Category: Entertainment

Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task,

Twitter aims to limit people from sharing articles they have not read

Twitter has nowadays created the most effective impact on connecting and sharing information. Twitter search is highly efficient in searching out active trending conversations or breaking news or things related to personal interests or even the latest news in and around anywhere on the Earth. Today if counting the number of active users of Twitter, it is found to be more than five hundred million throughout the globe. This number includes youth of this generation to the previous one, and from common men to celebrities.

  • According to the survey, it has been found that Twitter faces more than five hundred million tweets by the users per day, hence making it one of the active and widely used social networking sites. Apart from the twitter search, there’s an option for twitter advanced search which is effective only for registered users. The main advantage of this feature is the users can search out specific tweets regarding specific events and can retweet or share the contents. But it has also been found that the users used to share the articles even without reading them, which is now been aiming for restrictions of doing so.

To implement this restriction, Twitter has come up with the idea of experimenting with android users. In this experiment, Twitter is hoping to make the users exchange knowledgeable discussions only, on their respective twitter accounts. Whenever any users will try to share the articles or any other informative tweets without reading them or tapping on them, a prompt will pop up on the phone screen. This prompt will ask the user whether or not they truly want to retweet a hyperlink that they have now not tapped on. This will most probably make the user realize to tap on and read the tweet completely and then decide whether to retweet that particular article or not.

Twitter also cited in a remark which states, “Sharing or exchanging a piece of writing can easily ignite conversations, so you may additionally make a priority to desire to find out about the accurate concept earlier of you tweet it.” It has also added the statement, “To cooperate in advertising knowledgeable dialogue, we are attempting our newly developed feature recommended on Android till now- even as you retweet a piece of article that you for sure haven’t opened on your twitter account, we would perchance ask in case you would love to open it first then retweet.”

Sharing the links to pieces of writing without reading them is not at all a new trouble that has been witnessed. A study made in 2016 by the laptop computer scientists of Microsoft and Columbia University located that a total of 59 percent of the hyperlinks that had already been uploaded on Twitter is by no means of functionally tapped on for reading.

Much less academically sound, on the different hand larger telling, used to be every unique article posted that very exact year having a headline- “Seventy percent of Facebook users only examine the headline of science tales earlier than commenting.”- the faux records net website online the Science Submit has carried out a massive stock of 1,27,000 for the trouble which is almost accomplished lorem ipsum stuffed with textual content.

The solution made by Twitter is simply not to make the prohibition of such retweets, however just to needle friction into the procedure to attempt to poke some account holders to rethink their moves on the social neighborhood. It is just an approach the corporate has been taking more often not so long ago, in a try to make enhanced “platform well being” except making a deal with the censorship accusations.

In May, the corporate started testing by asking the users to amend their replies at the time they had been about to deliver tweets with “offensive language” to another fellow. The agency defined, “If at all the trouble gets an ignition, you are free to state the belongings you don’t implicit.” The corporate further added, “To assist you on reconsidering your reply, we’re walking a constrained scan on iOS with a prompt that offers you the alternative to amend your reply in enhancing it’s posted if it makes use of language which can, besides, be damaging or offensive.

That switch has been proved plenty less efficient, with the Twitter netting out, choosing as a lot of hazard-free- if the conversations full of vulgarity and filthy had been shared between friends, due to the fact, it does in truth hateful speech established on others.

“We’re attempting to encourage human beings to rethink their behavior as well as accent and revise their language earlier than posting because they usually are in the warmth of the second and they can also moreover say something they regret”, Twitter’s international head of internet website online insurance plan diagram for accepting as true with and safety referred to at the time.

Twitter has made our life easy to go with the flow of trending topics. So it is necessary to follow the guidelines made by the corporation in order to tweet and retweet the content. To create a clean impact it is important to first read the content thoroughly than to share and retweet. Finding contents can be done through the Twitter search feature but to find the most appropriate content with respective range or specifications, twitter advanced search will be the best option. It is advised to be a registered user of Twitter in order to get familiar with the day to day updates in and around the nations.

Alternative for Chinese apps !!!

let’s talk about the alternatives to popular Chinese apps:

  1. Cam Scanner is something a lot of people use and it has had its issues in the past I mean last year Kaspersky found a Trojan module in the app and it had gone away but it came back and now it’s banned again but there are some alternatives you can use so there’s Google Drive which has a simple scan feature that not many people know about and there’s Adobe scan and Microsoft Office lens both of which are feature packed like Cam Scanner now Adobe scan is something I prefer because I like the fact that it can detect the document is scanning be the ID card or resaved or a whiteboard or your usual documents it also has different editing tools OCR support and scanned images don’t have any watermark on them.
  2. Chinese browsers the CM browser APIs browser and of course the infamous UC browser which in the past has been in the news for taking unnecessary permissions showing spammy ads so yeah you shouldn’t be using these browsers anyway but if the browser you should be using is Firefox I know there’s chrome too of the sleeve but I am recommending Firefox for its privacy focused approach first of all Firefox brings a clean and blood-free experience unlike UC browser and like I said it’s focused on privacy and security. It blocks a lot of trackers automatically so that’s great plus it has all the great features like visual tab truly secure private browsing etc so Firefox is a great alternative to basically any browser out
  3. Share it and Xender are another really popular apps on this whole band list but of late they have become kind of spammy and bot especially share it now I personally used to use Xender a lot to transfer files from a phone to PC but offline something really cool and really easy called Google files now snap drop isn’t an app it’s a web-based service. Just tap on the device and send any file.
  4. ES File Explorer is another infamous app that has had its issues in the past the app has been reported to you know share app recommendations at spyware Android devices and beat shady engendered now lot of Android skins almost all the Android skins come with the old fine manager apps but if you want a third-party fire manager app there are a lot of great options, if you want a simple free file manager this obviously files by Google and if you want to create paid option there’s solve Explorer now, FX file explorer because it’s privacy focused there are no ads it’s free version because the most handy features like multiple windows support for most archive formats.
  5. Tik-Tok has been banned and no it’s not the only video sharing platform from China that has been banned this also like and ye I’m not sure how do you pronounce it but there are some good alternatives to Tik-tok. Triller-the app and it does not take any unnecessary permissions and number of celebrities posting videos on the platform so that’s good plus it brings Tik-tok features as you can see you can create music videos and there are different tracks to choose from like Tik-tok and you also get the feature where you can collaborate with other users.
  6. Viva video is a video editing app that has gone really popular in India now this is an app that was banned back in 2017 as well for spying on Indian users. So it’s obviously kind of shady but there are some great video editing apps you can use on Android now that’s in short if you want the same port at UI or the tools similar to what you get in viva video or you can use Kine master. It is more feature like multi device timeline all the video editing tools different textiles effects transitions.
  7. Helo the social media app that got really popular India because of its original language support has been banned too and you can use share chat instead which also brings the same so share chat is an app based out of India and it offers content in 15 region languages which is great, there’s no English support and when, basically people posting memes quotes whatsapp for words and things like that.
  8. Screen recorder lab that also got pretty popular but it’s been banned now but you don’t really have to worry because there are a lot of great screen recording apps on the Play Store my recommendation is the screen recorder no ads painting simply first of all this is ad free and support different resolutions different frame rates and an Android 10 devices this for parental audio recording which is awesome. If you want to record a gaming sessions so this is a simple great alternative that just works when compared to do you recorder.
  9. Hide is a photos and videos hider app that was flagged recently for its privacy issues and now it’s been bad now there are a lot of alternatives to hide photos and videos. The alternative is keep safe, keep safe uses cipher 256 encryption which is the same protocol used in many banking apps and it’s an app that lets you protect or hide apply with documents videos and photos it also has great features like phase down auto lock encrypted, backups, trash recovery and breaking alerts. It kind of brings everything you need so, use this instead of all type well there are a lot of other apps with these privacy issues and if you want alternatives for every single one of them we have an extensive detail.

Explained: What is G4 flu virus with ‘pandemic potential’ found by Chinese researchers?

Scientists report that the new strain (G4) has descended from the H1N1 strain that was responsible for the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

G4 swine flu, new swine flu, new virus china, new G4 virus china, G4 virus china, G4 pandemic virus, swine flu new virus,

The scientists identified the virus through surveillance of influenza viruses in pigs that they carried out from 2011 to 2018 in ten provinces of China. (File/AP Photo)

In a new research, scientists from China – which has the largest population of pigs in the world – have identified a “recently emerged” strain of influenza virus that is infecting Chinese pigs and that has the potential of triggering a pandemic. Named G4, the swine flu strain has genes similar to those in the virus that caused the 2009 flu pandemic.

The study was published Monday in the US science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PANS).

The scientists identified the virus through surveillance of influenza viruses in pigs that they carried out from 2011 to 2018 in ten provinces of China.

During this time, more than 29,000 nasal swabs were collected from slaughtered pigs and over 1,000 swabs or lung tissues were collected from farmed pigs that had signs of respiratory disease.

Out of these samples, the researchers isolated 179 swine flu viruses, the majority of which belonged to the newly identified G4 strain.

They also found that the G4 strain has the capability of binding to human-type receptors (like, the SARS-CoV-2 virus binds to ACE2 receptors in humans), was able to copy itself in human airway epithelial cells, and it showed effective infectivity and aerosol transmission in ferrets.

But why study pigs?

The scientists report that the new strain (G4) has descended from the H1N1 strain that was responsible for the 2009 flu pandemic. “Pigs are intermediate hosts for the generation of pandemic influenza virus. Thus, systematic surveillance of influenza viruses in pigs is a key measure for pre-warning the emergence of the next pandemic influenza,” states the study. It cannot be said if this new strain, if transmitted from pigs to humans, can transmit from one human to another.

The scientists suggest that controlling the prevailing G4 Eurasian-Avian like (EA) H1N1 viruses in pigs and closely monitoring human populations, especially workers in the swine industry, should be “urgently implemented”.

The 2009 swine flu pandemic

The WHO declared the outbreak of type A H1N1 influenza virus a pandemic in 2009 when there were around 30,000 cases globally. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines swine flu as, “a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Influenza viruses that commonly circulate in swine are called “swine influenza viruses” or “swine flu viruses”. Like human influenza viruses, there are different sub-types and strains of swine influenza viruses”.

Beijing’s 1st response to ban on 59 China-linked apps talks of cooperation

The decision by New Delhi to ban Chinese apps comes days after popular Chinese social media app WeChat – also banned by India – removed updates by the Embassy of India (EoI) on the current border conflict.

China reminded New Delhi of its responsibilities towards foreign companies Reuters

China reminded New Delhi of its responsibilities towards foreign companies. (Reuters)

Beijing on Tuesday said it was “strongly concerned” about New Delhi’s decision to ban 59, mostly Chinese, mobile applications such as TikTok, UC Browser and WeChat, stressed on cooperation between the two countries and underlined that the ban would go against “India’s interests”.

The information technology ministry did not underline the Chinese links of the 59 mobile apps but government officials didn’t leave anyone in doubt. The ban was fast-tracked by Home Minister Amit Shah after the June 15 violent confrontation between soldiers of India and China at eastern Ladakh’s Galwan valley that spiralled tensions between the two neighbours

The official announcement only said the 59 applications were prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order. “This move will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users,” the Indian IT ministry statement on Monday evening said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Beijing was strongly concerned about the order.

“China is strongly concerned about the relevant notice issued by the Indian side. We are checking on and verifying the situation,” Zhao Lijian said at the regular ministry briefing on Tuesday.

“I want to stress that the Chinese government always asks the Chinese businesses to abide by international rules, local laws and regulations in their business cooperation with foreign countries,” he said.

Zhao also went on to remind New Delhi of its responsibilities towards foreign companies.

“The Indian government has the responsibility to uphold the legitimate and legal rights of the international investors including the Chinese ones,” he said.

“The practical cooperation between China and India is actually mutually beneficial and win-win,” he said

Zhao added: “Such a pattern has been artificially undermined and it is not in the interest of the Indian side”.

The decision by New Delhi to ban Chinese apps comes days after popular Chinese social media app WeChat – also banned by India – removed updates by the Embassy of India (EoI) on the current border conflict including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the clash that left 20 Indian Army soldiers dead. The reasons given for the removal of the posts include divulging state secrets and endangering national security.

The updates published on WeChat included Modi’s remarks on the India-China border situation, the phone call between the Indian and Chinese foreign ministers held earlier this month and a statement by the external affairs ministry’s (MEA) spokesperson on the border situation.

India’s decision to ban the China-linked apps and encourage people to use Indian applications is a continuing effort to reduce dependence on its neighbor’s products and hampers efforts by China’s largest corporations to expand beyond their own borders

 

Impact of COVID-19 on Film Industry across the World

The impact of COVID-19 has been massive in the film industry around the whole world. All the film industries across the globe are facing the consequences of COVID-19 hugely. The film industry has faced billions and billions of financial losses. All the multiplexes and cinema halls have been locked down, and there has been no profit in the market sector. The film festivals had to be canceled. Many of the dates of the film festivals have been delayed. All the films which were supposed to release in this timeframe have extended the time of release. The complete lockdown of the entertainment industry, due to COVID-19 has majorly affected the box office profit. The places to face severe financial losses at the box office are North America, China, India, South Korea, Italy, Japan, Middle East, U.K., and many others.

Present Scenario at the Box Office

Most parts of the world that have been severely affected have entirely shut off the entertainment industry. They have closed down the shopping malls and movie complexes. Hence, it has changed the box office tremendously. China, America, Italy have been facing significant drawbacks in their box office estimations. Though the box office had already calculated substantial financial loss as soon as COVID-19 started spreading in China, it hardly estimated the significant loss it would suffer across the world.

Italy, China, the USA, Qatar, Thailand, Australia, U.K., Malaysia, and New Zealand have closed down all the movie theatres, and there have been no film releases since then. Afterward, France and Ireland decided on reducing the seating capacity at every movie theatre to half of its original percentage. Japan has closed down over 200 movie theatres after the spread of COVID-19.

Box Office has faced significant financial loss from the beginning of the year. As they have estimated, they have suffered around 30% loss in Taiwan, 35% loss in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, 60% loss in South Korea, and about 72% loss in Italy. In March, the box office faced higher financial losses. Though China had reopened their cinema halls and movie theatres at that time, the government had to close them down again, to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The Chinese film industry has suffered a significant loss due to the outbreak of COVID-19. They had strictly closed down all the movie theatres and cinema halls. The primary reason behind their massive decline in the Chinese film industry is the Lunar New Year. Every year, at the time of Lunar New Year, the Chinese box office made a huge success. But, this year, they suffered a significant loss, which was unprecedented for them. They have closed down film studios like Xiangshan Global Studios and Hengdian World Studios. Hence no production work is going on at the moment. The film releases have been postponed, and there has been no work progress since. 

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Japan has entirely locked down all the movie theatres and cinema halls. Many film festivals have been canceled like the Osaka Asian Film Festival. They have canceled the festival and have arranged to give refunds to the tickets which were bought by the people, in advance. Other small festivals like Kitakan Film Festival, the AnimeJapan Festival, and many others were canceled. The only film to have released during this pandemic is Fukushima 50, and it has not able to cross the 1 billion mark at the box office yet though Japan has been planning out various strategies to release films for the people and arrange a way for them to get some peace amidst this crazy pandemonium.

Things have gone pretty rough for the Hollywood film industry as well. After the impact of COVID-19, multiple blockbuster projects got delayed, and all the movie theatres have been closed. Many films that were about to get released like No Time To Die, Mulan and others have been postponed to November. Disney has entirely locked down all the production works of films such as The Little Mermaid, Jurassic World: Dominion, and others. This had hugely affected the pillars of the Hollywood Industry in that many are afraid that Hollywood might not go back to the stage where it stood before COVID-19 took place.

Many film releases have been postponed, and all the movie theatres around India have been locked down. Most of the technicians working in the film industry have no income source. COVID-19 has surely broken down the pillars of the Indian Film Industry. Several Bollywood film releases got postponed like Sooryavanshi, which was expected to make hundreds of crores. Rohit Shetty has to postpone the dates of his film release. Many production houses such as Yash Raj Films, Dharma Productions closed down all the ongoing activities and also, any work which was going on in their films. Even the most delayed film of 2020, Brahmastra, got even more delayed due to the pandemic. Some film releases took place at the beginning months of the year. But, things have come to a halt since March. The major film releases as 83, Radhe, and others got postponed. Even Salman Khan had to postpone his film Radhe, which was supposed to release on Eid. Every Indian wait for Salman Khan’s Eid release, but this year, no movies got released. The Indian Film Industry has faced huge losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The major film industries around the world have faced similar consequences of the pandemic. The scenario has been identified across the globe. Every part of the world, may it be in the United States or Canada or France or South Korea or Germany or Australia or Mexico, all have faced the impacts of COVID-19 thoroughly. The productions of significant films have halted, and the technicians have lost work across the world. The box office is facing financial losses in billions. Massive projects have been postponed. Many celebrities have lost their lives, which have inevitably affected the film industry. Like Terrence McNally, Lucia Bose, Mark Blum, Patricia Bosworth, Allen Garfield, and Hilary Heath, many others have lost their lives fighting with coronavirus, which has hugely affected the film industry. The entertainment industry is one of the most popular sectors across the world. People everywhere wait eagerly for the film releases, and the film industry is the one single business sector that never goes without work. Though many films might face failures at the box office, the blockbuster successes always compensate for those. Apart from the film industry, even the television industries across the world have been going through the same loss of money and work. 

The Film Industries as One

Most of the award show and the film festivals got canceled due to the impact of COVID-19. To cope with the present scenario, twenty film industries worldwide have come together to project movies on YouTube for free. This is a worldwide film festival that has united the film industries together. The “We Are One: A Global Film Festival” has been arranged for ten days by film festivals worldwide. The online global film festival is streaming documentaries, comedy shows, music, and films. This is the best step that has been taken by the film industries across the world so that they keep entertaining the people around the globe. The complete lockdown of the entertainment industry has also left a reduced effect on the people. Hence, this is a way to help all of us from the traumatic news we’ve been hearing for months now.

All the film industries are trying to work together to bring smiles on the faces of people. Though they have faced significant losses for the last few months, they are still trying to arrange online festivals and shows for the viewers to stay engaged. 

Indian Cuisine: The culmination of many Cultures

Indian cuisine is a culmination of different cultures, each region has to offer a diversity of dishes, the variety of dishes available in the Indian cuisine are just too many in number to be matched by any other country and this is the reason behind the extravagant quality which the Indian cuisine holds.

If we go back around 6,000 years we will see the different influences which have created a plethora of dishes. Each region has its own way of cooking its regional dishes and the ingredients which are majorly available in that region become a base for the dishes. eg- In south India most of the dishes have rice as a base in it as a rice is one of the major crops which is grown in that region. Be it dosas, uttapams, appe, iddiyapam, idlis or even mendu vadas they all have rice in it as a base in some or the other form.

If you go towards Eastern India one can see the influence of the Chinese in eastern food of Indian cuisine, be it noodles, soups or even lip smacking momos and spring rolls, they definitely top our list of favourite food items and we have tried our hand on them in our own kitchens as well.

OUR INSPIRATION • Maya Kaimal Foods
(Maya Kaimal)

All four regions of India that is North, South, East and West have distinct dishes which represent the rich culture and also they represent the variety of crops which are grown in this colourful continent. Based on the settlers who had come and settled in India 6,000 years ago-they have left their mark behind on the Indian cuisine.

The roti, bhakri or chapatti we eat has originated from the afghan naan according to many experts when Afghani tribes had settled in the western provinces, and even the Moghuls contributed to the inclusion of naans which has changed overtime into rotis and bhakris. The Mughal empire which had gripped itself over India has given rise to rich gravies made out of nuts and other dry fruits in Northern India and many other provinces. The Persians who had come and settle in India left a huge mark behind not only on the Indian cuisine but also left behind a versatile Parsi Cuisine. Eg- the famous Irani chai with maska bun is an unforgettable combination. In western India specifically in Gujarat one could see the dominance of Parsi and Jain food, both cuisines being extreme opposites ad Parsis are pure non-vegetarians and other hand one could see Jains who were pure vegetarians who consumed certain selective vegetables and their dishes are truly commendable as creating extravagant recipes by excluding certain major ingredients is not easy. Indian food also has the influence of Mughal culture in the western belt of India. The Parsi community who came all the way from Iran has passed on the use of saffron and dry fruits in sweet and savoury delicacies in Mahrashtra and Gujarat.

Trading via sea ports also gave rise to the addition of many ingredients which are now an important part of Indian cuisine. Goan food is influenced greatly by the Portuguese settlers , there are many meat dishes which have been brought in by the Portuguese eg- “carne de vinha de alhos”, which is a meat dish which is made out of marinated pork that includes garlic and wine. Many of the Goan dishes which have vine as a major ingredient in them be it cakes or curries have also been influenced by Portuguese cuisine. Goa also houses some of the best sweet delicacies especially tea cakes, milk cakes and pastries which have been brought in by the French and the Portuguese.

This whole concept of hight tea or afternoon tea has come from the british, as britishers follow the tradition of having cakes and many other sweet and savoury snacks in the afternoon or evening along with a cup of tea.

We also do have influence on Indian food from Middle East, certain recipes of samosas, biryani, chick pea flour and chick pea curries have been passed on from Persian and Mughal tribes.

In today’s times we can cook many international cuisines and they are served in restaurants as well, but these are indianised versions of these international cuisines and hence one can even call them fusion or Indo western cuisines, be it Indian-American food like burgers, pizzas or fries or even Indo-chinese food which is given an Indian touch to it or even Indo-mexican food ,All of these fusion cuisines which have been in trend lately are creating a big wave in the Indian Food Industry and will soon become a part of it.

Bollywood: The mammoth industry earning millions

Bollywood the term derived from the mixture of Bombay and Hollywood, it’s a five hundred million dollar industry and one of the most popular and powerful one after Hollywood, the film industry is not only raging with popularity in India but also in other parts of the world as well and the number is still growing. This mammoth industry produces around one thousand films every year.

Most of the South East Asian countries love Bollywood films and Bollywood movies gross huge amounts of money and widen their fan base in these countries especially China, Singapore and Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia etc. In Dubai they have even built a Bollywood themed park and it attracts the localities as well as the tourists.

In the year 2017 Bollywood movies earned a huge amount in the international arena and also they achieved a larger appeal example – “Tiger Zinda Hai” earned $20,730,000 in this year plus “Baahubali  2” earned $14,360,000.

China is one of the biggest markets when it comes to the domination and popularity of Bollywood Movies,In the year 2018 around 606 crore were spent behind Bollywood movie promotions and marketing.

Some of the factors which lead to its tremendous amount of success in the International Market are-

  • Super stars-

Most of the movies starring famous Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachan, Shahrukh khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan etc. tend to prosper greatly overseas because of a huge fan base. Eg- The film Secret Superstar minted 120 million dollars in China itself.

  • International promotions-

Many Big Budget movies go their way ahead to spend a huge amount on promoting their movies in other countries which leads to Indian Films earning more and also leads to an increase in more movie watchers.

  • Versatile style-

Bollywood movies are made on unique stories with its own personal style which attract many watcher overseas, be it the storyline, the twists and turns, the plot, the surprising endings or even the numerous songs and dances. Plus Bollywood is one of those industries which houses some of the most versatile multitalented actors and actresses which gives it a great streak and also gives it an edge over other film industries.

  • Attractive songs, costumes and Music-

No other Film industry can beat Bollywood when it comes to the lively songs and dances in Bollywood movies, even the versatile costumes and style attract movie watchers which adds to it grossing a huge amount of money overseas. Some of the songs in Bollywood movies take us back to that nostalgic movement when we first heard the song, the culmination of some of the best music artists, singers, lyricists and background players has produced some of the most amazing achievements.

  • Plethora of movies-

Bollywood offers one an array of options to choose from be it   thrillers, frantic murder mysteries, emotional love stories or even moving autobiographies, this is one of the reasons why it has covered a huge amount of audience and also it has touched the hearts of thousands. And plus the movies are based on a variety of topics some create awareness and some untold stories can shake us with bitter realities it shows. This diversity amongst the Bollywood movies attracts movie watchers.

Bollywood movies are truly a feast to the eyes, It’s one of the biggest doses of entertainment in the world and will continue to reign at the top.

Explained: How will the ban of TikTok and other Chinese apps be enforced; what will be the impact?

TikTok, other Chinese apps banned in India: The notification is expected to be followed by instructions to Internet service providers to block these apps.

Some of the banned Chinese apps are very popular among Indian users, especially TikTok which has over 100 millions active users in the country, especially in heartland India.

India on Monday banned 59 apps originating from China, including very popular ones like the short video platform TikTok, UC Browser, file sharing app ShareIt, and CamScanner, which allows iOS and Android devices to be used as image and document scanners.

What is the legal basis for India’s action?

The ban has been enforced under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (“Power to issue directions for blocking for public access of any information through any computer resource”): “Where the Central Government or any of its officers specially authorised by it… is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do, in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above, it may… by order, direct any agency of the Government or intermediary to block for access by the public or cause to be blocked for access by the public any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource.

The Ministry of Information and Technology has said that it “has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps… for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India”. Since this “ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures”, it has said.

How will the ban be enforced?

The notification is expected to be followed by instructions to Internet service providers to block these apps. Users are likely to soon see a message saying access to the apps has been restricted on the request of the government.

However, while this will impact apps like TikTok and UC News that need a live feed to serve any purpose, users might still be able to continue using apps that don’t need an active Internet connection to be used. But further downloads of these apps, like CamScanner, are likely to be blocked on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

India bans Chinese bans, Chinese apps banned, Chinese apps banned full list, TikTok banned, UC Browser banned, ShareIt banned, Indian ExpressqThe full list of 59 Chinese apps banned by the government.

What will be the impact of the ban?

Some apps on the banned list are very popular in India, especially TikTok, which has over 100 million active users in the country, mainly in the heartland. New social media platforms like Helo and Likee, as well as video chat app Bigo Live are immensely popular among Indians who are not comfortable in English. These users will have to look for substitutes.

Also, most of these platforms have Indian creators, for many of whom this is the only source of income. Many of these apps have offices and employees in India, and a few thousand jobs could be at stake.

Decoding LAC Conflict

How will the ban of TikTok and other Chinese apps be enforced; what will be the impact?

With stand-off at friction points continuing, expect a longer battle of nerves on Ladakh LAC

Talks will continue but military pushback also on Delhi’s table

Will the ban be permanent?

TikTok was banned in India on the order of the Madras High Court for a few days last year, but it came back soon after the court vacated the ban. This action, however, is more sweeping, impacts more apps, and has been taken in a specific strategic and national security context. It could be a warning to bigger Chinese businesses in India, and to China itself.

OPEN BOOK EXAMS: A CONCEPT

PC: Getty Images/iStockphoto; Copyright: Dolgachov

Exams have evolved for the current generation, and the trend is changing to open-book assessment. It is said that open book exams are closer to real-world problems. In a way, it is a highly efficient replication of a real-life situation where a person applies intelligence using available resources to solve a problem. The questions in a ‘No book’ system paper is set by consulting guides and approved books, whereas, in an open book system, the paper must be culled from the depths of the book. These exams are also expected to be less stressful as there will be an element of support for students.

Let us look at it from the viewpoint of a teacher. These exams will harden the work of a teacher. Teachers will have to ensure they prepare a meticulous question paper that puts the understanding of a child to the test. There must be no answer readily available in a textbook which will be provided in the exam. This process is going to eliminate ‘rote-learning’ as examinees will have to apply their understanding of concepts in limited time with the help of a book. A lot depends on teachers who will set the papers. If questions are not made which invite some thought from students, this system will not be much of a difference-maker.

If students are informed that specific questions will be from a limited section or chapter of a book, then this system will only generate more of memorizing than an application of the concept. The idea of an open book exam is for a student to look up for something quickly in book and not just find the whole answer in the exam. It creates one particular disadvantage for some students who will assume that they will discover tailor-made solutions. They will be seen flipping through pages in search of an answer, and this will waste precious time, and more pressure will be built on the student if the paper is too lengthy. Some people think that open book exams are going to make things easier. In my opinion, if questions will be smarter to compensate for a book made available, the paper will become more stringent. Actual aptitude will be put to the test. With this type of exam, a student must also be guided and trained to develop skills to face this exam. Reading skills must be worked on so that it suits open book exam needs. They will be put in a situation where they have to smartly choose whether to look up in a book for an answer or not. If these are executed in a well planned and assessed manner, students will avoid copying answers and give exams intelligently, but if they are not, students will take exams for granted.

When we look at the bigger picture, these exams are not only focusing on exams alone but also on the creation of an atmosphere of knowledge application so that students make the most of it. Hopefully, they will not become victims of it, if it does not get executed properly. The idea is also to make students think not just in terms of writing their exams but also absorb knowledge for which there is no pressure to reproduce from their memory. Looking up for things is great, but knowledge is the most important. Many students will like it, and many will oppose it, but everything is introduced according to the needs of the time. Let us hope that it gives all the students a curriculum and concept-based study environment which is relevant to them in the long run—something which people truly apply in real-life situations.

#DigitalAirStrike

“India bans 59 Chinese apps”

New Delhi: Indian Government has blocked 59 apps with Chinese links. Amid the ongoing tension between China and India, GOI has taken this decision, a digital boycott.
Indo-China border tension (Line of Actual Control) and after Indian soldiers were martyred at the Galwan River Valley,Ladakh. Ever since the incident, there has been an uproar on social media to boycott Chinese products, apps. Google play store and App Store has to discontinue it’s functions.
Here is the list of the banned Chinese apps-

  1. TikTok
  2. Shareit
  3. Kwai
  4. UC Browser
  5. Baidu map
  6. Shein
  7. Clash of Kings
  8. DU battery saver
  9. Helo
  10. Likee
  11. YouCam makeup
  12. Mi Community
  13. CM Brower
  14. Virus Cleaner
  15. APUS Browser
  16. ROMWE
  17. Club Factory
  18. Newsdog
  19. Beauty Plus
  20. WeChat
  21. UC News
  22. QQ Mail
  23. Weibo
  24. Xender
  25. QQ Music
  26. QQ Newsfeed
  27. Bigo Live
  28. SelfieCity
  29. Mail Master
  30. Parallel Space
  31. Mi Video Call – Xiaomi
  32. WeSync
  33. ES File Explorer
  34. Viva Video – QU Video Inc
  35. Meitu
  36. Vigo Video
  37. New Video Status
  38. DU Recorder
  39. Vault- Hide
  40. Cache Cleaner DU App studio
  41. DU Cleaner
  42. DU Browser
  43. Hago Play With New Friends
  44. Cam Scanner
  45. Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile
  46. Wonder Camera
  47. Photo Wonder
  48. QQ Player
  49. We Meet
  50. Sweet Selfie
  51. Baidu Translate
  52. Vmate
  53. QQ International
  54. QQ Security Center
  55. QQ Launcher
  56. U Video
  57. V fly Status Video
  58. Mobile Legends
  59. DU Privacy

Meanwhile, Twitter trends with various hashtags #DigitalAirStrike , #ChineseAppsBlocked and various memers are making posts.

A huge backlash and criticism was going on against Chinese applications.
Upon receiving recent credible inputs that such apps pose threat to sovereignty and integrity of India, the Government of India has decided to disallow the usage both [on] mobile and non-mobile Internet-enabled devices,” the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) said in statement.
The Ministry used Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
“There have been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians. It has been noted recently that such concerns also pose a threat to sovereignty and security of our country. The Ministry of Information Technology has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India. The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.” -Govt officials said.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordinate Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these “malicious apps,” the IT ministry. Earlier this ministry many concerns were received from citizens regarding the data security and the privacy issues.

As Prime Minister makes a digital move towards“ATMA NIRBHAR” Campaign.Official boycott of Chinese applications is a step towards Vocal for Local.

YouTube: The video hosting platform that has created a raging storm!

Its one of the best user friendly video platforms in the world .Its produced many celebrities and has the solutions to many of our woes in the form of interesting videos. Be it beauty vloggers, lifestyle vloggers or food channels one can find everything on this site. It caters to all our doubts and easily accessible by all. It’s at par with Google, Instagram and Facebook and will continue to remain so in the long run.

Creators have minted huge amounts of money through their YouTube channels, many unemployed people found an amusing and interesting job in having their own youtube channel and creating user friendly content. It has changed the world. Every minute around 500 hours of video content is uploaded. It’s become a platform for many creators to show off their talents and this has also helped viewers in doubt.

Though it comes with its biter drawbacks as some of the content is not user friendly, then comes the problem of stingy comments which can frustrate the channel creator and it also does have a lot of illogical content uploaded on it. The other problem is anyone can become a YouTube creator regardless of their background or their job. The fact that it is free for any content creator attracts many, to have your own channel on YouTube one does not need require a certain set of skills or any kind of aptitude, one should have a strong will in creating attractive content which attracts subscribers and likes as well as comments to gain popularity and be a part of the trending list. There are numerous advertising channels on YouTube which make one million dollars per month.

There are several perks of being a You tube creator-

Recognition in the online community is one of the biggest perks as it allows one to become famous and gain popularity in this competitive world.

It’s a huge source of income, incase of followers-more the merrier as the more the followers more is the income, many you tubers are earning huge amounts of money specifically certain beauty vloggers and lifestyle vloggers, it has given them access to a luxurious lifestyle and has turned the table. Many have even given up their 9 to 5 jobs to become a youtuber. Some of the most famous YouTube vloggers in India are Bhuvan Bam, Ashish Chachlani, Sandeep Maheshwari or Shruthi Arjun Anand. When it comes to the International creators we find PewDiePie, Jena Marbles, Luis Alvarado (Fernanfloo), Samuel de Luque (VEGETTA777), Evan Fong (VanossGaming), Andrew Hecox and Daniel Padilla (Smosh), Mark Fischbach (Markiplier) etc. at the top.

It’s a platform where you can share your creativity, your hobbies be it cooking, makeup or even reviewing products, and it’s been a huge help especially when it comes to creating new recipes from the kitchen we can always rely on YouTube as it will give us the recipe video and the numerous options available.

Fan following and online traffic– One gains a huge momentum in both of these areas as one almost becomes a celebrity and achieves a name in the industry.79% of internet users are said to have a YouTube account.

But there are also some drawbacks

There is a lot of criticism associated with being a youtuber, especially stingy, bitter and biting comments can really shake people up in an emotional way and there are other external sources as well who will criticise you and judge you on becoming a youtuber.

Many Youtubers are completely dependent on the income coming from Youtube which can be very perilous as it’s a very unstable career and can doesn’t give one any kind of job security.

It’s a risky job, as one day you will have 80,000 followers and after a few moths you might just have 80 or you might not be trending anymore as mabey your content is not that attractive anymore or the quality of your content is not up to the mark which attracts viewers and subscribers. To keep up in the game is not an easy task. As of 2019 Youtube had around 2 billion active users.

Many Vloggers and lifestyle you tubers are giving away everything on YouTube and even if you are just a youtuber you are at risk, as one’s privacy is exposed to a great extent which can become a path to unwanted problems. Many vloggers have had cases where crazy fans have trespassed their property and invaded their privacy.

It is time consuming as one has to plan out the content, record it and edit it, one has to be considerate of the content the viewers are expecting and create content accordingly which fulfils their demands and also saw that one gains more followers and to remain in trend.

The competition is real as there are thousands of vloggers and one has to come up with unique and attractive content to remain in the limelight.

“Social Media And Us”

Social media has become an eternal part of our life and has made humans addicted to them. People follow these for the source of information, entertainment, sharing their reviews and views and spend most of their time on these. This has made everything more transparent than it used to be, thus has given the power to the common man. It not only helps to provide justice to a person, but also spread awareness about wrong being done to someone. It had brought people to stand for their rights and demand what they truly deserve. 

Social media has been able to bring vast change in the life of common people, as they can:

  1.  Make friends all over the world ,they can get instant information about the person or star they are a fan of and can follow him/ her more closely. 
  2. Moreover, people can share their moments with others and thus can make them a part of it virtually. 
  3. People have found better sources of entertainment and fun, sending memes to their closed one and thus spreading happiness.
  4.  People can spread their business and campaign about totally free as a part of social media and digital marketing. They can post out their content which can prove to be fascinating  and people might join them in their work.
  5.  Awareness about global issues can easily be spread and people around the World can be a part of this noble cause. 
  6. Moreover, people can display their hidden talent which they usually are not able to do due to lack of opportunity. It thus can be called a stage for numerous activities, bringing joy to life of people and providing them a better opportunity to showcase their true identity. 

But this social media has brought people close around the world but have made distance in our close relationship. People hardly talk to their close ones like their parents, friends and society members, and search for new friends online. People spread rumours about other, which could be harmful for the image of the person in the society. It also has affected the lives of people as nothing has been left private. Social media has thus created barriers and have enabled us to live in a virtual world. Students and children hardly play games and rather believe in chatting with other people, playing games on their  mobile phones and scrolling by these social media handles all day long. This has a harsh effect on their eyesight and also their behavior attributes. 

People should understand the importance and true function of these social media and internet. It should be utilised for the betterment of humanity . Social media is a good source of entertainment and knowledge sometimes, but one must not forget the right way to live life. Searching for new friends on social media and not even having vocal contact with your close one makes relationships to handle hard. One should spend time on these accounts but also live life and enjoy other things which brings out an all round personality of a person.

 “Thus social media is a good source for business, entertainment, knowledge but what really matters is to understand the difference between the virtuality and reality, difference between right and wrong facts , difference between truth and fiction and the difference between living and enjoying life.” 

Best Fantasy movies of all Time

Our Best fantasy movies of all time include Hollywood and Bollywood both. Creating fascinating worlds and outstanding characters features plenty of appeals. It can’t just be a substituted version of our reality. Think more sword and sorcerer, as against different dimension. Fantasy movies are full of magical elements, myth, wonder, escapism, and thus the extraordinary. Humans are depicted as different races like goblins etc.

Everyone thinks fantasy stories are a bit like the Lord of the Rings or Harry potter. Fantasy may be a component of our lifestyle. Fantasy takes us away from our monotonous lives and allows us to enjoy adventure and spectacle, and to imagine a much better world. Movies usually do the same.

Here are some powerful heroic fantasy movies, perhaps the best fantasy movies we will ever see in all of our life time.

Godzilla: King of Monsters

The story follows the valiant efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch.  Its members face off against a cell of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla. Godzilla strikes with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. This is one of the best fantasy movies one should watch.

The Head Hunter

The head hunter is one film on this list that screams fantasy. The premise is simple: an individual (Christopher Rygh) who hunts monsters and takes their heads as trophies. He went in search to kill the one that took his daughter’s life. The highest Hunter has all the quality elements required of a fantasy film. There’s an excellent quest on horseback in medieval armour. In inclusion, actual -like monsters abound. Though it can lack unique elements it visuals made it fantastic.

Thor: Ragnarok

Chris Hemsworth wouldn’t devour as Marvel’s breakout comedy star when he was the first cast as Thor, God of Thunder. But he clothed to be one of the only things about this never-ending mega-franchise. He’s tall, brawny and impossibly handsome, but there’s a self-mocking sparkle in his eye. We would love to include his movie in the list of best fantasy movies of all time.

Hemsworth’s wry toughness evokes the young Sean Connery as Bond, raising an eyebrow at the corniness around him. When he bumbles and stumbles, there’s slight of Grant to his discomfort. And when he’s playing things more or less straight, there’s mean gayness to his reactions. All this humanizes an actor who’s perpetually in peril of being treated as a life-sized action figure.

Kong: Skull Island

Bill Randa joins forces with a map-surveying mission to travel to an uncharted island in Southeast Asia. They’re amid a military escort, courtesy of Lt. Col. Preston and his intrepid helicopter brigade. Along with the soldiers, surveyors, and geologists, like Victor Nieves, who have no idea what they’re certain when the island seems to be home to all or any or any sorts of giant, flesh-eating creatures. And a humongous ape, aka Kong, is at the very best of the natural phenomenon. When the

Helicopters reach and start dropping bombs, Kong takes them out, killing much of the expedition and stranding the rest of them. Soon the crew is split; with Packard assail getting vengeance, while Conrad and Weaver encounter Marlow, an American pilot who’s been surviving among the island’s native people since WWII. Marlow explains that Kong is that the king and guardian of the island which it’s the slithering underground creatures that are the important danger.

PK

PK is that the maximum amount a philosophy as a movie. It takes the unique alien theme, tells the story equally from the lonely alien’s eyes – sometimes, evoking the gorgeous story the tiny Prince – as from his human narrator’s. Starting with the alien’s desperation, PK apprehends the fears and falsehoods that humans weave around faith. PK got baffled when PK decides to wish for his remote, He was not aware of whom he should ask for help.

PK features brave scenes – money extracted at temples, coconuts offered in confusion at a church, god-men dispensing tortuous advice – and powerful lines, including a Muslim girl, bravely asserting, “Itna chota nahin ho sakta hamara Khuda, ki use hamare school jaane pe aitraaz ho”.Capturing faith scrounged into hate, PK’s sterling message, directed sensitively, stands out.

Stardust

Although this film isn’t truly high fantasy one, there are enough fantastical elements within the story to preserve its inclusion on this list. Although the earth is full-clad tolerably, during this case it’s the characters that make it stand out. Besides the fact that it introduced mainstream audiences to the person without fear, the chemistry between Cox and Danes is one of the things that holds the film together. But, no matter how you slice it, fallen stars, evil witches, dead brothers, and a cross-dressing pirate bring a wickedly blast.

Black Panther

Black Panther would always be the best-looking Marvel movie yet. Supersaturated with vivid futurism and as bold and riotous as a rack of dashiki print shirts. I think that what makes a superb movie, regardless of genre, isn’t necessarily the action, or how the actors look, but character and this movie delivers. T’Challa was an amazing protagonist with relate-ability and likability that stayed consistent in war. I liked  T’Challa’s sister and his ex-girlfriend. Killmonger, the villain of the film, deserves credit for his sympathy for others of his race who’ve suffered discrimination from Europeans through history up to the present. He is one of the reasons we were forced to include this movie in the best fantasy movies of all-time list.

MEDIA IS MISLEADING MASSES?

PC:  Frederick Burr Opper

The function of mass media is to aware or inform masses about the happenings in the world. The television, internet and newspapers are the most predominant forms of media today. Television has a massive impact on our generation. Many sections have become vulnerable to what they see and what they are told as they stay glued to TV or laptop for hours. People try to imitate their role models and their activities; they see it as a social norm or a style statement. Media affects all aspects of youth’s life, from how they should look and what they should wear and own.

Media sensationalises things to grab the attention of masses. It can portray someone or something in such a way that the masses either favour or go against the person/ thing mentioned. Journalists are humans, and so biases can cover the news at a personal or basic level, for instance, a public figure’s reputation can sometimes be misleading as a result of bias. Modern mass media also serves the interests of political leaders and corporate to a considerable extent, thereby influencing public opinion as ‘What you see is what you believe”. Media attempts to provide unbiased information, and ethically they must not present their views on a subject but present the issue as it is. So, if politicians manipulate an event or activity and get coverage, deceptive news will reach the audience. Not everything that we take on face value is correct.

We are consumers of information and all the glossy glamour that we are subjected to mislead us. What starts as a curious exploration ends us becoming a destructive habit. Youth becomes fashion-conscious, and eating habits are adversely affected. There are misleading advertisements which give false claims; from beauty products that promise whitening skin to deodorants that attract women, all have an impact on a significant section of viewers. For the youth, it has become a trend to chase the unattainable perfect image that the media shows us.

Many are trapped in the world of daily soaps which add no value but show ways to conspire against people. We don’t even know it, but it plays with our thinking manner and capacity. When we are engrossed in such programs for long periods, we start to think the way TV characters believe. Movies too are influential, people who see fast cars drifting; bikers doing stunts, actors jumping from buildings follow it blindly and get into accidents.

Social media too misleads often as only certain information or news on it is authenticated by authorities, else is just false rumours. People become victims of such unreliability. Pop-ups, advertisements develop a habit of excessive spending too because we are misled into buying things that we think will benefit us because a social networking friend has validated it. Job ads, insurance premiums can be misleading; we are exposed to so much information that we don’t know what to trust and many a time we choose the wrong track.

Studies reveal that the media has a significant impact on children with obstinate and ignorant behaviour. It affects psychology and communication methods. They consume more of flashy information than educational and develop an insensible view of the world. An exaggerated warning of the harmful effects of an object will be taken seriously by a parent who will take it away from a child. Media has also become entirely commercial; it is seen that fear-mongering and sensational news sell more than balanced news. It has been witnessed that adolescents are acting as adults from a much younger age. They are expected to be more knowledgeable on adult’s topic. Being exposed to adult content forms a viewpoint in them at an undesirable age, and we expect unrealistic things too from them.

Media does not intend to mislead us, but many do get mislead. It is up to us to either take the things as they come or realise that not everything is good for us.

Kota Factory

TVF is a start-up studio- start-up being the qualifying word. They are a group of nerds- almost all with a career of academic excellence venturing into entertainment business. They did not come with a lot of money, so they could not make movies or traditional TV serials. But they had passion of acting, they had creativity and they had stories to tell. They have created many single videos or short series. They did not have money to distribute them to theaters or to buy slots on TV channels. So they chose creative platforms, they released their content on online platforms like YouTube and mobile app- way before these media became cool or the best way out when the global pandemic due to the Chinese Corona Virus- COVID has hit the world leading to prolonged closure of theaters.

And all their passion, all their effort, all their sacrifice of leaving their lucrative cash cow careers did not go in vain at all. TVF has produced number of gems. Their work has gained recognition and they are getting partners and sponsors to produce content as well. One such gem that they produced was “Kota Factory” which was produced by one indigenous online learning platform “Unacademy”.

The series was premiered on YouTube and TVF Play app simultaneously on 16th April 2019. This was also first black and white web-series in India. The series follows a young IIT aspirant from a small town of Madhya Pradesh (Itarsi) arriving to Kota in mid-year of 11th. Kota has become a premier destination of IIT aspirants in the real world as well in last 2-3 decades. Jitendra Kumar is a pivotal character on the show- “Jeetu Bhaiya” an Physics teacher at the institute. The show was primarily comedy but it touched all the right cords and touched many hearts. In a country obsessed with engineering, almost all students have gone through a similar life of lifelessness, struggle and endless pressure to perform. So, it should not at all surprise anyone that the show got 9.1 rating on the IMDB.

The plot is very simple and all student would connect with it. Vaibhav took admission in his town Itarsi. He started coaching there itself. He thought he was but 4-5 months later he realizes or rather his parents realize that his preparation is not sufficiently sound. Way out? Head to the Mecca of IIT entrance- Kota. Even admission to the top Kota institute was not so easy. Despite having a recommendation by the minister, the preferred institute denies admission in middle of the year. Vaibhav has to settle for his second choice. Already a sinking feeling… the series captures the emotion beautifully. Imagine a test which is 2 years way, but you are losing every second. Every student has this feeling when they settle for a different book, a different teacher. They question their each decision.

IIT entrance has become a high pressure game. Young hearts and minds suffer so much. Away from family and friends grinding 24×7 to win a mirage! And the coaching institutes contribute their share to build this pressure further. To them each student is like a product. They add on features/chapters/concepts like factories do on assembly line. Kota has truly become a heartless factory of producing IITians. A well-presented world from TVF.

Muchas Gracias!

Pic Credit:Sawarajya