is expected to reveal a 10th-anniversary iPhone , Google will likely reveal a revamped Pixel smartphone , and Microsoft is expected to hold another one of its regular late-October Surface computer press conferences.

In the meantime, there’s not much to do but reflect on what we’ve learned so far this year about the future of tech. And beyond the hype and the hyperbole, we’re starting to see the very earliest stages of a battle for the next phase of computing.

Because while Apple and Google may dominate the smartphone market today, technologies like augmented reality present whole-new platforms where there’s no clear winner. So Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook, having missed out on owning a mobile platform, are doing their damndest to hasten the end of the smartphone – and the end of Apple and Google’s duopoly, while they’re at it.

Skin in the game

Every major technological shift has created big opportunities for the few entrepreneurs who see it coming early – in the seventies, Apple and Microsoft made big bets that the PC would be a much bigger market than gigantic room-sized mainframes, while the mainframe industry decried the PC itself as a fad . We see who won that one.

Similarly, Microsoft didn’t fully realize the potential of smartphones, until well after Google and Apple proved them wrong. Now, Google’s Android is the most popular operating system in the world, full stop. And the iPhone has propelled Apple to record profits and to the status as the company to beat in tech.

Well, it seems like time is a flat circle. Right now, we’re seeing the earliest growing pains of augmented reality and virtual reality – tech that overlays the digital world onto our human senses. It means information, projected into your eyes and ears, as you need it. Why carry a phone when Netflix and WhatsApp are floating in front of you?

Apple Arkit portal

Some call it a fad, or just something that’s too new and untested to be considered a real threat to the smartphone. And yet, there’s a veritable arms race to build these augmented reality platforms of the future.

Amazon’s Alexa is primarily thought of as a digital voice assistant, but having a virtual “person” tell you the time and weather definitely qualifies as augmented reality. Microsoft has its reality-bending HoloLens “hologram” goggles. Facebook and Snapchat have both built augmented reality straight into the camera. Even Google-backed startup Magic Leap thinks its yet-to-released goggles have a shot at becoming a new platform .

The net result is a race to build whatever is going to do the smartphone what the PC did to the mainframe. What these companies all have in common is that they missed the boat on building smartphone operating systems of their own. Now, it’s on them to build whatever comes next.

Defensive position

Apple and Google are well aware of the threat and are not standing still. Apple has ARkit, a system for building augmented reality into iPhone apps, using the phone’s built-in camera. It’s technologically robust enough and easy enough to use that developers love it, giving Apple a nice foothold in augmented reality. If and when Apple releases smart glasses , those apps will come right over.

Google has various augmented reality efforts in the works, including Project Tango. And although the first version of the Google Glass headset flopped, if Google figures out how to revamp the device, it will have a vehicle to extend Android into the AR realm.

In a weird way, going on the defensive like this almost gives Apple a perverse incentive to replace the iPhone: If Apple can build the next great hardware platform itself , it means that Amazon can’t do it with Alexa, and Microsoft can’t do it with HoloLens.

In the meantime, as we appreciate all the new hardware and software goodies coming out later this year, keep the perspective that everything we’re seeing now is the first salvo in a computing war that will rage for the next decade and beyond.

Google, which says it doesn’t underpay women, may not have to reveal as much as the U.S. government seeks

 

A federal court in California moved on Friday to spare Google from turning over a trove of information about its employees to the U.S. government as the feds continue to investigate whether the tech giant underpays its female workers.

Since January, Google has resisted a demand by the Department of Labor that it share data — including the complete salary history and contact information for more than 21,000 employees — as part of a probe into potential “systemic compensation disparities against women pretty much across the entire workforce,” the government previously has argued.

Google has repeatedly rejected those allegations, while arguing in court that the Labor Department’s requests for data are onerous and would jeopardize the privacy of Google’s employees. Administrative Law Judge Steven Berlin on Friday agreed; in his ruling, he sought to impose limits on the government’s request — a recommendation that will become final unless federal lawyers seek an appeal.

Under the proposed order, Google must still provide the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, or OFCCP, with more data related to employees’ demographic information. That includes name, gender and ethnicity, as well as their salary, as of September 2014. It’s the second so-called “snapshot” of Google’s workforce sought by the agency, which obtained similar information about the tech giant’s employees from September 2015.

But Google has been spared from the government’s other demands — including a request that it submit contact information for all 21,000 of its employees so that the Labor Department can more fully investigate claims of unequal pay.

Citing fears about hacking — and recent cyber attacks on the U.S. government — the court instead recommended the agency seek and obtain from Google the telephone numbers and email addresses from up to 5,000 of its workers, provided the company already has that data in its possession. Google has 30 days from the moment the order becomes final to share that information. Federal investigators may then seek a second round of contact information from 3,000 individuals for follow-up interviews.

Nor is Google required to provide salary history and job history for its employees dating back to their hiring. Doing so would exceed the Labor Department’s mandate, the court said, which is only able to investigate companies’ compliance with federal affirmative action rules during the time shortly before, and during, their service as government contractors — which, in Google’s case, began in 2007.

Federal investigators can try again, however, if they can “show that the request is reasonable, within its authority, relevant to the investigation, focused, and not unduly burdensome,” the judge found.

The favorable early ruling drew praise from Google on Sunday.

“Assuming the recommended decision becomes final, we’ll comply with the remainder of the order, and provide the much more limited data set of information the judge approved, including the contact information for a smaller sample of up to 8,000 employees,” said Eileen Naughton, the vice president for people operations at Google, in a blog post.

“While we’re pleased with Friday’s recommended decision, we remain committed to treating, and paying, people fairly and without bias with regard to factors like gender or race,” she continued. “We are proud of our practices and leadership in this area, and we look forward to working constructively with OFCCP, as we complete this review and in the future.”

A spokesman for the Department of Labor, meanwhile, did not immediately respond Sunday night to an email about its next step.

Still, the government’s probe is hardly over — and it comes at a time of heightened scrutiny in Silicon Valley over the way women are treated in the tech industry.

Charges of sexism hardly are new among the region’s investment and executive set, but misbehavior at top companies and venture-capital firms finally have triggered so much blowback that the offenders are losing their jobs — and their bosses have faced intense criticism. At Google, meanwhile, even its own employees have warred publicly as to whether women are paid the same as men.