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Gmail, YouTube services restored after global outage

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Google services including Gmail and YouTube suffered a global outage this evening, impacting users across the world.

Google Search and Drive were also affected. Users across the world took to Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms and reported problems at around 5:45 PM.

The services were restored after around an hour. However, the company is yet to issue an official statement in this regard.

According to the Down Detector, issues at Google began around 5 pm (IST). Several users reported that Google’s webpages were redirecting to an error page and over 40,000 outage cases were reported from around the world nearly 10 minutes after the outage began.

Apart from that, some users said that a 500 error was displayed when they tried to search for something on Google. “There was an error. Please try again later. That’s all we know” was a message that was displayed.

YouTube also displayed a ‘Something went wrong…’ error on its homepage, while Gmail displayed ‘Oops… the system encountered a problem (#2014)’.

Also, some users were facing issues while accessing Google Drive and Google Meet, hinting at a wider, large-scale outage affecting major Google services.

Meanwhile, Google confirmed issues with Gmail and Google Drive that’s affecting a majority of users. The company said it’s working to resolve the problem, as per the reports.

-RJV/ARK

IIT-Madras shuts down as over 100 test COVID positive in past 2 weeks

New Delhi (NVI): The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) has has shut down its departments, centres, labs and the library, after over 100 people tested COVID-19 positive, a majority of them students, in the past two weeks.

A total of 104 students and others have contracted the disease and all were doing well in a hospital, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said.

Of the 444 samples lifted till date, 104 have tested positive for COVID-19, he said, adding from December 1 to 12, samples from the institute turning positive steadily increased from a few to 33 specimens today.

“All of them are being treated at the King’s Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research as per the directive of Chief Minister K Palaniswami and they are all doing well,” he said.

According to a media statement released by the institute, IIT Madras has been functioning on limited capacity with only about 10% students, mostly research scholars being accommodated in the hostels. All these students are research scholars who need to carry out experimental work in the labs.

“As soon as a spurt in symptomatic cases was reported by some students residing in the hostels, the Institute consulted the civic authorities and has arranged for all students residing in hostels to be tested for COVID,” the statement read.

It added, “To be cautious, all students have been asked to remain in their rooms and packed food is being supplied to the students in the hostels.”

COVID-19 numbers in Tamil Nadu and its capital Chennai, which was earlier a hotspot, have drastically come down. On Sunday the state reported 1,195 cases, with Chennai accounting for 340. Though the state’s COVID tally is nearing 8 lakh, active cases are at 10,115.

-CHK

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination drive begins in the US

Pfizer
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): The biggest vaccination drive in the history of United States has started as trucks carrying Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine were pulled out of a Michigan warehouse.

Under Operation Warp Speed, a total of 636 hospitals and clinics across the states will be delivered the Pfizer vaccines.

The trucks carrying about 184,275 vials of vaccine pulled out of the plant in Michigan and it is expected that 189 boxes of vaccine vials would arrive in all 50 states, according to media reports.

Pfizer is expected to deliver an estimated 2.9 million doses this week via UPS and FedEx.

The vaccine developed by Pfizer comes at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has killed nearly 300,000 people in the country.

On Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to COVID-19 vaccine and on Saturday it was decided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that the vaccine could be given to people aged 16 and older in the US.

Operation Warp Speed chief advisor Dr Moncef Slaoui said that they are planning to distribute about 14 million doses of vaccine across the US by the end of this year.

“We will have about 50 million to 80 million doses distributed in January, and another same number in February. So, all in all, we hope to have immunized 100 million people, which would be the long-term care facility people, the elderly people with comorbidities, the first-line workers, the health care workers,” he said.

According to Slaoui, about 75 or 80 per cent of the population in the US need to be inoculated before herd immunity can be established in the country. “We hope to reach that point between the month of May and the month of June,” he added.

-CHK

Evidence to expose Pak recovered in Sunday’s Poonch encounter: J&K DGP

Evidence to expose Pak recovered in Sunday's Poonch encounter: J&K DGP

Neyaz Elahi

Srinagar (NVI): Security forces have recovered enough evidence to expose Pakistan’s intentions from the site of an encounter that took place Sunday in which two militants were killed and their associate was arrested in Chatta-Pani area along Mughal Road in Jammu’s Poonch, J&K Police chief Dilbagh Singh said today.

While addressing media on the killing of a Personal Security Officer (PSO) of a PDP leader in Srinagar, DGP Dilbagh Singh said that today’s attack was an attempt to disrupt the DCC election and the militants killed yesterday in Poonch had the same motive. Talking to reporters, Singh said that Pakistan is eager to foment the trouble in Kashmir Valley.

“The militants killed yesterday in Pooch were having the same motive. After infiltration, they were on their way to Shopian but were killed in Poonch. They declined to surrender and got killed. We recovered enough material from their possession that could expose the intents of neighbouring country,” he said.

Pakistan, which has waged a proxy war on India, has been resorting to its old tactic of engaging in unprovoked ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K while facilitating infiltration bids. The two militants killed in Poonch yesterday are also believed to have infiltrated from the Pakistani side through LoC a few days ago.

On the killing of PSO, the DGP said that police have got all leads about the militants responsible for the killing of PDP leader’s security guard. “We know their exact number and the location they arrived from. We will get them and bring them to justice,” Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a wreath-laying ceremony of the PSO at District Police Lines, Srinagar.

PSO Manzoor Ahmed was killed in a militant attack near the gate of PDP leader Haji Parvez’s house in Natipora area on Srinagar outskirts in the morning.

He refuted the claims that the security of PDP leader Haji Parvez was downgraded.

“We gave him two PSO’s when only one was required. We had repeatedly asked him to shift to secured place, but he declined,” Dilbagh Singh said.  

-ARK

Fact check: Survey for ascertaining joining details of UGC NET exam candidates is fake

New Delhi (NVI): A claim is being made on social media that Government of India is conducting a survey under National Fellowship Scheme for Schedule Caste students to ascertain the joining details of all the candidates selected through UGC NET exam.

Debunking such claims, the Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) clarified that the claim is fake and Indian Government is not conducting any such survey.

“Claim: A survey designed to ascertain the joining details of all the candidates selected through UGC NET exam under National Fellowship Scheme for Schedule Caste students.

#PIBFactCheck: This claim is #Fake. Government of India is not conducting any such survey,” PIB tweeted.

A mail was being circulated which read, “Dear Applicants under National Fellowship Scheme for Scheduled Caste students. Congratulations for selection under the scheme of Government of India. A survey has been designed to ascertain the joining details of all the selected candidates under the exam held by UGC NET recently.”

“The link of the Google survey is placed below and you are requested to fill the form and submit the information latest by 15 December, 2020,” the mail further read.

The PIB launched this fact-checking unit in December last year, to check such misinformation and viral fake news related to government’s policies and schemes that are circulating on social media platforms.

-CHK

GRSE built first project 17A ship ‘Himgiri’ launched in Kolkata

GRSE built first Project 17A ship 'Himgiri' launched in Kolkata
GRSE built Himgiri ship launched

New Delhi (NVI): The Indian Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited built Project 17A stealth frigate ship “Himgiri” was launched today in Kolkata.

In keeping with Indian Navy traditions Madhulika Rawat, the wife of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat  launched the ship to the chanting of invocations from the Atharva Veda.

During the launch ceremony, the first of the three Project 17A ship made her contact with the waters of Hoogly River at 1335 Hrs, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

“The ship has taken its name and crest of the second Frigate of the Leander Class of ships, which incidentally was launched 50 years ago in 1970,” it added.

Under the Project 17A program, a total of seven ships, four at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three ships at GRSE are being built with enhanced stealth features, advanced indigenous weapon and sensor fit along with several other improvements.

Meanwhile, the launch of ‘Himgiri’ has showcased GRSE’s commitment towards the building of three state-of-the-art warships of P17A for Indian Navy, the ministry noted.

Over the years, GRSE has emerged as a leading shipyard having built over 100 ships, and the yard has scaled up its infrastructure and skill sets to meet new challenges in building of P17A ships. P17A ships are the first gas turbine propulsion and largest combat platforms ever built at GRSE.

Since its inception, Project 17A has upheld India’s vision for AtmaNirbhar Bharat and P17A ships have been indigenously designed by Directorate of Naval Design (Surface Ship Design Group) – DND(SSG), which are being built at indigenous yards namely MDL and GRSE.

However, the Naval shipbuilding provides a great opportunity to energise our economy post COVID-19.

The Project 17A ships are also sourcing 80 per cent of the material or equipment required for the project from indigenous vendors and with employment generation for over 2,000 Indian firms and MSMEs within the country, the ministry further said.

“Modular construction of the ship through outsourcing and integrated construction methodology are being used to enhance GRSE’s productivity for delivery of ship targeted in August 2023,” it added.

-RJV

PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina to hold virtual summit on Dec 17

India, Bangladesh restoring rail links destroyed in 1965 war

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina will hold a bilateral virtual summit on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced today.

During the Summit, the two leaders will hold comprehensive discussions on the entire spectrum of the bilateral relationship, including further strengthening cooperation in the post COVID era, the MEA said in a statement.

India and Bangladesh have continued to maintain regular exchanges at the highest level, the Ministry said.

Sheikh Hasina had paid an official visit to India in October 2019. PM Modi had also delivered a video message on the historic occasion of Mujib Borsho in March 2020. Both leaders have remained in regular touch during the COVID pandemic, the MEA said.

-ARK

HP Guv escapes unhurt in road mishap

HP Guv escapes unhurt in road mishap
HP Governor Bandaru Dattatreya's car crashed on Monday (Source: @twitter)

New Delhi (NVI): Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatreya met with a minor road accident today near the Choutuppal town in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana.

Dattatreya escaped unhurt in the accident and others were also safe. He was then taken from the incident site in another vehicle.

According to the reports, the Governor was going from Telangana to Nalakonda, during which driver lost control and his car unrolled from the highway and got down into the bushes.

The accident took place at around 11.15 am at Kaithapuram village of Chouttuppal town on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway (NH-65) when Dattatreya was travelling along with two others to attend a private function.

-RJV

 

Indian troops fought China’s PLA with utmost bravery, forced them to go back: Rajnath

Indian troops fought China's PLA with umost bravery, forced them to go back: Rajnath

New Delhi (NVI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said that at a time when the whole world was already battling the coronavirus pandemic, Indian troops stood up to China’s “unprovoked aggression” in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and forced the People’s Liberation Army to go back.

While lauding the valour of Indian armed forced deployed along LAC in Ladakh, the Defence Minister said: “As you are aware, there is big build-up of Armed Forces at the LAC in Ladakh. In these testing times our forces have shown exemplary courage and remarkable fortitude. They fought the PLA with utmost bravery and forced them to go back.”

He was referring to the recent skirmishes between the Indian and Chinese troops along LAC including the Galwan Valley face-off in June in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives.

“The coming generations of this nation will be proud of what our forces have managed to achieve this year. Whenever there is a situation at the LAC, the most obvious outcome is a comparison between India and China’s military strength,” Rajnath said while addressing the annual convention of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

He further said that there can be debate on the military might of both countries, but when it comes to soft power, “there is no scope of ambiguity”.

“India is far ahead of China when it comes to leading the world with ideas,” Singh said, adding that while commenting in cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. “We have been victims of cross-border terrorism, yet have fought the scourge alone even when there was no one to support us but later, they understood we were right about Pakistan being the fountainhead of terrorism,” he said.

“And now again our brave forces are there in the forefront fighting icy winds to guard our borders and to fulfill their responsibility,” he said while calling upon industry to stand shoulder to shoulder with the forces.

“We have opened doors to the private sector, incentivized domestic production, are creating defence corridors and doing a lot more. We are also willing to engage in meaningful joint ventures and partnerships with other countries,” he said while urging the industry to produce defence goods for India as well as the world.

Rajnath also talked about the ongoing farmers protests against the Centre new agri reforms, saying, “there is no question of taking retrograde steps against our agricultural sector ever.”

“The recent reforms have been undertaken with the best interests of India’s farmers in mind,” he added.

-ARK

Two cops booked for extortion in Srinagar

Neyaz Elahi

Srinagar (NVI): Two policemen have been booked on charges of alleged extortion in Kashmir’s capital, Srinagar.

Police sources said that a man from south Kashmir’s Pulwama has accused two cops of extortion. The complainant in his complaint has alleged that two cops are demanding money from him on one or another pretext.

The cops in question have been identified as Head Constable Ajaz Ahmed and Selection Grade Constable Bashir Ahmed.

Sources added that taking cognizance of the complaint both these cops were booked for extortion and a formal FIR under sections 34, 380, 384, 420, 506 of IPC has been registered against them at Kothi Bagh police station.

One of the cops is posted in Srinagar while another in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

A top police officer confirmed that an FIR has been lodged against the accused cops, but added that they haven’t been arrested yet. “The complainant is out of station and once he will be here, matter will be investigated,” the police officer said.

-CHK

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