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With the total number of  coronavirus  cases across the world rising consistently, the fear of death and insecurity is mounting. Worse, there is still a big question mark on a possible treatment for Covid-19. And, in the midst of this crisis, misinformation has been spreading virally. On WhatsApp, which boasts over 2 billion users worldwide, and other social messaging networks like Twitter, Facebook and TikTok, the spread of misinformation in many ways seems to mimic how Covid-19 itself moves through societies — from individual to individual, group to group. Here is afact-check on some of the common myths being circulated on social media and messaging platforms: 1. Myth: Drinking alcohol protects against coronavirus Fact:  Drinking alcohol does not protect you against Covid-19, and can in fact be dangerous. The harmful use of alcohol increases your risk of health problems, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Read Complete Article

HRD Minister  Ramesh Pokhriyal, in an interaction with 45,000 higher  education  institutions on Thursday said college final exams would be held for sure across India. “Final exam to honge hi (will definitely take place),” said Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. Important instructions for 1st year college students If the situation caused due to the  coronavirus  does not improve by July, then the first-year students can be promoted based on internal assessment. Important instructions for 2nd year college students The intermediate year or semester students can be promoted by giving 50 per cent weightage to internal assessment and 50 per cent to previous academic performance if exams are not held in July. Final year college students End-term exams will be conducted. “If the situation does not improve by July then, new dates or modes of conducting exams can be thought of but the exam will take place for final year students,”  HRD Minister  said. Read Complete Article

Samsung  has launched the 8GB RAM + 128GB internal storage variant of its global best-selling smartphone, the Galaxy A51. Priced at Rs 27,999, the new variant comes in prism crush black, prism crush white and prism crush blue colours. It will be available across retail channels -- offline retail stores, e-commerce portals and  Samsung. com. "The Galaxy A51’s cool and intelligent ‘Make for India’ innovations have seen widespread adoption. The Useful Cards feature helps reduce clutter in the SMS Inbox. Multilingual Typing helps millennials and Gen Z converse effortlessly in local languages. Finder lets users find app content quickly, while Smart Crop help users save, share, or edit the most relevant part of the screenshot," the company said in a statement. The Galaxy A51 is an updated version of the Galaxy A50s, with a new format of display, improved optics and enhanced user interface (OneUI 2.0). It has minor but noticeable design changes when compared with

Strengthening its online to offline (O2O) strategy to push sales amid the  coronavirus  pandemic,  Samsung  has expanded its partnership with Benow to sell its consumer electronics. The South Korean electronics initially partnered with the digital payments platform to sell its Galaxy smartphones -- Benow digital platform allows consumers to buy online from neighbourhood stores. Now, besides smartphones, customers would be able to buy  Samsung  products like televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. "The current O2O model that we rolled out last month has been truly successful. We are now extending O2O to new platforms with our partnership with Benow,"  Samsung  India Senior Vice President, Consumer Electronics Business Raju Pullan said. ALSO READ:  Samsung unveils mid-range Exynos 880 chip with integrated 5G modem, AI "It will allow local retailers sell Samsung consumer electronics products online and go completely contactless, without making

The computing code of Aaroyga Setu, India’s coronavirus-tracing app, will be opened up for independent developers to check and make suggestions, said the government on Tuesday after privacy activists flagged their worries about its safety and use. The app's Android version will be made open source first and other makes later, said the government. “This is a unique thing to be done. No other government product anywhere in the world has been open sourced at this scale. Today its scale and size is 115 million. It cuts across phones, IVRS. Only product available in 12 languages. All Covid-19 related apps put together, Aarogya Setu is bigger than all of them," Amitabh Kant, chief executive officer of Niti Aayog, was quoted as saying in a LiveMint report. ALSO READ:  Coronavirus LIVE: 2,091 new cases in Maharashtra; India death toll 4,197 The government has pushed the Aaroyga Setu aggressively, advising people to install it as they travel or work in offices. The a

Samsung  on Monday confirmed that it will launch its new mid-range smartphone Galaxy A31 in India on June 4. The phone will feature a quad camera set up at the rear backed by a 48MP main sensor. The smartphone will come with a 6.4-inch super AMOLED display and a 5,000mAh battery with 15W fast charging,  Samsung  revealed in a teaser. According to industry sources, the phone will be powered by MediaTek octacore processor in India and may cost around Rs 23,000.   ALSO READ:  Samsung may launch Galaxy A31 smartphone with 48MP quad rear camera in June Galaxy A31 is likely to come in just one 6-128 GB variant. The device, featuring a 20MP front camera, will sell across all of Samsung's online and offline platforms and will also be available across e-commerce platforms, sources told IANS. Read Complete Article

Xiaomi's sub-brand  Redmi  on Tuesday launched its wireless earphones the  Earbuds  S for Rs 1,799 in India. The  Redmi  Earbuds  S will go on sale on May 27 and will be available via Amazon India, Mi.com, Mi Home stores and Mi Studio outlets. It will soon be available across all retail channels, said the company. " Features like the compact design and IPX4 rating increase the versatility of  Redmi  Earbuds  S, allowing usage across different scenarios. We hope that with the Redmi Earbuds S, our consumers have a great audio experience," Anuj Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Xiaomi India said in a statement. The device features dedicated gaming mode (low-latency mode), reducing audio lag while playing games. According to the company, the Earbuds S are capable of providing 12 hours of usage with the charging case. Read Complete Article

Sony  India on Tuesday announced the all-new BRAVIA X8000H and X7500H TV series with 4K Ultra HD LED display. The 85X8000H will be available at Rs 5,99,990, 65X8000H at Rs 1,39,990 and 55X7500H is priced at Rs 79,990, the company said in a statement. Sony's new 4K HDR TVs are available in various sizes. The next generation  Smart TVs  support true-to-life viewing experience with 'TRILUMINOS' display that reproduces the subtle nuances of colour, light and gradation from video lens to living room. The new Bravia TVs features x-balanced speaker whichnaims to deliver immersive sound experience accompanied with Ultra-vivid Picture. The new lineup comes with Android 9 Pie with voice search powered by Google Assistant. Read Complete Article

Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) has reported a consolidated profit after tax of Rs 306 crore during the January to March quarter and reduced its net debt by Rs 4,379 crore in FY20 on constant currency basis. The gross revenue totalled Rs 9,674 crore in Q4 FY20 while the net revenue was Rs 8,836 crore, the company said in a statement. The earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were Rs 2,220 crore and EBITDA margin stood at 25 per cent. JSPL ramped up production and sales in the financial year ending March, reporting the ever highest steel production and sales volumes. ALSO READ:  Metal stocks shine amid strong global cues; JSPL, JSW Steel jump up to 10% "The year gone by saw the company better not only on the volume front but also on the product mix which made it more resilient and nimble for the uncertainty and difficult times which wrapped the world during the latter part of the quarter," it said. Read Complete Arti

Volkswagen  must pay compensation to owners of vehicles with rigged diesel engines in Germany, a court ruled on Monday, dealing a fresh blow to the firm almost five years after its emissions scandal erupted. The ruling by Germany’s highest court for civil disputes, which will allow owners to return vehicles for a partial refund of the purchase price, serves as a template for about 60,000 lawsuits that are still pending with lower German courts.  Volkswagen  admitted in September 2015 to cheating emissions tests on diesel engines, a scandal which has already cost it more than 30 billion euros ($33 billion) in regulatory fines and vehicle refits, mostly in the  United States  (US). US authorities banned the affected cars after the cheat software was discovered, triggering claims for compensation. But in Europe vehicles remained on the roads, leading  Volkswagen  to argue compensation claims there were without merit. European authorities instead forced the firm to update its

Why is locust attack in news? Locusts normally arrive during July-October, but have already caused chaos in Rajasthan. At a time India is battling coronavirus pandemic, locusts present a new worry with their potential for exponential growth and crop destruction. Standing crops and vegetables in Rajasthan, Punajb, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh face a major threat as swarms of locust have been reported a month in advance. There is an alert for Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi as well. Locusts in India, Pakistan Lcusts are normally seen in India between July-October and mostly as solitary insects or in small isolated groups. Their being spotted along the India-Pakistan border before mid-April this time — and coming after the damage they caused to the growing rabi crops along western Rajasthan and parts of northern Gujarat during December-January — has raised the alarm bells. Read Complete Article

Bihar Board 10th result 2020: The wait is finally over for Bihar Class 10 board students. Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) will announce the Bihar Class 10 Matric Result 2020 today at 12:30 pm. The Bihar 10th result 2020 will be announced by the  Education  Minister Krishnanandan Prasad Verma in the presence of additional chief secretary RK Mahajan. The board will will however not conduct any press conference following the social distancing guidelines The Bihar Board 10th result will also be uploaded on the official websites -  biharboard.ac.in  or  biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in . This year, more than 15 lakhs students appeared for the Bihar Board Class 10 exams, which were scheduled from February 17 to February 24 at 1,368 exam centres. Here how to check the Bihar 10th results or Bihar matric result 2020 Step 1:  Log on to the Bihar board (BSEB) official website: biharboard.ac.in or biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in Read Complete Article

. Microsoft  has launched the Surface Hub 2S in India. The all-in-one digital whiteboard, meeting platform, and teamwork collaborative computing device designed for the modern workplace is priced at Rs 11,89,999, which includes a Surface Hub 2 Camera and a Surface Hub 2 Pen. The product will be available via authorised Hub resellers,  Microsoft  said, adding that the Steelcase Roam mobile stand priced at Rs 1,17,500 is also available via these authorised outlets. The 4K+ 50-inch multi-touch display offers a canvas to co-create with the pen and touch experience, and the highest resolution compared to any device in its class. It is 40 per cent lighter, and offers 50 per cent faster graphics performance than the original Surface Hub,  Microsoft  said. Read Complete Article

WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will make it easier for users to add contacts to their list by scanning a QR code. A fan website that tracks WhatsApp beta, QR Code scanning was first introduced in the iOS beta and now has made its way to the Android beta of the app. The feature is available in the 2.20.171 version of the app, news agency IANS reported. Android beta users will be able to find their own custom QR codes in the Settings section of the app on the top right side in front of the name. ALSO READ:  WhatsApp sharpens business pitch with efficient bouquet of services Users who have enabled the feature will be able to display their own QR code to others and scan codes of other WhatsApp accounts. Read Complete Article

South Korean electronics maker  Samsung  is geared up to launch its new mid-range smartphone, the Galaxy A31, in the first week of June. The phone is expected to cost around Rs 23,000. The device will sell across online and offline platforms. The smartphone will come with a 6.4-inch super AMOLED display and will be powered by MediaTek octa-core processor in India, sources told IANS on Friday. The Galaxy A31 is likely to come in 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. The smartphone would sport a quad camera setup, with 48MP main sensor. The front camera will be 20MP. The Galaxy A31 will be the third A-series device to launch in India this year. ALSO READ:  Samsung partners Facebook to help retailers use social media for business This year,  Samsung  has launched two Galaxy A-series devices in the country. While the Galaxy A51 was launched in January, the Galaxy A71 - the premium device in the Galaxy A line-up - went on sale in February. Read Complete Article

To ensure affordable air ticket fares for passengers and at the same time maintain financial viability for airlines in the times of the  coronavirus  pandemic, the government has capped air fares for three months. This is the first time since fares were deregulated in 1994 that a government has decided to interfere with pricing of air tickets. While announcing the resumption of air transport from March 25, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said there would be fare caps and floor prices based on flight duration. How are the flight fares going to be fixed? The flight routes have been divided into seven bands based on the flight duration. The first band, which would have its specific lower and upper limits of air fare, will consist of flights that are of less than 40 minutes. Second, third, fourth and fifth bands of upper limits would be of flights with durations of 40-60 minutes, 60-90 minutes, 90-120 minutes and 120-150 minutes, respectively. Read Complete Article

Realme Narzo 10A smartphone is set to go on first sale in India on Friday. Launched earlier this month, alongside the Narzo 10, the budget smartphone will be available on  Flipkart  and  Realme  online stores. In retrospective, the Narzo 10A was put on sale through offline stores in select states. Now, it will be available both on online platforms ( Flipkart  and Realme) and offline retail stores in select states. The  Realme  Narzo 10A will be available in sole 3GB RAM + 32GB internal storage variant, priced at Rs 8,499. The phone will be available in So Blue and So White colour options. The sale starts at 12 noon on May 22. On Flipkart, the phone will be eligible to get a five per cent cashback on purchase made through Axis Bank credit card, and SuperCash worth Rs 500 on Realme online store. Moreover, the phone will be eligible for Flipkart’s free four-month YouTube Music Premium subscription offer. Read Complete Article

Indian Railways has resumed operations of around 200 trains, which will run from June 1. According to the Railway Ministry, these IRCTC  special trains  will be in addition to the existing Shramik  Special trains  being operated since May 1 as well as Special AC trains (30 trains) being run since May 12.  Important to note:  Other regular passenger train services, including all Mail/Express trains, suburban trains, passenger services will remain cancelled due to the  coronavirus  outbreak until further advice. Everything you must know 1. Ticket booking Ticket booking can only be done through  IRCTC website  or IRCTC app. From today booking/cancellation of reserved tickets shall also be available at Post Offices,Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra licensees & through authorized agents of IRCTC along with Passenger Reservation System counters of reservation centers and Common Service Centers. 2. Advance ticket booking : Passengers must note that advance reservation per

Facebook on Thursday launched a new feature in India that will allow users to lock their profile, in which non-friends will not be able to view the user’s full size profile picture and see any of their posts. The feature is designed for people in India, especially women, who want more control over their Facebook experience, the firm said. Locking a profile would enable users to apply multiple existing privacy settings and several new features to their Facebook profiles. With a locked profile, non-friends will not be able to zoom into, share or download the user’s full-size profile picture and cover photos. ALSO READ:  India continues to be second highest requestor for user data from Facebook A locked profile would also disallow non-friends from seeing photos and posts on the person’s timeline. Read Complete Article

Facebook on Thursday launched a new feature in India that will allow users to lock their profile, in which non-friends will not be able to view the user’s full size profile picture and see any of their posts. The feature is designed for people in India, especially women, who want more control over their Facebook experience, the firm said. Locking a profile would enable users to apply multiple existing privacy settings and several new features to their Facebook profiles. With a locked profile, non-friends will not be able to zoom into, share or download the user’s full-size profile picture and cover photos. ALSO READ:  India continues to be second highest requestor for user data from Facebook A locked profile would also disallow non-friends from seeing photos and posts on the person’s timeline. Read Complete Article