KIM JONG-UN is believed to have recently undergone a cardiovascular procedure in hospital, with some reports suggesting the North Korean leader was in "grave danger". How is Kim Jong Un today?
NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un is receiving treatment after undergoing a cardiovascular procedure early this month, a South Korean media report said, amid speculation over Kim's health following his absence from a major anniversary event.
DONALD TRUMP's adviser Stephen Moore clashed with BBC host Nick Robinson as he defended the US President's plan to re-open states as soon as May 1st to counteract the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.
ITALY is falling out of love with the European Union after the bloc's flimsy response to the coronavirus crisis exposed gaping wounds in the relationship, and Germany especially is being seen increasingly as the enemy.
FEARS of a new wave of Ebola infections in eastern Congo mounted on Sunday after a patient escaped from a treatment centre, jeopardising efforts to contain the killer disease that has infected six people since last week.
NISSAN has anounced that it will temporarily shut down operations at its global headquarters and other facilities in Japan to help contain the spread of coronavirus.
THE US is "deeply concerned" with reports that Ankara is continuing its efforts to make the weapons operational, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus has said in a statement to Reuters.
RIVERSIDE County announced Monday that it would lift the lockdown restrictions on golf courses allowing them to reopen, despite new deaths from coronavirus in LA.
Discord is a full-featured voice and text chat platform that allows you to set up large or small chat servers for your gaming, social, or business groups. However, what a lot of people don’t know about Discord is that it also offers a complete video calling and screen sharing solution as well.
Discord allows you and up to nine other people on your server can do live video chat while simultaneously sharing desktops. This feature is built right into the main Discord app — there are no additional programs to install.
Screen sharing can be incredibly useful and makes Discord a real competitor to other meetings and video calling apps currently on the market. Aside from the added benefits of an alternative messaging application that does not pull unnecessary bandwidth while streaming or gaming; Discord and it’s screen share feature are free!
In this article, I will show you how to configure and use the screen share and video calling features in Discord.
Setting Up Discord Screen Share & Video Call
To get started, we need to make sure your video and audio hardware are properly set up on your Discord client. Hook up whatever webcam and microphone you plan to use to video chat. As Discord’s screen sharing feature is not available on mobile applications, you and your friends will have to do this on the web.
Video/Camera Settings
To begin:
First, access your Settings page. This is done by clicking on the cog icon just to the right of your username in the lower-left hand portion of the Discord interface.
From the left-hand menu, scroll to App Settings and select Voice & Video. Here, you can adjust your settings for voice and video chat.
Scroll to the Video Settings section and select your video camera from the drop-down.
Over to the right, you have the option to Test Video in order to make sure everything is working properly.
If you are using the Discord browser app rather than the standalone client, you may need to enable camera access from the popup in order to successfully use the device.
If so, click the Allow button to confirm access.
This will give Discord permission to access your phone or computer’s microphone and camera in order to ensure that everything works properly.
Adding Friends To Your “Call List”
In order to initiate a video call, you will need to be Friends on Discord with everyone in the calling group. Once everyone you want to put in the call is on your Friends list, it’s time to get the call started!
If you’re not there already, head to your Homepage by clicking on the Discord icon located at the top left of the screen, just above the list of servers of which you’re affiliated.
Open your Friend List by clicking on Friends.
From here, you can either click the username of the friend or, hover over their name which will display the option to begin a Video Call.
By clicking on the friend’s name, you will have opened a DM with them. Above the DM window, you can choose to begin a Video Call by clicking the appropriate icon. If you hovered over the username rather than clicked on it, you can skip this step.
If you are using the iOS or Android client, you can start a video call by tapping the triple-dot icon at the top right of your screen while in a DM or Group Message and selecting Start Video Call from the options.
Using The Video Call & Screen Share Features (Desktop)
Once your call has started, there are several features you can use to arrange things the way you’d like. Here is a breakdown of what you can do.
1. Expand Down Arrow
In the far left, you will see an icon with an “Expand Down” arrow. During a video call, clicking on the arrow will expand your video screen to the maximum height set by you in Discord.
2. Swapping From Video to Screen Share
The next two icons at the bottom of the screen will give you the option of swapping from a video call to enabling screen share. You may be familiar with the “Video Call” icon, but the one to the left (a monitor screen with an arrow at the center) is the “Screen Share” icon.
You can swap between the two at any time throughout the call. When swapping to screen share, you can choose which monitor screen to share or a specific application window. You can even swap back and forth between monitor share and application by clicking the screen share icon while already screen sharing.
3. Leave Call Button
The next option is the “Leave Call” button. This button does exactly what it says and when pressed will drop the call. Avoid accidentally clicking on this until you’re actually finished with your call.
4. Mute Toggle & User Settings
To the right of the “Leave Call” button is an icon that looks like a microphone. This is the “Mute Toggle” icon and will mute or unmute your microphone when clicked. Next to that icon is the “User Settings” icon similar to the one in your Discord Homepage window.
5. Toggle Full-Screen
Clicking on this icon will fully expand your video call screen regardless of the current view. To exit full screen, click either the view selector or collapse icon or press the ESC key.
Video Marquee
By clicking on a user’s avatar while in the normal screen for a group video call, you pull their video into focus while piling the others into a marquee to the right. To change the focus to a different user, click on another user from the marquee menu.
If you switch to another DM screen or a different server, your video call will pop out to a picture-in-picture view. You can also freely move the window around the screen to a position that works best for you. Video options will still be available within the window. Clicking the name at the top-left will revert to the call in the progress window. On the lower-right, you can click on the icons for screen share and video call at your convenience.
Share Sound While Sharing A Screen
You have the option to enable your sounds on the screen when in screen share mode. This allows those on the other end of the call to hear all the pings and chimes while you guide them around your screen or educating them on a specific application.
For the latter, you’ll need to toggle the SOUND while in the “Application Window”.
Using The Video Call & Screen Share Features (Smartphone)
The user interface for the smartphone version of the Discord app is somewhat different from the desktop version.
If you’re using Discord on your iPhone or Android, here are the different options and features you’ll have access to during a call.
Audio Output (iOS Only)
Located at the top-right of the screen alongside the Switch Camera icon, this option will allow you to swap the audio output between using your iPhone’s default speakers or a wireless headset. The icon is displayed as an iPhone with a speaker at the bottom right.
Switch Camera
You can seamlessly switch between your smartphone’s forward-facing and rear-facing cameras. The icon is displayed as a camera with a double-headed arrow.
Toggle Camera
Towards the bottom-center of your smartphone screen, the left-most icon is the Toggle Camera icon. Tap this icon to toggle your camera view on or off.
Toggle Mute
The right side icon at the bottom-center of your smartphone screen is the “Toggle Mute” button. Tap this to mute and unmute your phone’s mic during a Discord call.
Final Thoughts
Discord’s screen sharing feature is another benefit for users. You can show others what you are doing on your computer without having to download and log into another application.
The Kik messaging app is a fan favorite because of its user-friendly interface and privacy. Offering users the ability to meet new people without sharing their personal phone number with strangers.
Although Kik has been around for some time, fans may be looking to convert to another messaging application. With more and more messaging applications available every day; it may be difficult to figure out which one is best for you.
Typically, most users will find themselves gravitating towards the messaging service which holds the majority of their friends and fellow chatters, but there are advantages to using other apps.
Kik’s Features
One big problem that the explosion of apps has created is that the existing popular apps such as Kik, for example, have fallen prey to the temptation to add more and more features because they don’t want to be outcompeted by some new chat app. Kik’s popularity exploded because it can be used for anonymous chatting in addition to getting in touch with your friends.
Kik has also tried to become more than just a messaging app in recent years. Video chat, Snapchat-like filters, stickers and more have bogged the app down with useless features that most users won’t need, making the app larger and increasingly unstable. Now the app seems to be predominantly filled with spam and underage users, making it difficult to chat with other users without risking being blown up with spam or talking to a high school student from a distant state. All of this makes Kik an increasingly poor choice, both for communicating with your friends and for meeting new people online.
So, if you’re tired of the constant spam, or you want to get away from the younger audience that’s taken over Kik in recent years, let’s check out seven of the best Kik alternatives for both iOS and Android.
Google Hangouts Meet is a video meeting app that has been available for tablets since 2018. However, if you tried downloading it to your Amazon Fire Tablet, you’d hit a stumbling block.
That’s because this app is a part of Google’s package, which is unavailable on Amazon’s Appstore.
But that’s no reason to worry. Fire Tablet runs on Fire OS, which is based on Android. Therefore, all apps that work on Android should work on Fire OS, too.
Thus, if you really need the app on your Fire tablet, you can bypass this restriction. This article will explain how.
Step One: Enable Downloading Apps from Unknown Sources
By default, your Fire Tablet won’t allow you to download any apps outside of the official Amazon store. Therefore, you need to toggle this option manually.
Here’s what you need to do:
Swipe from the top down on the tablet’s home screen to display the quick access bar.
Tap the “Settings” button.
Select the “Security and Privacy” menu.
Toggle “Apps From Unknown Sources”.
This option allows the device to get the apps from sources outside of the play store.
However, this option is disabled by default for a good reason. The official Amazon Appstore is the only way to download legitimate and safe versions of the app.
If you let your phone download apps from unknown sources, you’re potentially allowing harmful and malicious software into your device.
For that reason, only download APK files from trusted and tested sources. Moreover, you should disable the option again when you finish, so your phone doesn’t download inconvenient files in the background.
Step Two: Download Play Store’s APK File
Downloading a PlayStore APK file could be tricky.
First of all, you need to find the proper version of your Fire Tablet tablet so you can get a suitable APK file.
For instance, Fire 7 tablet has Fire OS 6 – the equivalent of Android 7.1 Nougat. On the other hand, Fire OS 5 needs APKs for Android 5.1 Lollipop, and so on…
So, if you don’t know the version of your device, you need to find it.
Open the “Settings” app again.
Tap the “Device Options” further down the menu.
Tap “System Updates” to see which Fire OS runs on your device.
Now that you know the version, you need to download the necessary APKs.
Open the Silk browser and head over to a reliable APK downloader. For example, APK mirror is a popular and reliable website with up-to-date files.
Search the website for the appropriate version of the following APK files in the order listed below:
Google Account Manager
Google Services Framework
Google Play Services
Google Play Store
Step Three: Install The APKs
Now that you’ve downloaded the files on your tablet, you need to locate them and start the installation.
You can locate the files in your device’s Downloads folder. Here’s how:
Open the “Docs” app from the app menu.
Tap the “more” button at the top-left of the screen.
Select the “Download” menu.
Tap the “Local Storage” tab.
You should see the downloaded APK files listed here. To start the installation, you need to tap to the each file.
However, make sure you install them according to the same order you’ve downloaded them. If you mix up the sequence, there’s a chance that the app won’t work properly.
After you’ve finished with the installation, you should see the Google Play Store icon on the app menu.
Step Four: Download Google Hangouts Meet
The only thing left is to download the Google Meet app to your Fire Tablet.
Open the Google Play Store app.
Type “Hangouts Meet” in the search bar.
Enter the app menu.
Tap “Install.”
Wait for the app to install. If you’ve done everything according to instructions, you’ll see the Hangouts Meet icon in your app menu.
Just tap the app and you’re ready to go.
Be Careful with Play Store
Before you download an app from PlayStore (that doesn’t exist on the AppStore), make sure to check its compatibility online.
Namely, some Android apps are just not compatible with Fire OS. Some may even slow down the performance of the entire operating system. Therefore, only use it for the apps you know will run smoothly on the device.
Luckily, Hangouts Meet is one of them.
Are you happy with how Hangouts Meet runs on your Fire Tablet? Would you recommend another software? Leave a comment in the section below to let us know.
Google Meet makes connecting with your team or classroom simple and easy. As a standard part of G Suite, the app comes with a lot of excellent features. For example, if not all students or teammates can attend a meeting, you can record and save it.
That way, everyone stays in the loop at all times. But who gets to record the meeting, and how does it all work? In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about recording Google Meet calls.
Before You Start Recording
Unlike Google Hangouts, Google Meet is more commonly used in a business setting. The G Suite account in its standard offering has three editions – Basic, Business, and Enterprise. They all contain Google Meet, but not all of them support the meeting recording feature.
In fact, only Enterprise and Enterprise for Education support it. However, Google recently introduced some changes regarding Google Meet. In March 2020, they announced that all G Suite customers will have access to premium features.
This includes live streaming, up to 250 participants, as well as the option for recording. But only up to September 30, 2020. After that date, it’s going to be business as usual. However, all recordings you’ve created during this time will remain in your Google Drive.
Therefore, if your organization uses the Basic or Business G Suite account, this is an opportunity to make the most of all the amazing premium features.
Start and Stop a Recording
You can only record a Google Meet call via the web version of the app. Participants who join the meeting via the Google Meet app on Android or iOS devices can’t start or stop the recording. However, they will be notified when the recording starts and finishes.
To record a meeting in Google Meet, you have to join the video meeting, start the presentation, and then hit record. This is what you need to do:
Click on “More” (three vertical dots) and then “Record meeting”.
You’ll see a popup window that says, “Ask for consent”. Since recording anyone without their consent is illegal, you need to ask every participant, internal and external, to give their consent. Just click “Accept”, and Google Meet will send them to consent forms.
Hold a little while for the recording to begin.
When you’re ready to end the recording, go to “More” and select “Stop recording”. Note: Once everyone leaves, the recording will automatically stop.
Select “Stop recording” once more to confirm.
The recording will then generate into a file. This will take a few moments. Then Google Meet will save it into the Google Drive account of the meeting organizer.
You can find the file by following this route, and the My Drive>Meet Recordings folder. Both the meeting organizer, and the person who started the meeting will receive an email with the link to the file.
Download and Share the Recording
Recording an important meeting can be immensely beneficial for everyone in the team. Not only for the ones who missed it. Going back to review certain points can help you spot things you might have originally overlooked .
As mentioned, the saved recording is automatically sent to the meeting organizer’s Google Drive storage space. In turn, the organizer and the person who initiated the meeting get an email with the link. But did you know that you can download the recording on your computer?
It’s probably the best way to manage the recording. You can save it from the Drive and email. Here’s how it works:
Go your Meet Recordings folder in Google Drive.
Select the file you want to download and then “More” (three dots).
Then select the Download icon and save it to your device.
Or follow these steps:
In your email inbox, select the link that leads to the Google Meet recording.
When the recording opens, click on the Download icon and save the file to your device.
Important Note: If the recording starts at the exact time it was scheduled, it will automatically appear in the Calendar event. Everyone who participated in the meeting and who’s part of the same organization as the organizer will have access to the recording.
In Case You Have Issues with Recording
One of the most common issues related to the Google Meet recording feature is that the recording button is missing. If that’s the case, it usually means that your admin has yet to give you access to recording options in Google Meet.
If they have, but the button is still absent, they have to go back and make sure the settings are correct in the Google Admin console. Also, the recording button doesn’t exist outside the computer version of Google Meet.
If you’re having problems locating the file of the recording, it might be because the file hasn’t yet been generated. And how long that can take will depend on several factors, like the file size and internet connection.
Your Recordings Will Always Be Available
If you’re not using the G Suite Enterprise, the recording and download feature will be gone in September. But your files will still be in Google Drive.
Until then, you get to record and download all the Google Meet calls you to want. If you need to save them to your computer and share the recording, you can to that too. It’s an amazing feature that allows you to go back and review anything anytime you want.
Have you ever used the Google Meet recording and download features? Let us know in the comments section below.
Google Meet is a great app that allows you to work with your team remotely, from wherever you happen to be. It makes online classrooms and business meetings so much more convenient.
Sometimes you’ll participate in calls with just audio, other times you have to turn on the camera for video calls.
During each call, your window will show both the Audio and Video icons at all times. Therefore, you can turn them both on and off as often as you like. But do you know how to start a video meeting and change the video quality?
Before You Start a Google Meet Video Call
Mostly used in a professional setting, Google Meet is a part of the business G Suite account. It’s also known as Google Hangouts Meet. And depending on what kind of business account you have, the conference call can support up to 250 people.
A lot of times, Google Meet call is just audio, so you don’t have to worry about brushing your hair or putting on a tie! Other times, video calls are necessary. You can start a video call using the web browser.
For best results, Chrome is the better choice because Meets is optimized to work best with the Google browser. But you can also download the Google Hangouts Meet app for Android and iOS.
Giving Google Meets Access to Your Camera
When you’re about to start your first Google Meet call, you have to make sure that you allow Meet access to your camera and microphone. If you’re using Meets app, you have to go to your phone’s settings and give the app access.
If you’re starting the first call on the web browser, you’ll be prompted to click “Allow” to enable the use of a microphone and camera automatically. No further settings are required.
However, sometimes anxiety takes over, and you mistakenly block camera permission. Don’t worry. You can go back and fix that. Otherwise, you won’t be able to turn on the camera during your meeting. Here’s what you need to do:
Ready to Make the Call
Once you sign in to your G Suite account, you’re ready to start a Meet call. Here are the steps you need to follow if you’re accessing Google Meet from the browser:
You can type in a username or leave it blank if you’re starting your own meeting. Then select “Continue”.
Select “Join now”.
Once you’ve started the meeting, you can add and invite other people. You have two options. You can copy the joining info and forward it via email or another messaging app.
Or you can click on the People icon and select “Invite”. Then enter the email address of the person you want to join you and send.
Important Note: You can send the invitation to people who aren’t a part of your company or organization. However, for video meetings, someone inside your organization will have to give them access first.
When you’re using Meet on your computer, you can change the camera resolution if required. This is particularly useful if you’re experiencing low battery or poor video connection.
You can alternate between Standard definition (360p) and High Definition (720p). And you can always turn off the camera and just stick to audio.
If you’re starting the meeting using Google Hangouts Meet app, here’s what you need to do:
Open the Google Meet app on your mobile device.
Select the plus icon (+) to start a New meeting.
You can also enter a nickname if you want to.
Select “Join meeting”.
The process is identical for both Android and iOS devices. While you’re using your mobile device, you can switch your camera from front to back easily.
This works great if you have to go from the selfie view to showing something on a whiteboard in the office or at home. However, you can’t change the video quality on the Google Meet app.
Use the Google Meet Camera Feature to Your Advantage
Business video calls are always a bit uncomfortable, regardless of how many you’ve sat through. It can be nerve-wracking to share your screen and talk on the video in front of so many other people. When you’re first making the call, keep in mind all the details. Let Google Meet have access to your camera. And then choose between the web browser and the app. Keep in mind that you’ll have more options for camera quality if you use the browser.
Have you ever had to turn on the camera in Google Meet before? Or start a call? Let us know in the comments section below.
If you’re working from home more often, you’ve probably experienced some network issues from time to time. One of the biggest issues is when you run out of your networking area. We’ve all been there: the wireless network is working perfectly fine, and then you move a workstation into the back bedroom and find out that it has no signal, or you add a smart TV to your house and discover that the “up to 300 feet” part of your router’s range description was optimistic at best. You may just need a few extra feet of coverage area, or you may need to get signal on an outbuilding miles away from your access point. Regardless of the scenario, you need a WiFi antenna that can do a better job than the one that came in the box from the cable company.
While it’s reasonable that many of us sit just feet away from our router when it’s plugged in next to our sofa, any users who frequently move around their house and away from their wireless source may experience difficulty connecting. Luckily, long-range WiFi antennas help you keep moving around without losing out on internet access, no matter where you are in your house. Many of these are about the same cost as a normal router, while still giving you the same speeds you’ve come to expect. These are the best long-range wireless antennas you can buy today.
Google Meet is a fantastic app that businesses and organizations use for audio and video conference calls. It comes as a part of all three G Suite Editions. But not every edition has the same Google Meet features. One of which is the maximum number of participants available per meeting.
In this article, you’re going to read more about recent changes and what the app typically supports in each G Suite edition.
Recent Google Meet Enhancements
In March 2020, Google opened up the premium Google Meet features for all G Suite editions. This means that every edition now supports up to 250 participants, recording, and a live streaming feature. But there’s a catch. These benefits will only apply up to September 30, 2020.
After that, it’s going to be business as usual with the G Suite editions. But any of the Meet recordings that you might have made in the meantime will be stored in Google Drive.
This upgrade is an excellent opportunity for your organization to take advantage of all Google Meet features.
Google Meet Participants in Standard G Suite Editions
As mentioned, Google Meet, or Hangout Meet as it’s better known, is a part of the G Suite account. An increasing number of businesses and organizations have started using it, and with good reason. It’s lightweight and very efficient when it comes to video conferencing. It also supports a lot of participants. Here are the numbers for each G Suite:
Basic – 100 participants
Business – 150 participants
Enterprise – 250 participants
Compared to some competitors, even the Basic edition supports more video call participants. It’s very important to point out that these numbers include external participants as well. This means that even people who aren’t a part of your organization can join the meeting.
All three of the G Suite editions support the External participants feature. If they have a Google account, they can join the meeting with an invitation via the link. But even if an external participant doesn’t have a Google account, it doesn’t mean they can’t participate in the meeting. But it does mean that the person who organized the meeting has to give them access to join.
It also works by sending an invitation via the link. But when the person who gets the invitation clicks on it, they’ll have to ask to join, instead of automatically joining. Once they’re authorized, they’re good to go.
Important Note: If you don’t have a Google account, you can only use the web browser for Google Meet. You can’t sign in using Android or iOS apps.
Google Meet Live Streams
If your organization uses the G Suite Enterprise Edition, you can turn on the live stream feature whenever you want. But only if you’re the G Suite administrator. Up to 100,000, people can watch a Google Meet video meeting.
The G Suite users all get a stream URL which they can then send to other participants. In turn, those participants are only able to view the stream but can’t control it in any way.
Google Meet participants who are full users of the G Suite within the organization can control some parts of the meeting. For instance, they can start and stop the stream and record the event if they want to.
If you’re the G Suite Enterprise Administrator, this is what you need to do to start the live stream:
Sign in and go to the Admin console Home page. Then follow this route Apps>G Suite>Hangouts and Google Hangouts.
Then select “Meet settings”.
Select “Stream” and then check the “Let people stream their meetings”.
Then select “Save”.
These changes aren’t always instantaneous. It usually takes a few minutes, but can sometimes take up to 24 hours. All of which is important to keep in mind when you’re scheduling a live stream.
How Many Participants Is Too Many?
At the time of writing, Google Meet supports up to 250 participants for every edition. And the live stream is also part of the deal. After September 30, things go back to the way they were.
But who knows, perhaps Google will see the benefit of the current model and allow the premium feature for all editions. In the meantime, even the 100 participants in the Basic edition is a lot. And external participants are welcome, whether they have a Gmail account or not.
Have you ever participated in a large Google Meet conference call? Let us know in the comments section below.
The Amazon Fire Tablet runs on Fire OS, which is built right on top of Android. Even though Fire OS devices don’t support Google Play Store and its app natively, you can change that. Android devices come with the Google ecosystem pre-installed, while you have to go through some trouble to get it on a Fire Tablet.
If you feel up to the task, join us as we explain how to use Google Hangouts on the Fire Tablet.
Download the Google Play Store on the Fire Tablet
Before you can start using Google Hangouts on your Fire Tablet, you need to set up the Google Play Store. Since this store is not native to Fire devices, you need to enable the applications from unknown sources.
You can do that in the device Settings, under the Security tab. Once you do that, you need to download some APK files to get the Google Play Store running. Here are the links to the files you’ll need. Get the following APK files through the Silk browser:
When the download finishes, you will see the warning about the possibly harmful nature of the file. Confirm this message with OK. The files listed above aren’t harmful to your device, but Fire OS has to warn you about every 3rd-party download.
Install the Google Play Store on the Fire Tablet
With all the APK files downloaded, follow the steps for their installation:
Launch the Docs app on your Fire Tablet.
Select the Local Storage tab.
Open to the Downloads folder. You need to install all of the APK files from here, in the following order.
Tap the Google Account Manager to install it.
Next, install the Google Services Framework.
Then, Install Google Play Services.
Finally, install the Google Play Store.
In case you can’t install any of the files, try locking and unlocking your Fire Tablet’s screen. It should fix the bug with the APK files setup. Another thing worth mentioning is that you need to install these files on the Fire Tablet’s local storage, not its SD card. It might be a good idea to remove the SD card before installing these APKs to be sure.
Use Google Hangouts on the Fire Tablet
Finally, you can get Google Hangouts on your Fire Tablet. You’ll do that just like on an Android tablet. Before you proceed, however, wait for about five minutes until the Google Play Store app finishes updating. When the updates finish, tap on the Play Store app and log into your Gmail account.
Then, you can enter the Google Play Store and search for Google Hangouts manually. Download Hangouts from the official app page, and it will install automatically. You can download other Google apps in the same way.
When Hangouts is ready to use, launch it, and sign in with your Google account. You can use the app on your Fire Tablet like you would on an Android device. The same goes for other Google apps. You can get Gmail, Google Maps, Google Chrome, and many others and use them usually on your Fire Tablet.
Enjoy Using Hangouts
Since it is a cross-platform app, you’ll be able to connect with other users who use Android, iOS, and computers via Hangouts. You won’t see any difference in the app UI or performance.
This method wouldn’t be possible if the Fire operating system weren’t based on Android. Do you think that Amazon should allow its users to get Google apps without these workarounds? Did you get any other apps besides Hangouts? Let us know in the comments section below.
Are you looking to stream college football online? If so, there are many affordable services now available.
Although premium and subscription-based, many of them offer free trials. Read on for a list of best places to stream college football online.
Can You Do It for Free?
The straight answer is no – but there are some exceptions. You shouldn’t watch so-called “free” online streaming websites that show college football. These sites are illegal, and usually malware-infested.
There is one legitimate free option, though. We’re talking about over the air channels that screen college football, i.e., traditional TV If you have a good enough digital antenna, you can tune into these channels and watch for free. Keep in mind that you’ll have to scan for channels manually if you want to use this method. The channels that show college football are ABC, FOX, CBS, and NBC.
But this method doesn’t involve online streaming. If you only want to stream college football online, you can do it for free if you use trial periods offered by most of the popular streaming platforms.
The Best Streaming Services for College Football
Before we get into specific streaming services, note that all of them offer an incredibly seamless viewing experience. They allow you to watch college football online via your computer, smart TV, tablet, smartphone, or streaming devices such as Roku or Chromecast. With a reliable internet connection, you’re good to go.
Stream College Football on Sling TV
Sling TV is one of the best places to watch any sport, including college football. It provides a la carte sports streaming, where you get to choose which channels you want, from a wide choice of packages and add-ons.
There are two main subscription plans, Orange and Blue, which have different channels included, but you can bundle them together if you like. The Orange option gives you the ESPN and ACC networks, while the Blue package includes Fox, FS 1, F.S. 2, NBC, including regular and sports network stations.
The sports add-ons are what you want for more college football, but it’s best to refer to the official Sling websites for current deals. There, you can also sign up for a week-long trial, more than enough to determine if you like the service or not. You can cancel anytime. Note that Sling TV is the best budget option for sports streaming.
You can use up to three devices to stream at the same time (with one account), and record up to 10 hours of footage on the free DVR storage.
Hulu Live
Hulu Live is this popular streaming service’s live TV option of. Its content isn’t divided like Sling. For a single subscription, you get all the available content for your region. As you would expect, the price is slightly higher, but you get many big networks with college football coverage.
Besides the major networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC), you also get various ESPN channels, including ESPN College Extra, the Big Ten Network, SEC Network, NBCSN, FS1, and FS2. That’s a ton of college football content in one place, making Hulu Live the best overall choice for those interested.
Except for sports, you also get the Hulu entertainment channels and its VOD library, with lots of top quality on-demand content. Check out their website for details and start your free trial. You can watch Hulu Live on two devices at once, with free DVR features for recording your favorite games. In particular, the free DVR Cloud storage provides a whopping 50 hours of recordings.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is the next best place for college football streaming. Similar to Hulu Live, it offers a single subscription plan jam-packed with sports content. The channels with football coverage include the major networks, FS1 and FS2, the SEC Network, the BTN, various ESPN channels, and more.
It’s best to view the selection of channels for your region on the official YouTube TV website. Again, you can sign up for a seven-day trial and start watching college football for free. YouTube TV offers unlimited Cloud storage free of charge, which is impressive.
You can stream from three devices simultaneously without additional costs. This service is excellent for families who have different TV appetites. Besides the sports content, YouTube TV offers plenty of news and entertainment, so there’s something for everyone.
FuboTV
This streaming platform specializes in sports, including college football. FuboTV has a selection of plans, but the basic package nets you enough football content.
You get the four major networks, FS1 and FS2, local FOX and NBC sports channels, the Big Ten Networks, the PAC-12 network, and more. Plus, Fubo has a neat sports add-on if you want more college football. However, an important piece that is missing on FuboTV is ESPN, which sadly isn’t going to be added any time soon.
Refer to the official website for details, and start your seven-day trial. The base subscription gives you 30 hours of DVR storage, which Is always handy. You can stream FuboTV on two devices at the same time. Fubo offers many entertainment channels. It’s not just about sports.
Better Than Cable
Online streaming is always better than cable, even when it comes to college football streaming. You won’t go wrong with any of the services featured here, but there’s one more option worthy of an honorable mention.
If college football is your only interest, consider subscribing to College Sports Live, which isn’t as flexible as other streaming services, but has exactly what you need.
What did you decide? Which of these is your favorite place to watch college football? Did we miss a streaming service you think is a good alternative? Let us know in the comments section below.
New streaming services like Vidgo pop up so often now, viewers are almost inundated with choice.
While mainly focusing on sports coverage, that’s not all Vidgo has to offer. This article will review everything Vidgo has going for it and highlight what the service may lack.
How Does Vidgo Work?
Vidgo is an over-the-top TV streaming service. You can use it on almost any device, which makes it amazingly portable.
And you don’t have to worry about committing to a contract, like you do with a cable TV subscription. Also, compared to many other streaming services, Vidgo is quite affordable. All of these factors make Vidgo a serious competitor in the streaming industry.
The one thing you really need to enjoy Vidgo to the full is a reliable and strong internet connection. Once you create a Vidgo account, all you need to do is sign-in on your device to watch your favorite content.
Free Trial Is Available
You get a full week of testing Vidgo to make sure if it’s the right fit for you. After the seven-day trial, you can opt-out without any issues. However, if you forget to cancel, you’ll be charged a full month membership.
But since there’s no contract involved; you can still cancel anytime. Regardless, you’ll still have the month that you’ve paid for.
Vidgo Plan Options
Most streaming services have several options for their users, but they highlight the one people frequently choose. In the case of Vidgo, that’s the Core Package. The standing price is $39.99 per month and comes with 60+ channels.
Users can also go for the Plus Package, which is a little bit more expensive. It’s $49.99 per month for 80+ channels.
In addition to these two plans (that feature predominantly US-based TV networks), Vidgo offers two plans for the Spanish-speaking residents of the US. They can select Vidgo Latino Package that comes with 15 channels for $14.99 per month. Or Vidgo Latino Mas Package that includes 37 channels and costs $24.99 per month.
Device Compatibility
When you’re trying to pick the right TV streaming app for your needs, you might wonder whether it’s going to be compatible with the devices you use. Like all major streaming services, Vidgo is available in any browser, and you can safely watch it from your desktop computer or laptop.
But it also has a user-friendly app that you can use on both iOS and Android mobile devices. You can download the app for Android here and for iOS here. If you own an Amazon Fire TV, you’re in luck Vidgo is compatible with your device.
But if you’re an Apple TV user, unfortunately, Vidgo isn’t compatible. Roku and Xbox users are also able to download the Vidgo app and stream content. Google Chromecast and Samsung smart TV users are not. So, in terms of device compatibility, Vidgo isn’t bad, but it could be better.
Vidgo Best Features
If you subscribe to Vidgo, you’ll get access to a feature they call “Hangs”. It’s a social platform only available on the Vidgo Android and iOS apps. Essentially, it lets you chat with your friends or family members while you’re watching a movie or a sports match.
“Hangs” also support Gifs, polls, and other fun content. Plus, it supports options to have a “Watch party”, which is an entertaining way to watch something you love with your friends in different locations.
Another important Vidgo feature is that it supports simultaneous streams. It’s not in the category of some larger streaming services, but it still does well. You can use one Vidgo account to stream up to three separate devices simultaneously.
What Is Vidgo Missing?
Unfortunately, Vidgo doesn’t support a Cloud-based DVR system. And that’s something many users have come to expect from a TV streaming app that supports live broadcasts. Once something is aired, you have 72 hours to go back and watch it.
After that, it’s gone. But it’s reasonable to expect that this will change at some point in the future. It also doesn’t have any on-demand content, and that might be a major downside to potential users on the fence about Vidgo.
Is Vidgo Right for You?
That’s something only you can answer, of course. But if you’re a big sports fan and love watching live matches, you might love Vidgo. The lack of the Cloud-based DVR could seem like a hard pill to swallow.
But on the other hand, if you don’t watch something within 72 hours after it’s aired, you’re going to hear spoilers. Overall, Vidgo is an excellent choice for those who want to pay a flat fee, not sign a contract, and have access to TV anywhere they are.
Have you tried Vidgo yet? How do you feel about it? Let us know in the comments section below.
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The Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility (PPPLF) is designed to help small businesses maintain payrolls as the economy shrinks due to the coronavirus crisis.
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KCET Syllabus 2020 is given below for free download. Check the KCET Syllabus available on our website for download. Find the details like Educational Qualification, Selection process, etc. at the official website @ www.kea.kar.nic.in. Here is good news related to the KCET Exam Syllabus and exam pattern for all the aspirants. We have gathered some latest updates of the KCET Exam recruitment and Exam Pattern for the candidates who have applied for the posts and are searching for the KCET Previous Papers. The Selection of candidates will be made based on their performance in the Written exam conducted by the Tripura Police Officials. People can also get the KCET’s Previous Papers direct link on this page. You can also find the KCET Admit card on our website.
Karnataka Common Entrance Test Syllabus 2020
Candidates who are going to attend this KCET exam are advised to check and download the Official recruitment notification at the official website to verify the details like educational qualification, Age limit, and Selection Process, etc. The official Karnataka Common Entrance Test direct link will be updated on this page for the guidance of candidates. Click on the link we have provided and download the Official recruitment Notification.
The exam Pattern may help the candidate at the time of preparation. So all the candidates who are ready to join for BTech courses. They can also check the KCET Notification for more details. The application details have been given. The examination will include subjects like Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Each paper will be held for 60 marks with a time duration of 80 minutes. All the questions are going to be of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). For each correct answer, one mark will be allocated. Negative marking is not allowed for this Karnataka CET exam. The KCET Syllabus and Exam Pattern have been provided on this page. Meanwhile, the applied candidates need to follow the Test Pattern and Syllabus we update on this page.
Download KCET Syllabus 2020
The KCET Syllabus is the major part of the test preparation. Candidates can guess the Topics covered in the written exam with the help of Syllabus. You can also download the KCET Syllabus PDF from the link below.
Definition of proposition and problems, Logical connectives, compound proposition, problems, Quantifiers, negation, consequences of implication-contrapositive and converse, problems, proving a statement by the method of contradiction by giving the counterexample
Statistics
Probability
Relations and Functions
Inverse Trigonometric Functions
KCET Physics Syllabus 2020
Gravitation
Properties of Bulk Matter
Work, Energy & Power
The motion of the System of particles & Rigid Body
Practical Oriented questions
Thermodynamics
The behavior of Perfect Gas & Kinetic Theory of gases
Oscillations & Waves
Physical World & Measurement
Kinematics
Laws of Motion
KCET Chemistry Syllabus 2020
Redox Reactions
Hydrogen
S-Block Elements
Some p-Block Elements
Organic Chemistry: Some Basic Principles and Techniques
Hydrocarbons
Environmental Chemistry
Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
Structure of Atom
Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties
AP TET Previous Papers is here for candidates to download for free. Candidates who are interested in the AP TET previous papers can find it in the pdf format here. Download the sample papers here for free. You can also get preparation tips and syllabus here along with the APTET Model Papers. You can get all the details about the AP TET Sample Papers before you start to prepare for the exam.
AP TET Previous Papers with Answers Pdf
Download the AP TET Teachers Old Question papers pdf from our site. We have provided the AP TET sample question papers in the Pdf format. The applicants can download the AP TET Exam previous papers quickly here. All you have to do is click on the links given below to get the AP TET Sample Papers pdf. You can also check the exam pattern and AP TET syllabus given below. We have provided the previous papers below subject wise. Check these previous papers to prepare well for the AP TET Exam.
Andhra Pradesh TET Model Papers Pdf
Interested candidates who have applied for AP TET exam can find all the model question papers provided here. Check them and download them for free for APTET exam 2020. This will help you to prepare well for the exam and score good marks. We have provided a list of previous year question papers for you to start practising. It will also help you to understand the structure of the exam, all the important topics, types of questions asked and other details that are important from the AP TET exam point of view. For more details, read the sections in this article. You can also visit the official portal of AP TET for more details.
AP Teacher Eligibility Test Practice Papers – Details
Description
Details
Organization Name
Commissioner of School Education Andhra Pradesh Teacher Recruitment Board
Posts Name
Andhra Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test
Category
Previous Papers
Job Location
Andhra Pradesh
Official website
www.aptet.apcfss.in
Selection Process:
Written Exam
Interview
Andhra Pradesh TET Exam Pattern 2020
The entire details of the AP TET exam 2020 is given under this topic. It includes all the details that the candidates need to know.
AP TET Exam Pattern
The AP TET exam pattern is given in detail below. There will be 2 papers conducted here. Each paper will be for 150 questions and 150 marks. The first paper will have 5 subjects and the second paper will have 4 subjects. Each subject will be for 30 marks each consisting of 30 questions. Check the details below for more detailed information. The direct links for APTET sample papers are given for you to download for free and prepare well. Practice well for these exams to score well in the exam.
AP TET Exam Pattern 2020
Paper I:
Subject Name
Questions
Marks
Child Development & Pedagogy
30
30
Language I
30
30
Language II (English)
30
30
Mathematics
30
30
Environmental Studies
30
30
Total
150 Questions
150 Marks
Paper-II:
Subject Name
Questions
Marks
Child Development & Pedagogy
30
30
Language I
30
30
Language II (English)
30
30
Mathematics Science Teachers Social Studies Teacher Any Other Teacher
60
60
Total
150 Questions
150 Marks
Download AP TET Previous Year Question Papers Pdf
Here we have provided the AP TET Previous Papers for candidates who want to prepare for the exam. By preparing well you can secure very good marks in the exam. You can find the direct link here to download the AP TET model papers. These papers are as per the exam pattern making it easier for candidates to prepare. Download the part wise old question papers of AP TET exam below.
Candidates, please remember that the papers that are given above for APTET are Previous Papers/ sample papers only. They are only for reference use. All interested candidates can download the subject wise exam papers for free. Prepare well for the exams by practising these papers and referring to the AP TET Syllabus also. This will help you score better marks in the exam.
We believe that lots of applicants are applied for the Andhra Pradesh Teacher Personality Test (AP TET). The AP TET Test is an examination conducted by the Commissioner of School Education Andhra Pradesh Teacher Recruitment Board. And, several numbers of candidates are now searching for AP TET Syllabus Pdf. This exam is conducted to hire eligible candidates for the job role PGT/ TGT under Andhra Pradesh Government. Therefore, AP TET 2020 Syllabus and Exam Pattern is very important to start your preparation. So, we have gathered the in-depth syllabus of the AP TET along with the test pattern. In Andhra Pradesh TET Test Syllabus, you can find the topics from every section that comes for the examination. Check the syllabus and read all the topics to attend the exam in a good manner and score well. Consider both the AP TET Syllabus 2020 and Exam Pattern before preparing for the written exam.
AP TET Syllabus 2020 Details – www.aptet.apcfss.in
Name of the Board
Commissioner of School Education Andhra Pradesh Teacher Recruitment Board
The applicants have to undergo the following rounds,
Written Exam
Interview
Andhra Pradesh TET Exam Pattern – Paper I
Sl. No.
Name of the Subjects
No of Questions
Total Marks
Total Duration
1.
Child Development and Pedagogy
30
30
2 Hours and 30 Minutes
2.
Language – I
30
30
3.
Language – II
30
30
4.
Mathematics
30
30
5.
Environmental Studies
30
30
Total
150
150
Andhra Pradesh Teacher Exam Pattern – Paper II
Sl. No.
Name of the Subjects
No. of Questions
Total Marks
Total Duration
1.
Child Development & Pedagogy (compulsory)
30
30
2 Hours and 30 Minutes
2.
Language I (compulsory)
30
30
3.
Language II (compulsory)
20 + 10 = 30
20 + 10 = 30
4 (a)
For Mathematics and Science teacher: Mathematics and Science
60
60
4 (b)
For Social Studies/Social Science teacher: Social Science
4 (c)
Any other teacher: either (a) or (b)
Total
150
150
AP TET Exam Incentive Marks
Physical Education TET Candidates will be awarded Incentive Marks as per provisions and it is provided in the official notification. The details for the same are given below.
30 Marks:
International Level Participation Representing India
National Level Medal Winners
All India Inter-University Medal Winners
All India Federation Cup Medal Winners
National School Games Medal Winners
25 Marks:
National Participation representing Andhra Pradesh State
All India Inter-University Participation
South Zone Inter University Participation and Medal Winners
South Zonal Interstate Participation and Medal Winners
National School Games Participation
20 Marks:
State Level Medal Winners (Inter-District)
State-Level School Games Medal Winners, i.e., Gold, Silver and Bronze
The AP TET Test Pattern is important for the candidates to understand the scheme of the question paper. Therefore, for the sake of those applicants, we have updated the exam pattern for both the papers of the AP TET Exam. The AP TET Exam Syllabus and Exam Pattern will help you to understand the weightage of each subject, the number of questions asked from each section, and other details. Hence, refer to the above-mentioned exam pattern and below mentioned Andhra Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test 2020 Syllabus for better preparation.
Applicants who want to grab the opportunity of cracking the exam of Andhra Pradesh TET Test must download the complete AP TET Syllabus 2020. Before appearing for the exam, you must know the complete syllabus. Therefore, before you start preparing for the exam, refer the AP Teacher Eligibility Test Syllabus once, and get an idea of the topics. It will also help you to analyze the difficulty of the papers.
AP TET Syllabus 2020 for Child Development & Pedagogy
Development, Growth & Maturation- Concept and Nature.
Adjustment, behavioural problems, mental health, a defence mechanism.
Methods and Approaches of Child Development- Introspection, observation, interview, case study, experimental, cross-sectional and longitudinal.
Developmental tasks and hazards.
Principles of Development and their Education Implication.
Dimensions of Development and their Inter-relationships- physical & motor, cognitive, emotional, social, moral, language related to infancy, early childhood, late childhood, adolescence.
Understanding Development- Piaget, Kohlberg, Chomsky, Carl Rogers, Erikson.
Individual Differences: Infra & Inter Individual differences in the areas of attitudes, aptitude, interest, habits, intelligence and their assessment.
Development of Personality- concept, factors affecting the development of personality.
Teaching and its relationship with learning and learner. Learners in Contexts: Situating learner in the socio-political and cultural context. Children from diverse contexts- Children With Special Needs(CWSN), inclusive education.
Understanding of Pedagogic Methods- Enquiry based learning, Project-based learning, survey, observation and activity-based learning, cooperative and collaborative learning
Individual and Group Learning: Issues and concerns for organizing learning in the classroom like study habits, self-learning and learn to learn skills.
Organizing learning in heterogeneous classroom groups: Socio-economic background, abilities and interest.
Classroom management- Role of a student, teacher, leadership style of the teacher, creation of non-threatening learning environment, managing behaviour problems, guidance and counselling, punishment and its legal implications, rights of a child, time management.
The distinction between assessment for learning & assessment of learning, school-based assessment, continuous and comprehensive evaluation: perspective and practice
Understanding teaching and learning in the context of NCF, 2005 & Right to education act, 2009.
Paradigms of organizing learning- teacher-centric, a subject-centred and learner-centric theory of instruction- Bruner.
Teaching as a planned activity- Elements of planning.
Phases of teaching- Pre-active, interactive and most active.
General and subject-related skills, competencies required in teaching and attributes of a good facilitator.
AP TET Language I (Hindi) Syllabus
रचनाकार/ रचनाएँ विषयवस्तु, चरित्र-चित्रण, भाषा शैलीआदि.
साहित्यिक विधाएँ और उनकी विशेषताएँ.
भाषा तत्त्व और व्याकरण (i) शब्द विचार : उपसर्ग- प्रत्यय (ii) शब्द भेद (iii) लिंग, वचन, कारक, काल (iv) शब्द रूपान्तर (v) शब्द- अर्थ, भिन्न- भिन्न अर्थ, पर्यावाची शब्द और विलोम शब्द (vi) शब्द परिचय- तत्सम, तदभव, देशज और विदेशी (vii) वाक्य संरचना, भेद (viii) वाच्य- समास (ix) मुहावरे- लोक्पतियाँ, कहावतें.
भाषा- अर्थ और स्वरुप. माध्यमिक स्तर पर हिन्दी शिक्षण के उद्देश्य भाषा की समस्या- त्रिभाषा- सूत्र.
आदर्श हिन्दी- अध्यापक के गुण अच्छे शिक्षण की विशेषताएँ भाषा: शिक्षण की सामान्य सिद्धान्त, सूत्र, प्रणालियाँ और विधियाँ
शिक्षण में भाषा- कौशलों का महत्व भाषा कौशलों का विकास सुनना : ध्वनि की उत्पत्ति, ध्वनि- श्रवन और पारस्परिक संबंध बोलना : सब्दोच्चारण, वकयंत्र, शुध्दोचारण का अभ्यास, मौखिक अभिव्यक्ति, पाठशाला में वार्तालाप का अभ्यास पढना : विशेषताएँ, वाचन के प्रकार, वाचन संबंधी दोष और उपचार लिखना : महत्व, नियम, विधियाँ, प्रकार, अक्षरक्रियास भाषा- कौशलों का समन्वय
शिक्षण उद्देष्यों का वर्गीकरण न्यूनतम अधिगम- स्तर पाठ – योजना (गद्य, पद्य, व्याकरण, रचना, पत्र-लेखन) इकाई – योजना शिक्षण – उपकरण
पाठ्यक्रम पाठ्यपुस्तक पुस्तकालय भाषा सहगामी क्रियाएँ
मुल्याकान की धारणा उत्तम परीक्षा की विशेषताएँ उपलब्ध परीक्षा निरंतर समग्र मुल्यांकन उद्देश्य आधारित मुल्यांकन उपचारात्मक और निदंतामक शिक्षण
AP TET Language II (English) Syllabus
Parts of Speech
Tenses
Active Voice and Passive Voice
Preposition and Articles
Degrees of Comparison
Clauses
Verbs – Main Verbs – Auxiliary Verbs – Phrasal Verbs
Types of Sentences – Simple, Compound and Complex – Synthesis of Sentences
Phrases – Use of phrases
Composition – Letter Writing, Precis Writing
Aspects of English: (a) English language – history, nature, importance, principles of English as a second language (b) Problems of teaching/ learning English
Objectives of teaching English
Development of Language Skills: (a)Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing (LSRW) (b) Communication Skills- Imparting values through communication
Approaches, methods, techniques of teaching English: (a) Introduction, definition and types of approaches, methods and techniques of teaching English (b) Remedial teaching
Teaching-learning materials in English
Lesson Planning
Curriculum & Textbooks – Importance and its need
Evaluation in English language
AP TET Mathematics Syllabus
Number System
Fractions
Arithmetic
Geometry
Measurements
Data Applications
Algebra
Meaning and nature of mathematics
Correlation with other school subjects and daily life
Aims, values and instructional objectives of teaching mathematics
Child-centred and activity-based approaches in teaching mathematics
Methods of teaching and remedial measures in mathematics
Instructional material, TLM and resource utilisation in the mathematics
Curriculum, textbook and instructional planning
Evaluation, tools of evaluation, continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE)
AP TET Environmental Studies Syllabus
My Family
Work and Play
Plants and Animals
History and Culture of India
Our Country (India)
Our State
Indian Constitution
Safety and Security
Our Food
Shelter
Air
Energy
Our Body
Our Body: Health and Cleanliness
Mapping
Aims and objectives of teaching Environmental Studies
Relation to Science and Social Studies
Curriculum and its transactional process- teaching methodology
Teaching Learning Material (TLM)
Evaluation procedure: CCE
AP TET Science Syllabus
Natural Resources- Air & Water
Our Universe
Biology
Living World
Plant World
Animal World
Microbes
Our Environment
Natural Phenomenon
Mechanics: kinematics, dynamics
Magnetism and Electricity
Matter Around Us
Laws of Chemical Combination and Chemical Calculations
Tripura Police Riflemen Syllabus 2020 is given below for free download. Check the Tripura Police Riflemen Syllabus available on our website for download. Find the details like Educational Qualification, Selection process, etc. at the official website @ www.tripurapolice.gov.in. Here is good news here related to the Tripura Police Riflemen Exam Syllabus and exam pattern for all the aspirants. We have gathered some latest updates of the Tripura Police Riflemen Exam recruitment and Exam Pattern for the candidates who have applied for the posts and are searching for the Tripura Police Riflemen Previous Papers. The Selection of candidates will be made based on their performance in the Written exam conducted by the Tripura Police Officials. People can also get the Tripura Police Riflemen’s Previous Papers direct link on this page. You can also find the Tripura Police Riflemen Admit card on our website.
Tripura Police Riflemen Syllabus 2020
Candidates who are going to attend this Tripura Police Riflemen exam are advised to check and download the Official recruitment notification at the official website to verify the details like educational qualification, Age limit, and Selection Process, etc. The official Tripura Police Riflemen direct link will be updated on this page for the guidance of candidates. Click on the link we have provided and download the Official recruitment Notification.
The exam Pattern may help the candidate at the time of preparation. The exam will be divided in four parts. Each part will be for 15 one mark questions. The total marks of the exam will be 60 marks. The exam will be conducted for 2 hours. The subjects in these parts are General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Knowledge and General Awareness, Elementary Mathematics and English/ Hindi/ Bengali/ Kokborok Comprehension. The Tripura Police Riflemen Syllabus and Exam Pattern have been provided on this page. Meanwhile, the applied candidates need to follow the Test Pattern and Syllabus we update on this page.
PART D – English/ Hindi/ Bengali/ Kokborok Comprehension
15 Questions (1 Mark Each) 15 Marks
Total
60 Marks
Download Tripura Police Riflemen Syllabus 2020
The Tripura Police Riflemen Syllabus is the major part of the test preparation. Candidates can guess the Topics covered in the written exam with the help of Syllabus. The Exam Syllabus has topics like General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Knowledge and General Awareness, Elementary Mathematics and English/ Hindi/ Bengali/ Kokborok Comprehension. You can also download the Tripura Police RiflemenB Syllabus PDF from the link below.
ICDS Recruitment 2020 Notification: The Integrated Child Development Services announced an employment notification named as ICDS Vacancy 2020 to recruit Carious Anganwadi Supervisor, Project Officer, Anganwadi Workers & Assistant, Anganwadi Helper posts. The applicants looking for various Anganwadi Worker, Mini Anganwadi Worker, Anganwadi Helper Posts can apply for ICDS Notification 2020.
Candidates who have completed their 8th class, 10th class or equivalent education can apply online for ICDS Jobs 2020 @ www.icds.wcd.nic.in. Go through the entire article to check eligibility criteria, pay scale, last date for the WCD ICDS Recruitment Notification 2020. Apply before 16th May 2020. Know more about ICDS Anganwadi Sevika Recruitment 2020 at www.icds.gov.in. Keep visiting us to know more about ICDS Recruitment 2020.
ICDS Chitradurga Recruitment 2020: Apply Online for 92 Anganwadi Worker & Helper Vacancies in Chitradurga!! Integrated Child Development Service of Chitradurga has published the ICDS Notification. There has been an announcement to hire candidates for the post of Anganwadi Worker and Helper. The officials want to fill up 92 vacancies for these ICDS Jobs. Interested candidates are welcomed to apply online at the earliest. Candidates can start applying from 18th March 2020. The last date to apply for ICDS Recruitment in Chitradurga is 17th May 2020 16th May 2020. Interested candidates can make good use of this opportunity now.
Integrated Child Development Service Chitradurga Recruitment 2020-21
Interested candidates can read all the details below. Here you will find the information about the vacancy, age limit, education qualification, application process, etc. These details are from the ICDS Chitradurga notification. Candidates can also refer to the official notification for more details. Once the candidate has determined eligibility, they can proceed to apply online. To apply, you have to click on the ICDS Apply Online link given below. Follow the steps given below to apply so that your application is not rejected. If you want to know more about the Integrated Child Development Service of Chitradurga, click on the website link below or visit www.anganwadirecruit.kar.nic
Overview of ICDS Chitradurga Jobs 2020
Name of the Organization
Integrated Child Development Service Chitradurga
Number of Vacancies
92
Name of Post
Anganwadi Worker & Helper
Starting date of application
18th March 2020
Closing date of application
17th May 2020 16th May 2020
Job Category
Karnataka Government Jobs
Job Location
Chitradurga, Karnataka
Application process
Online Application
Official Website
www.anganwadirecruit.kar.nic
Details of ICDS Chitradurga Vacancy 2020-21:
The details of the vacancy as given in the ICDS Chitradurga Recruitment 2020 is as below
Name of the Post
Number of Posts
Anganwadi Worker
26
Anganwadi Helper
66
Total
92
Eligibility Criteria for ICDS WCD Chitradurga Recruitment 2020
Candidates interested in ICDS Chitradurga Jobs can check their eligibility with the details below to apply online.
Academic Qualification:
Name of the Post
Education Qualification
Anganwadi Worker
10th Pass
Anganwadi Helper
04th/ 09th Pass
Read the official notification for more details on ICDS Chitradurga Careers.
Age Limit:
Minimum Age – 18 Years
Maximum Age – 35 Years
Age relaxation on upper age limit:
PH Candidates – 10 Years
For age limit as given in the ICDS Chitradurga Recruitment 2020, refer to the official notification
Selection Process:
Merit List
Pay Scale for WCD ICDS Chitradurga Recruitment 2020:
Refer to the official website for details on the pay scale for ICDS Chitradurga Jobs
ICDS Chitradurga Online Application Fee:
There is no application fee for ICDS Karnataka recruitment
How to apply for ICDS Karnataka Recruitment 2020?
Click on the official notification link below
Read the details carefully and make sure you are eligible for ICDS WCD Karnataka Recruitment
Start by filling the online application form by clicking on the ICDS Karnataka Apply Online link below
Update all the details required Correctly
Attach documents/ certificates along with your photograph and signature if required
Click on submit button to complete the ICDS Karnataka careers online application process
Capture the application number and take a print out of the application form
Important Dates for ICDS Karnataka Recruitment 2020-21:
Starting Date to Apply
18th March 2020
Last Date to Apply
17th May 2020 16th May 2020
Important Links for ICDS Chitradurga Recruitment 2020-21:
ICDS Chikkaballapur Recruitment 2020: Apply Online for 75 Anganwadi Worker & Helper Posts!! Integrated Child Development Service of Chikkaballapur has released the ICDS Notification. This is to recruit candidates to the post of Anganwadi Worker and Helper Posts. There are 75 Vacancies that need to be filled at the moment. Interested candidates are welcomed to apply online for ICDS Chikkaballapur jobs. Candidates can start to apply online from 21st March 2020. Make sure you are eligible before applying for these jobs. The last date to apply for ICDS Chikkaballapur Recruitment is 10th April 2020 13th May 2020.
Integrated Child Development Service Chikkaballapur Recruitment 2020-21
Candidates can find all the ICDS Job details below. Read the details given in each section carefully. Candidates can also refer to the official notification for more details. Once you have determined your eligibility, you can go ahead to apply online. Click on the ICDS Chikkaballapur Apply Online link to apply. Follow the steps given to apply so that your application does not get rejected. To know more about the Integrated Child Development Service of Chikkaballapur, click on the website link in the table below or visit the official website @ wwwanganwadirecruit.kar.nic.in.
Overview of ICDS Chikkaballapur Jobs 2020
Name of the Organization
Integrated Child Development Service of Chikkaballapur
ICDS Ballari Recruitment 2020: Apply Online for 130 Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi Helper Posts in Bellari!! Integrated Child Development Service, Ballari has released this job circular to announce 130 openings. These vacancies are for Anganwadi Worker & Anganwadi Helper Posts. Interested candidates can read the details below and also refer to the official notification to check eligibility. Online applications are invited through the ICDS Notification from interested and eligible candidates. Candidates can start to apply online from 05th March 2020. The application details are given below. The last date to apply for ICDS Ballari Recruitment is 04th April 2020. Read all the details carefully and be part of ICDS Ballari Careers.
ICDS Ballari Recruitment 2020-21
Candidates interested in WCD ICDS jobs can make good use of this opportunity. You can check if you are eligible for ICDS Karnataka Anganwadi Recruitment by reading all the details below. Candidates can also refer to the official notification by clicking on the link below. ICDS Karnataka Apply Online link and notification link is also given below to make it easy for candidates to start applying. To know more about the Integrated Child Development Service, Ballari, you can visit the official website anganwadirecruit.kar.nic.in.
ICDS UP Recruitment 2020: Apply for 2,700 Upcoming Anganwadi Supervisor & Project Officer Vacancies: Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS), Uttar Pradesh has announced 2700 Anganwadi Supervisor & Project Officers vacancies to fill up. Eligibility candidates can apply on this page once the notification is officially released.
ICDS WCD Recruitment 2020 in Uttar Pradesh
Name of the Organization
Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS), Uttar Pradesh
Number of Vacancies
2700
Name of the Post
Anganwadi Supervisor & Project Officers
Application Starting Date
Updated Soon
Last Date to fill the Application
Updated Soon
Last Date to Pay the application fee through Online mode
Updated Soon
Last Date to Pay the application fee through Offline mode
ICDS Jobs 2020 Notification – ICDS Vacancy 2020 Detail
Name of the Post
Number of Vacancies
Anganwadi Supervisor (सुपरवाइजर)
2428
Project Officer (परियोजना अधिकारी)
285
OPD
08
Total
2700
Eligibility Criteria for ICDS Recruitment for Supervisors
Check the list of eligibility details for Uttar Pradesh ICDS Recruitment 2020 in the following sections:
www.icds.gov.in 2019 Educational Qualification
Anganwadi supervisor
Passed 8th/10th/12th Class
1. A candidate must be a citizen of India. 2. Only Female candidates are eligible for the post. 3. Graduate in any discipline from a recognized University. 4. Ability to Read, Write & Speak in Bengali (not required for those whose mother the tongue is Nepali vide Finance Deptt. Notification No. 1243- F (P) dated 02.03.2016.)
Age Limits:
Minimum Age – 18 Years
Maximum Age – 39 Years
Age Relaxations
As per the Rules
www.icds.nic.in Recruitment 2020-21 Other Details
ICDS Anganwadi Salary 2020:
Anganwadi Supervisor:
Rs.7,100/- to Rs.37,600/- per month + Grade Pay of Rs.3,600/-
Total emoluments will get Rs.27,000/- per month.
Project Officer & OPD:
Best Salary
ICDS Application Form Fee:
Will be Updated soon
WCD ICDS Selection Process
Written Examination
Personal Interview
UP ICDS Recruitment 2020-2021 Apply Online Steps
Click on ICDS Recruitment 2020 Apply Online Link Provided below.
Fill in necessary details asked in ICDS UP Recruitment 2019 Application Form.
Paste your recent Photograph (If Required).
Attach xerox copies of required certificates.
Pay the prescribed Application Fee ( If Required).
Finally, post the application form to the Postal address provided below to complete the ICDS Supervisor Recruitment 2020 Process.
UP ICDS Supervisor Recruitment 2020 Important Links
WCD Chitradurga Recruitment 2020: Apply Online for 92 Anganwadi Worker & Helper Vacancies in Chitradurga!! Women and Child Development Department of Chitradurga has published the WCD Notification. There has been an announcement to hire candidates for the post of Anganwadi Worker and Helper. The officials want to fill up 92 vacancies for these WCD Jobs. Interested candidates are welcomed to apply online at the earliest. Candidates can start applying from 18th March 2020. The last date to apply for WCD Recruitment in Chitradurga is 17th April 2020 16th May 2020. Interested candidates can make good use of this opportunity now.
Women and Child Development Department Chitradurga Recruitment 2020-21
Interested candidates can read all the details below. Here you will find the information about the vacancy, age limit, education qualification, application process, etc. These details are from the WCD Chitradurga notification. Candidates can also refer to the official notification for more details. Once the candidate has determined eligibility, they can proceed to apply online. To apply, you have to click on the WCD Apply Online link given below. Follow the steps given below to apply so that your application is not rejected. If you want to know more about the Women and Child Development Department of Chitradurga, click on the website link below or visit the official website @ www.anganwadirecruit.kar.nic. Click here for more ICDS Jobs.
Overview of WCD Chitradurga Jobs 2020
Name of the Organization
Women and Child Development Department Chitradurga
Number of Vacancies
92
Name of Post
Anganwadi Worker & Helper
Starting date of application
18th March 2020
Closing date of application
17th April 2020 16th May 2020
Job Category
Karnataka Government Jobs
Job Location
Chitradurga, Karnataka
Application process
Online Application
Official Website
www.anganwadirecruit.kar.nic
Details of WCD Chitradurga Vacancy 2020-21:
The details of the vacancy as given in the WCD Chitradurga Recruitment 2020 is as below
Name of the Post
Number of Posts
Anganwadi Worker
26
Anganwadi Helper
66
Total
92
Eligibility Criteria for ICDS Recruitment 2020
Candidates interested in WCD Chitradurga Jobs can check their eligibility with the details below to apply online.
Academic Qualification:
Name of the Post
Education Qualification
Anganwadi Worker
10th Pass
Anganwadi Helper
04th/ 09th Pass
Read the official notification for more details on WCD Chitradurga Careers.
Age Limit:
Minimum Age – 18 Years
Maximum Age – 35 Years
Age relaxation on upper age limit:
PH Candidates – 10 Years
For age limit as given in the WCD Karnataka Recruitment 2020, refer to the official notification
Selection Process:
Merit List
Pay Scale for ICDS Chitradurga Recruitment 2020:
Refer to the official website for details on the pay scale for WCD Chitradurga Jobs
WCD Chitradurga Online Application Fee:
There is no application fee for WCD Karnataka recruitment
How to apply for WCD ICDS Chitradurga Recruitment 2020?
Click on the official notification link below
Read the details carefully and make sure you are eligible for ICDS WCD Karnataka Recruitment
Start by filling the online application form by clicking on the WCD Karnataka Apply Online link below
Update all the details required Correctly
Attach documents/ certificates along with your photograph and signature if required
Click on submit button to complete the WCD Karnataka careers online application process
Capture the application number and take a print out of the application form
Important Dates for WCD Karnataka Recruitment 2020-21:
Starting Date to Apply
18th March 2020
Last Date to Apply
17th April 2020 16th May 2020
Important Links for WCD Chitradurga Recruitment 2020-21:
WCD Chikkaballapur Recruitment 2020: Apply Online for 75 Anganwadi Worker & Helper Posts!! Women and Child Development Department of Chikkaballapur has released the WCD Notification. This is to recruit candidates to the post of Anganwadi Worker and Helper Posts. There are 75 Vacancies that need to be filled at the moment. Interested candidates are welcomed to apply online for WCD Chikkaballapur jobs. Candidates can start to apply online from 21st March 2020. Make sure you are eligible before applying for these jobs. The last date to apply for WCD Chikkaballapur Recruitment is 10th April 202013th May 2020.
Women and Child Development Department Chikkaballapur Recruitment 2020-21
Candidates can find all the WCD Job details below. Read the details given in each section carefully. Candidates can also refer to the official notification for more details. Once you have determined your eligibility, you can go ahead to apply online. Click on the WCD Chikkaballapur Apply Online link to apply. Follow the steps given to apply so that your application does not get rejected. To know more about the Women and Child Development Department of Chikkaballapur, click on the website link in the table below or visit the official website @ wwwanganwadirecruit.kar.nic.in.
Overview of WCD Chikkaballapur Jobs 2020
Name of the Organization
Women and Child Development Department of Chikkaballapur
WCD Ballari Recruitment 2020: Apply Online for 130 Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi Helper Posts in Bellari!! Women and Child Development Department, Ballari has released this job circular to announce 130 openings. There are vacancies for Anganwadi Worker & Anganwadi Helper Posts. Interested candidates can read the details below and check eligibility. Online applications are invited through the WCD Notification from interested and eligible candidates. Candidates can start to apply online from 05th March 2020. The application details are given below. The last date to apply for WCD Ballari Recruitment is 04th April 2020 30th April 2020. Read all the details carefully and be part of WCD Ballari Careers.
WCD Ballari Recruitment 2020-21
Candidates interested in ICDS jobs can make good use of this opportunity. You can check if you are eligible for ICDS WCD Karnataka Anganwadi Recruitment by reading all the details below. Candidates can also refer to the official notification by clicking on the link below. WCD Karnataka Apply Online link and notification link is also given below to make it easy for candidates to start applying. To know more about the Women and Child Development Department, Ballari, you can visit the official website anganwadirecruit.kar.nic.in.
SSA Punjab Recruitment 2020 Notification released for the 2182 Master Cadre Posts. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Punjab invites online applications for Master Cadre (Hindi, Social Studies, Punjabi, Maths, Science, English) vacancies. In the Punjab state, applicants who are looking for a Career in SSA can utilize this opportunity. Candidates can start applying for the SSA Punjab Vacancies through Online from 02nd March 2020 to 18th March 2020 extended to 31st March 2020 Further extended to 05th May 2020.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Punjab Recruitment 2020
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Department of School Education Punjab, has published the recruitment notification for the post of Master/Mistress Cadre. Applicants who are waiting for the Master Cadre Vacancy 2020 can check your eligibility criteria from this article. Along with this, we have provided a direct link for the Official notification and apply online link. Candidates can get a direct link for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Official website from the below section.
Frequently Asked Questions About SSA Punjab Recruitment 2020:
1. How to apply for SSA Punjab Jobs? A. Applications for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Punjab will be accepted only in the Online mode. Candidates can refer to this page for the eligibility criteria. If you are eligible can apply for the SSA Punjab Jobs through the above link.
2. What is the last date to apply for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Vacancy in Punjab?
Starting Date of Application – 02nd March 2020
Last Date To Apply Online – 05th May 2020
Applicants should apply for the SSA Punjab Recruitment on or before the last date 18th March 2020. The application will be accepted only online. No other application will be rejected.
3. What are the eligibility criteria for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Punjab Recruitment 2020? A. Candidates should possess Graduation, B.Ed (Relevant Discipline) from recognized University / Institution.
PSEB Recruitment 2020: Online Application for 1644 ETT Teacher Vacancy | Apply Here!! Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has released a new notification to hire 1664 candidates to fill up the vacancies. There posts that need to be filled if for ETT Teacher. Interested and eligible candidates are welcomed to send online applications via the PSEB Notification. All aspirants can read the details given below and start to apply from 06th March 2020. The last date to apply for PSEB recruitment is 25th March 2020 05th May 2020. Candidates interested in teaching jobs can make good use of this opportunity.
Education Department Board of Punjab Recruitment 2020-21
The details as per the PSEB notification have been given below. Here, you will find the details of the vacancy, age limit, education qualification, salary, selection process, application fee, application procedure, etc. Interested candidates read all the details below carefully and also refer to the official notification to determine eligibility. If eligible, candidates can start to apply using the PSEB Apply online link below. Selected candidates will be placed in Punjab. To know more about the Punjab School Education Board, click on the website link below or visit www.pseb.ac.in
PSEB Recruitment 2020: Apply Online for 2102 Master Cadre Teacher Posts @ www.pseb.ac.in!! Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has released its notification for recruiting candidates to the post of Master Cadre Teacher. There are 2102 vacancies that need to be filled. The board wants interested, vibrant and energetic candidates to fill up this PSED vacancy. Aspirants can read the details below and check eligibility. If eligible, they can apply online for PSEB recruitment from 02nd March 2020. The last date to apply online is 18th March 2020Extend to 31st March 2020. Interested candidates can be a part of PSEB Careers now.
Punjab School Education Board PSEB Recruitment 2020-21
You will get all the details of education qualification, salary, age limit, the application process, selection process, and all other details required to know by a candidate for PSED jobs 2020. Read these details carefully and also refer to the PSEB Notification for more details. By this, the candidate can check if they are eligible to apply for the jobs or not. If eligible, click on the PSEB apply online link below. To know more about the Education Recruitment Board in Punjab, visit the official website at www.pseb.ac.in or click on the website link below.
There are 2102 vacancies for Master Cadre Teacher Posts. These vacancies are divided subject-wise. The subject wise details of the vacancy as given in the PSEB Recruitment 2020 is as below
Name of the Subject
Number of Posts
Hindi
40
Social Studies
52
Panjabi
60
Maths
450
Science
700
English
800
Total
2102
Eligibility Criteria for PSEB Recruitment 2020
Candidates interested in PSEB Jobs can check their eligibility with the details below to apply.
Academic Qualification:
Name of the Post
Education Qualification
Hindi
Passed Graduation Passed BEd with Hindi as one of the teaching subjects as per UGC guidelines
Social Studies
Passed Graduation Passed BEd with Social Science as one of the teaching subjects as per UGC guidelines
Panjabi
Passed Graduation Passed BEd with Panjabi as one of the teaching subjects as per UGC guidelines
Maths
Passed Graduation Passed BEd with Maths as one of the teaching subjects as per UGC guidelines
Science
Passed Graduation Passed BEd with Science as one of the teaching subjects as per UGC guidelines
English
Passed Graduation Passed BEd with English as one of the teaching subjects as per UGC guidelines Studied English as an elective for 3 years or Studied Functional English/ English Literature/ BA Honors (English)/ BA (Honors) English in Graduation or equivalent or Passed Post Graduation in English
Read the official notification for more details on PSEB Careers.
Age Limit:
Minimum Age – 18 Years
Maximum Age – 37 Years
For age limit as given in the PSEB Recruitment 2020, refer to the official notification
Selection Process:
Written Test
Interview
Document Verification
Pay Scale for PSEB Recruitment 2020:
Selected candidates will be paid Rs. 10,300/- per month
Refer to the official website for details on the pay scale for PSEB Jobs
PSEB Online Application Fee:
General Candidates – Rs. 1000/-
SC/ ST Candidates – Rs. 500/-
Candidates may read the official notification to get more details on PSEB online application fees
How to apply for PSEB Recruitment 2020?
Click on the PSEB notification below
Read all the details and check if you are eligible
Eligible candidates can click on the PSEB online application link
Fill in all the details asked for correctly
Attach a scanned copy of documents asked for
Attach a scanned copy of recent passport size picture and signature where required
Pay the application fee online
Submit the application form before the last date
Don’t forget to take a print out of the application form for reference
The Punjab School Education Board PSEB board came into existence through the promotion of school education in the state of Punjab legislative enactment in November 1969 for the development. The scope of the Board's functions is very wide and covers almost every stage /Aspect of school education. However, a brief account of the recruitment process and its eligibility criteria is given in the above article.
Chandigarh: Industry leaders want to urgently resume operations as the lockdown has been eased, but they are terrified by a clause in the home ministry's guidelines that can send anybody from the chief executive to the worker to jail if there is any violation of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.Many in the manufacturing sector said the punitive clause will give the police and other authorities a lever to harass and extract money from factory owners, who desperately need to resume operations to be able to pay wages. Most industry leaders were not willing to speak on record, but some voiced their concerns.Government officials said businesses need not fear. Vinni Mahajan, additional chief secretary of Punjab, said the government had the best of intentions. "The matter was discussed with industry leaders across the state," Mahajan said. 75263185'Industry to Follow Guideline'" And it was established that industry should share the responsibility of not letting the disease spread. The industry needs to ensure sanitary, social distancing guidelines and refer symptomatic cases to health authorities. The government has no intent to victimise industry," he said.But industry is nervous. This includes textile units, which have been allowed to resume operations in a few states including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh if they ensure that they abide by the home ministry's guidelines. "The clause on punitive action is definitely a serious concern for industry that is striving to come to terms with the unprecedented situation," said Neeraj Jain, joint managing director, Vardhman Textiles. Vijay Sethia, former chairman of the All India Rice Exporters Association, said the industry body had asked the home ministry to clarify the matter before its members fully commence operations. "The industry is fully committed to fully adhere to government guidelines on measures to check the spread of Covid-19 but the clause on FIR against owners in case workers are found positive is a huge hindrance," said Sethia.He said industry was going all out to fully abide by the guidelines. "Yet there is a sense of fear among owners of the units that they are vulnerable to penal action and FIR etc," Sethia said. The basmati rice industry in Haryana has already installed thermal scanners to screen workers but millers said there is an atmosphere of fear. "So far only those employees without any symptoms of Covid-19 are being allowed but there is no foolproof system to ascertain the exact status of this pandemic in a person. Moreover once lockdown is lifted, number of cases are likely to go up," said a miller, who is uncertain about running the operations.
New Delhi: With mounting evidence that asymptomatic Covid-19 cases are spreading the infection, India's top medical research body is grappling with the problem posed by "silent spreaders" and examining the feasibility of starting 'door-to-door' surveillance to monitor and test older people at high risk who dont have symptoms. Some experts, however, believe this is a costly and unachievable objective."Of 100 people with infection, 80 do not have symptoms," Raman R Gangakhedkar, chief epidemiologist, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Monday.The new revelation of asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infection in India has sparked concerns. While ICMR officials do not recommend mass testing in India, given the size and scale of the country, experts familiar with the development said the door-to-door surveillance model is being examined."It's not easy to test everyone. But the model of door-to-door surveillance used for polio can be replicated here. The fact that India continues to be polio free indicates the robustness of the surveillance system and that can easily be done in Covid-19 too," said a person with knowledge of the situation. He added that this plan is still at discussion stage and no final decision has been taken.Under the model for polio in India, the vaccination teams go door to door, and check households. 75262853'MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH NEEDED'The teams make sure to vaccinate those children who haven't been so far. In case of Covid-19, the possibility of monitoring people aged 50 years and more is being considered. "The silent spreaders are unknowingly infecting others. There is a need to strictly monitor the 50 plus population, which has the majority of positive cases," added this person. Any such exercise will take a long time and be expensive. Door-to-door surveillance will prove to be "costly and unachievable" in a country like India, said Dr Anoop Misra, chairman, Fortis C-DOC (Centre of Excellence For Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology)."The strategy could be multi-pronged for a country like India. We need to have intensive testing in areas which are hotspots, we can use random sampling in areas with less cases," Misra said, adding that door-to door surveillance will not work. "It is just not possible. Some people will refuse and hide. We have to keep changing the strategy as transmission is certainly going up," he said.INVISIBLE SOURCESGlobally, too, there is enough evidence that suggests that people who never develop symptoms can transmit the virus. Studies from around the world published in the past weeks reveal the spread by "invisible sources" as a fresh challenge in the fight against Covid-19. This makes it much harder to trace and isolate everyone with the disease before they start transmitting it to others. Public health experts say these invisible sources of contagion must be factored in while deciding when to begin rolling back physical distancing measures."Asymptomatic persons who tested positive in the antigen test, if shown to be truly positive for viral exposure by other criteria, may be a source of infection to others as long as they harbour the virus. Usually they are young, have a good immune response and may get rid of the virus quickly. But isolation till they do so is needed," said K Srinath Reddy, president of Public Health Foundation of India.SOCIAL DISTANCINGReddy said social or physical distancing should continue. "Since a population wide search through mega scale testing is neither advisable or affordable, possible danger from such persons must be minimised by continued social distancing, personal hygiene, masks and protection of the elderly. Persons with co-morbidities should be shielded from close contact with mobile members of the family," he said. Earlier the WHO had said that pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic transmission of the new coronavirus was "relatively rare". However, new studies from Japan, Italy, South Korea and Washington state — have suggested that silent spreaders can be just as dangerous to a community.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he will be signing an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States."In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States", Trump said in a tweet late on Monday.In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citi… https://t.co/4eufzv6Ng9— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 1587434782000
Mumbai: Tata Sons is in talks with leading global banks to raise nearly a billion dollars to recapitalise some of its key businesses in Europe, said people aware of the discussions. Tata Sons, the holding company, may raise the amount through a revolving credit facility (RCF), also known as 'revolver lines'.Talks are on with at least half a dozen banks including Citi, ANZ, HSBC, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Standard Chartered, said the persons.The aim is to raise five-year money at Libor plus 250-275 bps through the UK arm — Tata International UK — with a guarantee from Tata Sons, the persons added. A final decision is expected this week.The Tata Sons spokesperson declined to comment. However, top group officials said the conglomerate had been advised to prepare a war chest of $5 billion, with $1.5 billion accessible for "urgent requirements".TCS DIVIDEND ADDS TO WAR CHEST"We don't see the need to raise that kind of money and have asked our flagship firms to take care of their own requirements as much as possible. Some businesses such as airlines may need our support, and JLR could need bigger infusions. So, we're ensuring that we have funds accessible to us through Tata Sons subsidiaries," he said.75262747The $700-million dividend payout by Tata Consultancy Services to Tata Sons in the fourth quarter of FY20 will add to the group's war chest. Several Tata Group companies in the non-essentials segments such as Tata Steel Europe, Jaguar Land Rover, Titan, Tata Starbucks and Trent Westside are recording zero revenues in view of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, and need liquidity infusion, officials said. While the current fund-raising is for European businesses, more money could be raised in future for Indian operations."Tatas' intention is to tie up an RCF and create a pool of liquidity. But in a world where dollars are in short supply, the terms need to be beneficial for lenders as well as the borrower," said a Tata Group lender on the condition of anonymity, as the talks are in private domain.Going private has restricted Tata Sons' ability to access longterm local funds, such as those from Life Insurance Corporation. In September 2017, Tata Sons received shareholder approval to convert itself into a private entity after the ouster of former chairman and shareholder Cyrus Mistry in October 2016."These are unprecedented and uncertain times. The Tata Group has always focused on ensuring adequate liquidity during tough times for immediate infusion of equity or loan requirements at important entities," said a group official, requesting anonymity.SHORT-TERM CHALLENGESTata Group watchers said the fund-raising would signify shortterm challenges for the various businesses that need capital infusion.Tata Sons can raise external commercial borrowings (ECBs), as it did in the past two years for its telecom business. But in that case the money has to come to India first. Using an offshore investment vehicle makes it easier for the proceeds to be deployed overseas.Last year, Tata Sons tried to tap the foreign loans market to raise $2 billion, but ended up raising only a fourth of that amount. In early 2018, it raised $750 million through a special Reserve Bank of India dispensation to repay lenders of Tata Teleservices. But after the change in guidelines earlier this year — that allow nonbanking financial companies (NBFCs) to tap the foreign loans market — Tata Sons, which is registered as a core investment company with the RBI, is again keen to avail of this option."This time, the group may get pricing advantage with interest rates dropping globally," said one of the persons cited earlier."The Tata Group usually gets the best rate in the financial markets, given Tata Sons' backing and the brand name," said an official.DOUBLE WHAMMYThe Covid-19 outbreak right after Brexit has been a double whammy for several Tata entities. Tata Steel Europe is facing acute financial pressure, and the region's thirdlargest manufacturer of the metal is set to cut 1,250 jobs.Last week, Tata Motors informed exchanges that JLR had temporarily suspended production at its facilities outside China.Analysts are worried about Tata Motors' global exposure, especially to the US and UK. Additionally, high operating leverage makes the company disproportionately vulnerable to the Covid-19 disruption. The big worry is that JLR's equity value could shrink rapidly due to prolonged negative free cash flows. Observers said the cash burn at JLR is likely to remain intense over the next two quarters, and the turnaround programme (charted before the Covid-19 pandemic) may not be sufficient to fix it.The Tata Motors stock has plunged since the beginning of this year, as production in key markets has come to halt owing to global lockdowns. Credit rating agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor's have downgraded Tata Motors' paper in recent weeks.
Mumbai: Tata Sons is in talks with leading global banks to raise nearly a billion dollars to recapitalise some of its key businesses in Europe, said people aware of the discussions. Tata Sons, the holding company, may raise the amount through a revolving credit facility (RCF), also known as 'revolver lines'.Talks are on with at least half a dozen banks including Citi, ANZ, HSBC, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Standard Chartered, said the persons.The aim is to raise five-year money at Libor plus 250-275 bps through the UK arm — Tata International UK — with a guarantee from Tata Sons, the persons added. A final decision is expected this week.The Tata Sons spokesperson declined to comment. However, top group officials said the conglomerate had been advised to prepare a war chest of $5 billion, with $1.5 billion accessible for "urgent requirements".TCS DIVIDEND ADDS TO WAR CHEST"We don't see the need to raise that kind of money and have asked our flagship firms to take care of their own requirements as much as possible. Some businesses such as airlines may need our support, and JLR could need bigger infusions. So, we're ensuring that we have funds accessible to us through Tata Sons subsidiaries," he said.75262747The $700-million dividend payout by Tata Consultancy Services to Tata Sons in the fourth quarter of FY20 will add to the group's war chest. Several Tata Group companies in the non-essentials segments such as Tata Steel Europe, Jaguar Land Rover, Titan, Tata Starbucks and Trent Westside are recording zero revenues in view of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, and need liquidity infusion, officials said. While the current fund-raising is for European businesses, more money could be raised in future for Indian operations."Tatas' intention is to tie up an RCF and create a pool of liquidity. But in a world where dollars are in short supply, the terms need to be beneficial for lenders as well as the borrower," said a Tata Group lender on the condition of anonymity, as the talks are in private domain.Going private has restricted Tata Sons' ability to access longterm local funds, such as those from Life Insurance Corporation. In September 2017, Tata Sons received shareholder approval to convert itself into a private entity after the ouster of former chairman and shareholder Cyrus Mistry in October 2016."These are unprecedented and uncertain times. The Tata Group has always focused on ensuring adequate liquidity during tough times for immediate infusion of equity or loan requirements at important entities," said a group official, requesting anonymity.SHORT-TERM CHALLENGESTata Group watchers said the fund-raising would signify shortterm challenges for the various businesses that need capital infusion.Tata Sons can raise external commercial borrowings (ECBs), as it did in the past two years for its telecom business. But in that case the money has to come to India first. Using an offshore investment vehicle makes it easier for the proceeds to be deployed overseas.Last year, Tata Sons tried to tap the foreign loans market to raise $2 billion, but ended up raising only a fourth of that amount. In early 2018, it raised $750 million through a special Reserve Bank of India dispensation to repay lenders of Tata Teleservices. But after the change in guidelines earlier this year — that allow nonbanking financial companies (NBFCs) to tap the foreign loans market — Tata Sons, which is registered as a core investment company with the RBI, is again keen to avail of this option."This time, the group may get pricing advantage with interest rates dropping globally," said one of the persons cited earlier."The Tata Group usually gets the best rate in the financial markets, given Tata Sons' backing and the brand name," said an official.DOUBLE WHAMMYThe Covid-19 outbreak right after Brexit has been a double whammy for several Tata entities. Tata Steel Europe is facing acute financial pressure, and the region's thirdlargest manufacturer of the metal is set to cut 1,250 jobs.Last week, Tata Motors informed exchanges that JLR had temporarily suspended production at its facilities outside China.Analysts are worried about Tata Motors' global exposure, especially to the US and UK. Additionally, high operating leverage makes the company disproportionately vulnerable to the Covid-19 disruption. The big worry is that JLR's equity value could shrink rapidly due to prolonged negative free cash flows. Observers said the cash burn at JLR is likely to remain intense over the next two quarters, and the turnaround programme (charted before the Covid-19 pandemic) may not be sufficient to fix it.The Tata Motors stock has plunged since the beginning of this year, as production in key markets has come to halt owing to global lockdowns. Credit rating agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor's have downgraded Tata Motors' paper in recent weeks.
Cement makers resumed production in a phased manner on Monday while steelmakers began to prepare for a gradual increase in production. Automakers haven't resumed and neither have smartphone makers. Critically, most construction sites are still silent. Some are awaiting greater clarity and, in some instances, approvals from state governments before restarting operations. Others are located in hot spots and can't restart.The global pandemic had brought economic activity to a standstill in India and abroad, with governments enforcing a lockdown restricting people from stepping out of their homes, except for workers employed in essential services.PM Narendra Modi extended a countrywide lockdown through May 3 . The Centre allowed some sectors to open up from April 20, but left it to states to approve resumption on a case-by-case basis.India's largest cement company UltraTech Cement told stock exchanges that it had restarted a few production facilities. Steelmakers such as JSW Steel, Tata Steel and JSPL also resumed operations in a phased manner.Focus on ExportsThis was mainly to cater to overseas buyers initially, before Indian customers return to place orders in the market.75262686UltraTech confirmed that operations at some of the company's locations are being "partially resumed". Holcimheld Ambuja Cements said it's seeking "necessary approvals" from the relevant authorities for "resumption of operations at various locations in a phased manner".CONSUMER GOODSWith 170 districts declared as red zones or hotspots due to the spread of infections, large consumer goods companies making essentials said manufacturing operations are at a standstill in these locations. They called on the government to allow at least the making of essentials to resume.Dabur India, maker of Real juice and Vatika shampoo, said while recent guidelines issued by the ministry of home affairs will definitely help ease the situation, the forced closure of some factories of suppliers have halted manufacturing of essentials. "The forced closure of some factories of suppliers -- who are mainly MSMEs -- for key products like hand sanitisers, as they fall within the hotspot radius, is affecting smooth functioning of the supply chain," said Dabur India director, operations, Shahrukh Khan. "It is our request that companies that do not have any instances of Covid cases may be permitted to operate even if they fall within the radius of a hotspot, provided they adopt and implement all safety and social distancing norms."In West Bengal, snack manufacturing plants of companies such as PepsiCo, Britannia and ITC are not operating, leading to a shortage of such items not only in the state but also in the Northeast, an industry executive said. "Our Baddi plant is still closed and not being allowed to operate. This is impacting supplies of packaging material across the supply chain for all our partners," said Vimal Kedia, chairman of packaging company Manjushree Technopack, which caters to multiple consumer goods companies such as Reckitt Benckiser, Coca-Cola and Dabur.CARMAKERSAuto companies haven't resumed production. Maruti Suzuki is assessing the readiness of its supply chain partners to restart operations. Maruti Suzuki chairman RC Bhargava said no decision had been taken on this yet. Steady access to supplies from all its vendors is crucial, he said, to reopen factories. "There is no point opening up unless you can continue production in a sustainable manner," Bhargava said."The issue is if supply stands disrupted for a single component, vehicle production would get held up. Also, if vehicle makers resume production, stocks would pile up because dealerships cannot open before May 3," said an industry executive, who didn't want to be identified. Passenger vehicle makers already have inventory of over a month in their networks.Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has readied standard operating procedures and the company will take a decision on the basis of the guidelines issued by state governments. "We are also looking into the supply situation and at our distribution network," said GS Mani, director, production, HMIL.About 70% of Hyundai's supply chain partners operate out of the Sriperumbudur industrial belt near Chennai, while the rest are spread across the country. Hero MotoCorp, meanwhile, has decided not to reopen until May 3. Bajaj Auto is still awaiting approvals to resume production in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.In Tamil Nadu, authorities had a meeting with auto companies on Monday. It was decided to extend the lockdown for the sector till May 3.CONSTRUCTIONIn Maharashtra, the state government has said work shouldn't resume until further instructions. In Haryana, construction has started in green zones. In the rest, construction is expected to restart by next week.In Telangana, construction remains halted. The state hasn't announced a date for resumption. Uttar Pradesh hasn't allowed construction in its major urban centres, where most projects are located. Government projects outside municipal limits have started construction work.In Tamil Nadu, all activities have been stopped until May 3. Karnataka is expecting work to commence in three-four days. Most pockets of key markets such as Mumbai, Delhi, Thane and Pune are in red or containment zones where construction work cannot be started. Work in Bengaluru has also not started.SMARTPHONETop smartphone brands such as Xiaomi, Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, Apple, Realme and OnePlus didn't commence production on Monday. Several are planning to postpone their manufacturing plans until the lockdown ends.The plants of Vivo and Oppo in Gautam Buddha Nagar are in red zones and decided not to restart manufacturing late on Sunday night. Oppo also manufactures for OnePlus and Realme and hence the production plans of those brands are also affected. Apple's contract manufacturers didn't restart production on Monday."While observing the new directives, our production unit will remain closed until we hear further from the government, considering our employees' welfare to be the top priority," a Realme India spokesperson said.A Vivo India spokesperson said the company is in conversation with all stakeholders and evaluating the situation continuously, keeping the wellbeing of employees and partners in mind. Oppo, OnePlus, LG, Apple and Samsung didn't respond to queries. Xiaomi declined to comment.Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of the India Cellular and Electronics Association said companies are still engaging with local authorities to look at options to restart production. "Mobile phones are essential goods and there would be demand while several companies also export out of India, which can also restart," he said.CONSUMER ELECTRONICSLG, Samsung, Panasonic and Godrej Appliances are planning to postpone their manufacturing plans once the lockdown ends since both the offline and online markets are closed with inventory piled up in warehouses and several plants located in red zones where no activity is allowed.Until the market opens up, there's no point in restarting manufacturing since warehouses and that of the retailers are fully stocked up, said Kamal Nandi, business head of Godrej Appliances and president of the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association.The plants of LG India, the country's largest home appliances manufacturer, in Greater Noida and Pune, are in red zones and hence not allowed to operate. Samsung India too is unlikely to restart production in its plants in Noida and near Chennai. While Panasonic India's plant in Jhajjar in Haryana is in a green zone, the company has postponed a restart."We are not starting production now as the inventories in the pipeline and also in our warehouse are adequate to meet the demand as it starts to pick up," said Panasonic India CEO Manish Sharma. "We are ready with our safety procedures and will be in a position to start as needed."The companies also cited problems in bringing workers to plants by passing through areas that are sealed. They said component suppliers are also facing similar problems, with some plants being located in red zones.(Ratna Bhushan, Sharmistha Mukherjee, Writankar Mukherjee and Kailash Babar contributed to this story)
In the previous daily note, we had highlighted the formation of a Rising Wedge pattern on the daily chart. Indian equity market continued to trade on the anticipated lines and failed to move past the upper trend line resistance of the wedge on Monday.Nifty failed to capitalise on stronger-than-expected start, as it came off opening highs in just a few minutes after the opening. The index spent the rest of the day in a defined range without taking any directional bias. It finally ended flat with a negligible loss of 4.90 points or 0.05 per cent.The 50-stock pack not being able to move past the upper trend line of the Rising Wedge is an important technical point, which one needs to take note of. For Tuesday and the upcoming sessions, unless Nifty moves past the upper trend line resistance area of 9,400, we will not see any sustainable upmove.The volatility moderately rose as India VIX climbed 2.03 per cent to 43.45.75256679We expect a flat to a negative start to the session on Tuesday. The 9,300 and 9,385 levels will act as resistance, while support may come in at 9,205 and 9,110.The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart was at 50.27 and stayed neutral, showing no divergence against the price. The daily MACD was bullish and traded above its signal line. No significant formations were noticed on the candles.As per pattern analysis of the daily chart, Nifty remained trapped in a Rising Wedge formation. Such a structure following a steep bearish decline often resolves on the downside. Unless the index negotiates the upper trend line of the wedge by moving past it, the index will continue to remain vulnerable at higher levels.Given the technical setup on the daily charts, we would recommend traders to refrain from initiating any significant long positions unless Nifty moves out of the wedge. Unless it moves outside the wedge on the higher side, it will remain vulnerable. A highly cautious and stock-specific approach is advised for the day.(Milan Vaishnav, CMT, MSTA, is a Consulting Technical Analyst and founder of Gemstone Equity Research & Advisory Services, Vadodara. He can be reached at milan.vaishnav@equityresearch.asia)
Heavy buying in shares of HDFC Bank after its strong performance in March quarter helped the benchmark indices close with gains, but a rise in Covid toll capped gains on Monday.HDFC Bank jumped 4 per cent while its PSU bank counterparts UCO Bank, Central Bank of India and J&K Bank rose 20 per cent each. Tata Motors also registered healthy gains despite it reporting a drop in global sales.BSE flagship Sensex closed 59 points, or 0.19 per cent, higher at 31,648 while the broader 50-share Nifty fell 4.90 points, or 0.05 per cent, to close at 9,262."A sharp increase in coronavirus cases is still a major cause of concern. As the earnings season progresses, the market may see a lot of stock-specific movement and hence we would advise participants to continue with a cautious approach and go for hedged bets," said Ajit Mishra, VP for Research at Religare Broking.Here is a lowdown of the movers and shakers of Monday's session on Dalal Street:Broader indices gainBroader market indices gained, bucking the trend in the headline indices. Nifty Smallcap gained 0.36 per cent to Rs 4,105 while Nifty Midcap rose 0.51 per cent to 13,111. The Nifty500 ended flat at 7,617.PSU bank stocks rallyShares of PSU banks rallied in Monday's trade. Central Bank, UCO Bank and J&K Bank advanced 20 per cent each, hitting upper circuit limits. Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Bank and Bank of Maharashtra rose 10-18 per cent. The Nifty PSU Bank index added 4.18 per cent to 1,370.30 stocks give 'buy' signalsAs many as 20 stocks on BSE crossed above the signal line to flash 'buy' signals. They included YES Bank, Simplex Castings, Ritco Logistics, Deccan Healthcare, Meera Industries, R Systems, Madhav Infra and NHC Foods, among others.Infy gains ahead of Q4 nosShares of information technology giant Infosys jumped ahead of quarterly earnings scheduled for release later in the day. The stock closed 3.75 per cent higher at Rs 652. Later in the day, the company reported a 6.10 per cent year-on-year (YoY) rise in consolidated March quarter profit at Rs 4,321 crore compared with Rs 4,074 crore reported for the same period last year.TaMo shrugs dismal sales dataTata Motors said its group global whole sales, including that of Jaguar Land Rover, stood at 2,31,929 units in the January-March quarter, lower by 35 per cent over last year's. However, shares of the company gained 4.75 per cent to Rs 80.50.Kotak Bank lowers deposit ratesKotak Mahindra Bank, the fourth largest private sector lender, slashed interest rates on savings deposits for the second time this month. The stock fell 0.75 per cent to Rs 1,177 following the news.TVS Motor gains on Norton dealShares of TVS Motor jumped 2.01 per cent to Rs 307.45 after the company said it acquired Britain's iconic bike manufacturer Norton Motorcycles for GBP 16 million (around Rs 153 crore).HDFC Bank gains on Q4 showShares of HDFC Bank advanced 3.91 per cent to Rs 946 after the lender over the weekend posted a 15.4 per cent rise in consolidated net profit for March quarter on healthy interest income.Only buyers for MEP InfraShares of MEP Infra jumped 5 per cent to the upper circuit of Rs 13.27 after the government allowed it to resume collecting tolls in Mumbai. There were over 9 lakh pending orders for the scrip. Nalco jumps 7%Shares of National Aluminium Company spiked 6.88 per cent to Rs 34.20 after the entity was granted a mining lease of the Utkal-D coal block by the Odisha government.
Bengaluru: As remote working turns mainstream, Wipro is betting on TopCoder to hire gig workers to service clients. Wipro bagged TopCoder, a marketplace with nearly 1.5 million freelance engineers, data scientists and designers in 2016, as part of its $500-million acquisition of Appirio, an IT firm that helps clients migrate to the cloud-based customer relationship management platform Salesforce. The marketplace allows coders to bid for work and deliver them for a fee. Engineers on the TopCoder platform have built mobile applications that run the International Space Station, helped crack bugs in software developed by large product firms and created new applications that solve business problems for companies. Wipro has used freelancers on the platform to build internal projects. With clients agreeing on a remote working model (93% of Wipro employees are delivering services remotely), Wipro is hoping to use TopCoder to hire gig workers on projects if clients approve. "If it is remote it can be anywhere," Saurabh Govil, chief human resources officer of Wipro told ET. This was the first time that remote working was taking place on a large scale at the company as well as the IT industry, he added.
Where are you from? I’m from Cusco, Peru, located among the Andes Mountain Range near one of the wonders of the world, Machu Picchu!
How far is it far from here? Wow! I don't even know the number of kilometers, but it's quite a hike (very far) there. It's located in South America. It shares borders with Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and Bolivia.
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Please describe your hometown a little? Where do I begin? My hometown is marvelous. It was the heart of (the center of) the Inca Empire, and is home many ancient Inca ruins, especially Machu Picchu. It lies at 3,100 meters up in the mountains. You can do a lot of trekking, site seeing, visit incredible natural landscapes, etc. It's a perfect mixture of the ancient and modern world.
How long have you been living there? I was born and raised in Cusco. I've lived there for my entire life, except for when I went to Lima, the capital city, to study my Bachelor's Degree. After that, I needed to escape the hustle and bustle(noise from a big city)and come back to my lovely town.
What do you like (most) about your hometown? I love that it's a mix between the ancient and modern world. Furthermore, I like the mix of the indigenous (native people) and Spanish influence. Sometimes it feels like I'm walking in the shoes of the Incas. Furthermore, there is definitely a warm, friendly feel to the town which makes it a pleasant place to live.
Would you like to live there in the future? Although my city is magical, I would consider moving somewhere else in the world. I think sometimes people become too accustomed to(used to) their daily routine. So, perhaps when and if I have a family, I would consider moving to another country in South America or to Spain. It would be our adventure!
What is your job? I'm the founder and project manager for a volunteer organization called Corazon de Apus. We find local children living in poverty or with difficult family situations and bring them to a safe place after school where they can learn English with the volunteers from Western countries, get homework help, and simply play and escape their problems. We also pitch in (everyone gives some money) to provide them with school supplies, dental care, and uniforms.
How long have you been doing your job? This is my 4th year on the job. Actually, at university I studied Finance, but I realized a 9-5 isn't for me. I knew I needed to do a job that helps those in need. However, my finance skills do come in handy (are useful) in this job!
How was your first day at work? I felt a little overwhelmed with all the volunteers coming to me asking all the ins and outs (all the details), but very excited at the same time. All of the stress was worth it when I saw the smiles of the children. Actually, they tackled me (to jump on and push to the ground) to ground with hugs!
Do you prefer part time or full time job? Why? Well, of course I would rather have a part-time job! If I had a part-time job, I would invest the rest of my time to do the things that truly interest me, such as yoga, meditation, see family and friends, etc. I'm sure we would all feel happier if we were able to do this. Unfortunately, the problem is the money though!
Do you do any physical exercise? You could call me a couch potato (a lazy person who sits on the sofa a lot. "Couch" is another word for sofa). I'm naturally thin without any exercise, so I'm quite lazy when it comes to exercise. I do go for mountain hikes, but I should definitely do more to gain muscle.
Do young people in your country like to do exercise? Gyms are not very popular in my country because of the cost, but I would say that people get their fair share of exercise everyday because of the hills in the city. Many people climb a mountain to their home every single day! I used to live in a house that was unreachable by car and a total of 200 stairs to get there!
Do you think people are keen on doing physical activity? Why? Well, I think they are quite accustomed to it. I don't think they would be too keen on going to the gym, but they really enjoy going on mountain hikes. Since our religion is based upon the Mother Earth and the Mountain Gods, these treks are a spiritual journey.
Part 2
Describe a comic actor who is popular in your country
Who the actor is
How you know him/her
What kind of person he/she is
and explain why he/she is popular in your country
Model Answer
I would like to tell you about a silly, versatile (can do many different things) actor from my country called Jim Carrey. He's an American actor. I first saw him in the movie "Dumb and Dumber" when I was about 8 years old. I thought the faces he made were really hilarious. Since then, I started following his movies. What I like about him is that he can nail (to do a good job) both a serious and comedy role in movies. In real life, I hear he leads a hippy sort of life. He discusses the universe a lot and says that he wants a simple life opposed to the luxurious life he could have. I've seen recent photos of him with a long, unkept gray beard. This makes him appeal to me even more because he's not the average star. He's popular for all of his hit films, and especially his over-the-top (crazy) faces and voices he is able to do. I think others also appreciate that he can make you crack up (laugh a lot) laughing in one film, then make burst into tears (to start to cry a lot) in the next.
Part 3
Why do some youngsters try to copy film stars? Is it good or bad?
I guess we assume that what the media portrays is what we should be. As youngsters are quite impressionable and unsure of their identity in most cases, they latch on to these stars to try to be someone. I think it's a bad thing, but also normal for young people. However, if older people try to do this, I feel sorry for them because they must not be comfortable in their own shoes (with who they are).
Are famous personalities rich in your country?
Way too rich! Those in the entertainment industry are among the richest in the country, better yet in the world. Furthermore, the athletes are incredibly rich. Kudos to them (kudos= to congratulate or respect) for their talents, but also sometimes this makes me feel a bit ill because there are other professions that are poorly paid, such as teachers, which really deserve more. This doesn’t make sense to me.
Do you think they spend their money wisely?
I guess this depends on the individual. I know that some famous people, like Bill Gates for example, are huge philanthropists (people who help humanity). He invests money to disadvantaged(poor and/or unlucky) countries so that they can get vaccines for preventable diseases. However, I’ve heard that some celebrities such as Justin Bieber, throw away every outfit after they wear it once which is just plain (is simply) wasteful and sinful. So, I would say that most famous people probably spend some of their money on unnecessary luxuries, but many also donate to charities.
What is difference between film stars in the past and film stars nowadays?
In my opinion, I felt like stars in the past were famous because of their talent, like acting or singing. Nowadays, it seems like people get fame from their over the top reality show personalities or just simply by their business tactics of getting their name out there, like the Kardashians. Furthermore, I think stars in the past were more glamorous and reserved, like the images of Marilyn Monroe.
Do you think film stars have the right to privacy?
Of course! I think all people deserve privacy. At the end of the day, celebrities are humans like us. They have feelings and private affairs too, so I don’t think that the paparazzi has the right to infringe upon (not follow) this. Of course stars have chosen this path, so they must accept that some matters in their life will be publicly shared. However, I don't think each and every one of their moves should be snapshotted. I can imagine that this must be one of the biggest downfalls (disadvantages) of being famous! You can't even go to a private beach villa without someone following you.
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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics & Questions
Do you work? Or are you a student?
Well, I'm a senior at LongBeach University. My major is Linguistics and I am about to gradute this January.
What is your major about?
As you can tell from its name, it's about teaching English for students of all ages. It supplies me with knowledge about teaching methodology , how to prepare syllabus and deal with class situations. It's very interesting major for me
Yes, absolutely. Teaching has always been my favorite job as I can pass knowledge to everyone. One of the perks of the job is that I can earn respect from others though sometimes this job is really stressful
Is there anything you don't like about your major?
Well, I think that my major sometimes is boring as the same lesson repeated over and over. I don't have many chances to have practical experience as I learn theories most of the time
What do you don't like about being a teacher?
As I said before, being a teacher is pretty stressful as I have to stay on top of everything . For instance, controlling the class and finding suitable teaching methodology for weak students. Besides, giving marks for tests takes lots of time so I hardly have time to take a break
What kind of jobs get very high salaries in your country?
I think that the more challenging the job is, the higher the salary people get.Doctors or engineers are one of the well-paid jobs as they require many years of experience and qualification
Will you do the same job in the future?
Being an English teacher is a dream for me. It's rewarding and challenging job so I wont change my decision.
What's your favorite color?
I'm a big fan of vivid colors , especially red or white. They bring a sense of warm and I look good in those colors
Are there any colours that have a special meaning in your country?
Well, red and yellow are national colors . They appear everywhere, on the national flag, clothes and people often decorate their house in yellow.
Are there any colours you dislike? [Why?]
I have to say that I don't like black. It doesn't suit my skin tone and black reminds me of gloom so it's my least favorite color
Do you think colours are important?
I think that colors are irreplaceable in our daily lives. Without them , everyday would be tedious and dreary. They beautify walls and streets with vivid colors and boost our mood in blue days
Why do some people like dark colors?
I think there are some reasons. It forms a sense of mystery so people can hide their true emtions like insecurity. Besides, people who look plump often wear dark colors to hide their weight and look thinner
When you are buying something, is the colour important to you?
Yes, it is. If the color suits my skin tone, it will highlight my beauty and vice versa. So whenever I buy clothes, color is my first consideration
IELTS Speaking Part 2:
Describe an interesting or unusual thing you did in your spare time
Where do you do it?
When do you do it?
Who do you do it with?
and describe why it was unusual or interesting.
I'd like to talk about a sport that I've (1) taken up lately. I've just started going cycling a few weeks ago when my motorbike suddenly broke down. My office is not so far from my house so I decided to ride to work and do exercise at the same time. It started (2)growing on me so now I go cycling for fun. I often spend time in early mornings to ride around the Sword lake. The weather is so pleasant and there isn't as much traffic as in the afternoon so it's perfect time to (3)unwind. I often ride alone but I (4)signed up for this cycling club where everyone (4)share the passion for riding. I (5)get on well with some members so we get together in the mornings, ride around the lake and the old quarter then stop by (6)eatery to have light breakfast. Cycling not only (7)makes my day but also (8)widen my circle of friends. Though youngsters aren't interested in this sport as they have interest in other things like games or social networks, I personally think that it is the best way to(9) keep fit and (10)be as fit as a fiddle
IELTS Speaking Part 3:
How do people in your country spend free time?
Well, I think it depends on personality. People who are active are likely to hang out and spend more time outdoor. They may join in some clubs, make new friends or involve in some social activities to amuse themshelves. On the other hand, introvert people tend to idle away the hours staying indoor and spending quality time with their families
Is there any difference in spending free time now with the past?
Yes, it seems to me that cutting-edge technology has great impact on how people spend their free time. While youngsters in the past spent more time outdoor to play some traditional games, youngsters today play video games or surf the internet . that's why leisure pursuits today make people less active and creative than they used to be
Does this change bring any advantage?
From my point of view, this modification has certain benefits. Browsing the internet allows people to update lastest news freely and conveniently. That's a good way to be in touch with the world. Besides, playing video games isn't only good for mental but also physical health. It helps reducing stress ,depression and boosts the mood. Interactive games are fast-paced so players have to pay fully attention or else they'll lose. That's why players are likely to focus and have better motor skills than normal person
How does finance affect the way people spend free time?
I see finance has profound impact on spending in spare time. While affluent people tend to spend their time playing golf or chilling out at spas, people having low income are likely to spend time at home, watch a movie. The more money we have, the more money we spend so that's why leisure pursuits vary according to finance
Is it important to have a hobby? / Why is it important for people to have free-time activities?
I personally believe that hobby is a remedy for fatigue. Since you choose that activity, it will always give you pleasure and help you to unwind. Even if you indulge in your hobby for a short period of time, you still can feel the difference in your energy level and spirit. While you pursue a hobby, you may discover that you have a talent for something unusual as well which you do not know about so far. One more thing is that it also an a chance to meet amazing people of similar taste when you join in any club
Is it harmful to spend too much time on a hobby?
Yes, I do agree to some extent. While having a hobby allows people to unwind after stressful days, over-indulgence in anything could do more harm than good. Lots of people spend too much time on playing games or going to parities without realizing that they are wasting precious time. For instance, a student spend long hours to play game will lead to bad academic performance at school. So people should balance between their life and hobby
What free-time activities would you like to try in the future?
I suppose it depends on my mood. If I feel energetic, i'd like to have a crack at exciting sports like football to be more flexible and get into shape. On the other hand, I'd like to take up some instrumental music . I find it very relaxing and interesting to play some piece of music when I feel sad
The bar chart shows active participation rates in top ten sports in 1998 and 2005
Band 8.0+Sample:
The given bar chart illustrates the percentage of Canadians actively participating in the ten most popular sports in 1998 and 2005. It is obvious that Golf and Ice hockey were the most common sports in Canada, and the participation rates of most sports declined during the period shown.
As can be seen from the graph, in 1998, Golf was the sport that had the highest participation rate with about 22%, followed by Ice hockey with approximately 18%. However, in 2005, these figures fell to just over 20% and about 17.5%, respectively. In 1998, the percentage of Canadians taking part in Baseball was 17%, which is the third biggest, but this rate dropped significantly by some 10% in 2005.
In addition, in 2005, the proportion of people frequently joining in Tennis, Cycling, Downhill/alpine skiing, Volleyball, Basketball was around 8%, and there were slight decreases of 1 to 2 % in the participation rates of these sports in 2005. Similarly, the figure for swimming also went down from 13% to just over 10%. Finally, soccer was the only sport that witnessed a slight increase from about 9% to 10%.
IELTS Writing Task 2:
International travel has many advantages to both travellers and the country that they visited. Do Advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Band 8.0 Sample Essay:
Travelling abroad certainly exerts several positive influences on tourists as well as the host country. Although there are still drawbacks of international travel, I think its values are more significant.
On the one hand, the downsides of welcoming foreign visitors are varied. Regarding tourists themselves, travel expenses in famous tourist destinations, Venice for example, are expensive, and there are many complicated and tedious prerequisite procedures such as visa application or plane ticket reservation. As for the countries that play host to international tourists, the rise in costs of living may lay much pressure on local people and be a detriment to domestic travel. This is because the growth in the number of tourists from abroad would encourage costs of hotel rooms and other services to increase. People in the neighborhood and domestic visitors would suffer in comparison.
On the other hand, I suppose the benefits of international travel would eclipse those analyzed disadvantages. First, travelers can have numbers of fascinating experiences of exotic cuisine and culture, and they get to see places they have not seen before. A typical example of this is when tourists from other countries come to Vietnam, they would have the opportunity to use chopsticks, enjoy traditional meals and go sightseeing in the countryside. Second, the increased number of foreign people coming to visit another country would evidently enhance tourism industries, contributing greatly to the wealth of that country. If tourists enjoy their trips, they will recommend the destination to their friends or perhaps they will come back in the future.
In conclusion, it appears to me that the merits of international tourism are more notable than its drawbacks.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Some people say that computer games are bad for children by all means, others believe that these games are contributing to children's development. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Band 9.0 Model Essay
Children nowadays spend several hours playing video games; since the last few years these games have become increasingly popular. While some experts think that these games corrupt the brain, some others also feel that computer games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills for their future. This essay shall consider both perspectives and end at a personal approach.
Parents usually complain of their child being addicted to video games, like playing for 2 hours at a stretch, but practically but the time issue is a red herring. This is a normal time for a child to play – video game or otherwise. Another issue is of these games being too violent. Although there's no concrete research linking violent games to violence in real life, common sense says we should limit a child's exposure as such games glamorize violence and are not realistic. Playing video games can be considered to be an addiction or detrimental if it disrupts or compromises other important things in children's life, for instance if they can't concentrate on their homework because of gaming or have no friendships.
When a child plays video games, it gives his brain a real workout. In many video games, the skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking. In shooting games, the character may be running and shooting at the same time, which develops hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills. In strategy games, for example, while developing a city, an unexpected surprise like an enemy attack might emerge. This forces the player to be flexible and quickly change tactics enabling quick thinking and making fast analysis. Because of all these factors, video games are deemed to be more constructive than harming.
In closing, I'd say computer games are contributing to children's development, though in an unconventional sort of way. We cannot deny that we are now living in a high-tech, sophisticated world so an all-out negative attitude towards computer gaming is not reasonable. Level-headedness in such matters can help curb the damaging effects.
Traditional food is undergoing great changes and being replaced by new diets. What do you think are the reasons and what do you think about this phenomenon?
Outline
Identifying the essay type: Give the reasons and your opinion Structuring the essay:
INTRODUCTION
refer to the statement
BODY
Paragraph 1: Give the reasons for this issue
[1] family size is the proper explanation for this change
[2] this dietary shift is also attributable to recent leaps in technology.
[3] the enormous penetration of transnational cartels throughout the developing world is also inextricably linked to this transition.
Paragraph 2: Give your opinion about this issue => Negative consequences
[1] the demise of cultural norms
[2] various ailments such as obesity, cardiovascular and diabetes are exacerbated
CONCLUSION:
Restate your point.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
Our contemporary society has been apparently characterised by the hustle and bustle of our life’s tempo, coinciding with the shift in dietary consumption and energy expenditure. Accordingly, artisanal foods and culinary traditions have been left with little room to cater for modern people’s requirements to their satisfaction. This essay aims to indicate some rationales behind this phenomenon.
First, family size is the proper explanation for this change. Formerly, the large size of families frequently leads to economic sense for one person to devote himself or herself to time-consuming domestic tasks. Yet, an increasing amount of family planning and a following decrease in the fertility rate have paved the way for numerous nuclear families with fewer members, but with higher demands for a better life, compared to the past. Understandably, parents have to earn their living more industriously, and processed foods, therefore, are no doubt substituting decent meals with conventional foods to save their time. Second, this dietary shift is also attributable to recent leaps in technology. Daily tasks that were once laborious engagements are presently far easier with the help of technological advancements, with examples being appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and stoves. Therefore, new diets are taking the place of long-established ways of handling food by a simple press of a button. Further, technology has rendered our lifestyles more sedentary and convenience food is an optimum choice of white collars who are frequently chasing after the clock. Third, the enormous penetration of transnational cartels throughout the developing world is also inextricably linked to this transition. In fact, the liberalisation of foreign investment, the commercialization, and the saturation of Western markets have pushed domestic companies into other foreign locales. Also, improvements in the logistics and procurement systems employed by supermarkets have allowed them to compete, on cost, with the more typical outlets in locals – the small mom-and-pop stores and wet markets for fruits, vegetables, and all other products.
There are myriad of negative consequences. First, the demise of cultural norms will be inevitable. Specific techniques and practices would die out with our ancestors as they have no one in the younger generations to take up their craft. Moreover, various ailments such as obesity, cardiovascular and diabetes are exacerbated in our society.
Overall, I reckon that this phenomenon is triggered by many factors and has put our modern society in jeopardy. However, we should take full advantage of each kind of food, and to grasp all negative impacts of new diets to ensure our better life.
Useful vocabulary
The hustle and bustle of our life’s tempo
Dietary consumption and energy expenditure
Artisanal foods and culinary traditions
Economic sense for one person
Paved the way for
The enormous penetration of transnational cartels
The liberalisation of foreign investment
Commercialization
The demise of cultural norms
Hope you can find this post intriguing. Try to practice writing every day to improve your writing skills. You can find more tips and lessons about the IELTS test on ieltsmaterial.com. Don’t forget “Practice makes perfect”.
I've been living here since I was born. I grow up with this place along with my parents. I have lots of joyful memories here
3. Do you want to live there in the future?
Yes, of course. I have friends and family beside me so I always feel welcomed here. I visit lots of beautiful cities but this place is my home so I still want to be here
4. What do you think about the transportation there?
Honestly, I think the the transportation is far from satisfactory. Lots of vehicles travelling on road everyday so the road is getting more and more crowded. The infrastructure is out of date and some roads don't have signpost. The transport system works ineffectively due to those reasons
5. What do you often do at the weekend?
I usually grab some coffee at a vintage coffee shop that is near my house. whenever I be there, the tranquility of this place makes me feel so relaxing.it's good place to unwind and get away from the noisy of the city
How often do you go to the cinema?
I go there quite often, sometimes with my friends or go alone.I love the excitement when watching a movie on the big screen. So whenever there is a movie released, I hardly miss one
7. What kind of movie do you like?
I'm keen on comedy movie. It is funny and has excellent story-line. The cast is well-acted, with lots of charismatic celebrities . it's always my choice when I go to the cinema
8. Do you like sport?
To be honest, I'm not a sporty girl. I don't spend much time to play sport as I feel so bored and time-consuming. I'm always covered in sweat while playing so sport isn't my thing
9. What kind of sport do you play?
I play lots of sports, indoor or outdoor but football is my most favorite one. It was a compulsory subject at my school. I didn't like it at first but then it really grew on me. I feel flexible and comfortable when playing soccer so I spend time everyday to practice it
10. Do you want to be a professional athlete in the future?
No, I don't. I just play sport to keep fit and strengthen the health. If I want to be a professional athlete, I have to practice hard every single day. Besides, it's very stressful job as I have to compete continuously and travel all the time. So that's why I just play sport for fun
IELTS Speaking Part 2
Describe a special meal that you remember having.
You should say:
where you had the meal
who you were with
when you had it
and explain why it was a special meal to you.
SAMPLE ANSWER:
I still remember the birthday party that I had when I'm 25. I came back to my country after 3 years (1) studying master degree in Australia. When I arrived at the airport, I (2) visualized that there would be lots of people welcoming me so I (3) rushed to home . All of my best friends and families were at home and surprised me with flowers and presents. That night, my mom cooked lots of my favorite food like pizza, mushroon risotto. It was a long time since I ate traditional food so I (4)tucked in every dish happily. I had this food in Australia but the taste wasn't as tasty as in my hometown. The flavor, the smell (5) evoked of memories that I had before . That was the best meal in my life as everything was (6) mouth-watering and fresh. The meal is so special to me as it is a reunion after a long time and I still feel touching whenever I think about it. I was(7) over the moon because of their affection for me. It was(8) a night to remember as we chatted about many things and took lots of photos to (9) capture that moment. The memory still (10)brings tears to my eyes and it's the best meal in my life
study master degree
visualize
rush to
tuck in
evoke of memories
mouth-watering
over the moon
a night to remember
capture that moment
brings tears to sb's eyes
IELTS Speaking Part 3
Do you think people prefer indoor or outdoor activities?
Well, I guess it depends on the age. The youngsters are likely to flock to fitness centres where supplied with cutting-edge facilities. It's easy to track their workout and there are trainers helping them with exercises. On the other hand, outdoor activities are much more favorable to the elderly.They can do exercise anytime at the park without any charge. Outdoor activities allow old people to be closer to nature so they will work out harder and be as fit as a fiddle
flock to
cutting-edge facilities
track sb's workout
closer to nature
be as fit as a fiddle: strong
Nowadays, the youngsters tend to take part in risky sports. What do you think about this?
I personally believe that dangerous sports have both pros and cons. The thrilling of the sports stimulates youngsters to (1) step out of their comfort zone and challenge themshelves. Besides, fortune favours the brave so that's why at boxing matches, the winners receive lots of money .(2)Adventurers develop self-confidence and become more mature than their(3) fellows. However, (4)everything comes with price tag so (5)the juniors face many(6) life-threatening consequences like injury or even death. They have to (7) follow strict safety rules to (8)defend themshelves. I think that this trend is becoming more and more popular in the future
step out of their comfort zone
fortune favours the brave
Adventurer
Fellow
everything comes with price tag
the junior
life-threatening
follow strict safety rules
defend
Men are likely to join in risky sports than women. Why do you think this happen?
In my opinion, different gender have different interest. Women tend to take part in some gentle physical activities like doing yoga. On the other hand, men love living on the edge and pushing their limit with boxing, rock climbing. While men are born with adventurous spirit and carefree, women are likely to be prudent and wary. It takes guts to join risky sports so it's suitable for men as they have passion to overcome natural barriers.
– What is your full name? – Can I see your ID? – Where are you from? – Do you work or study?
Audio for Part 1
Do you use a dictionary?
Yes, I use a dictionary, but usually an online one. As the world is becoming more technologically advanced, I think it's more convenient to use an online dictionary rather than a paper book. However, when I do not have access to the internet, a dictionary is still very useful. I think it is important to check a dictionary instead of use a translator to search for new words, considering sometimes google translate is incorrect. I could not live without a dictionary!
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Which kinds of dictionaries do you prefer to use?
Firstly, I prefer to use an online dictionary for convenience. I'm a fan of one online dictionary called Word Reference because it shows you many different instances to use the word. For example, it shows all meanings of that particular word, and shows you phrases with that word as well. I think this is incredibly important as many English words have several meanings. Also, you can check the thesaurus to see synonyms. Word Reference gives you the whole picture!
Do you think a dictionary is useful?
Yes, of course dictionaries are useful. Many times people only look up the translation of the word into their own mother tongue, but I think this is sometimes ineffective. There are some words that simply do not have a translation! I believe it's better to look up the word in other words in the target language, as well as see examples of how the word is used. I believe after doing this, you are more likely to use the world correctly in real life.
If someone gave you a dictionary as a gift, how would you feel?
To be honest, I would be happy if someone gave me a dictionary as a gift as I appreciate all gifts, but I have to say that I would prefer another gift. Sure, a dictionary is useful and could help me learn new things, but I would prefer new clothes, for example. If someone gave me new clothes, I would be jumping with joy because I'm a student and I don’t have much money to spend on clothes. Furthermore, I'm really into fashion! If someone gave me a dictionary, I would be grateful, but perhaps not as excited as I would be for new clothes.
Do you think it would be interesting to be part of a team that is writing a dictionary?
To be honest, I don't think it would be interesting to be part of a dictionary writing team. As I'm a teacher, I would not be interested in this type of work. Firstly, I think it would be boring to sit down all day writing! Secondly. I would dislike this type of work because I am a very creative, hands-on type of person. I feel a lot of joy when I create interesting lessons for students and then do this lesson with them in person and have fun! Dictionary writing is certainly not for me!
Audio for Part 2 & 3
IELTS Speaking Part Two
Describe your favorite song. You should say:
What this song is about
When you listened to this song for the first time
How often you listen to this song
And explain why you think it is your favorite
Band 9 Sample Answer
My favorite song is "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman. This song is about the "American Dream" that is sought after by many people. The singer recounts her childhood struggles, such as her father's drinking and working day in and day out at a convenience store for little money. At the end of the song, she escapes her family problems and she and her boyfriend go into the city to seek a better life, and perhaps achieve the American Dream they they’ve been hoping for. I listened to this song for the first time in the 90's when I was a child; it takes me on a ride back to the good old days. The funny thing is that the first time I heard it, I thought it was a man singing because the woman has a very deep voice! However, I think the depth of her voice adds to this catchy song. Nowadays, I listen to this song about once a week. I think this song is my favorite because of the singer's voice, and the story is just so captivating. When I listen to this song, I can put myself in her shoes and imagine the hardships she has been through. At the end of the song, I feel hopeful that they will find the better life that they are seeking. This song is timeless!
IELTS Speaking Part 3
Why do you think that some local singers or musicians aren't as successful as some from other countries?
I think that fame is sometimes simply the luck of the draw. I think those born in United States or other developed countries who play a large role in pop culture are the ones who find success more easily. I think it's unfair that some are born with privileges that will eventually lead them to fame and wealth. For example, as you see, many famous singers are those who were already born rich or with famous parents. Sadly, it's all about who you know!
Do you think the Internet has affected the music industry? In what ways?
I definitely agree that internet has greatly affected the music industry. For one, I'm sure that some artists have lost money due to illegal internet downloads. Secondly, now artists are exposed to the world much more easily. In this cyber era, we have so much information at the click of a mouse. I'm sure that it is much easier to get your name out there nowadays. I wonder if the famous will become even more famous!
Do you think there will be further changes in the music industry in the future?
As with all things, I believe that the music industry will definitely continue to change. I see that nowadays music is relying more on electronic devices rather than human hands, like in the olden days. I think that nowadays someone doesn't even need to pick up an instrument to be a musician. I firmly believe that the music industry will become more reliant on technology.
Do you think the music young people listen to in your country is becoming more globalized? Why/Why not?
My answer is a definite yes. Nowadays, young people are jamming out to American hits as well as Kpop. American hits have always been globalizing, and continue to globalize at an incredible rate. I think that almost every person can sing along to many American hits! Furthermore, Kpop is becoming a phenomenon for teens around Asia, and perhaps will continue to reach hearts around the globe.
Nowadays, most large companies operate multi-nationally. To what extent those companies should have responsibility towards local communities in which they operate?
Band 8.0 Sample Essay
In the globalisation process, a variety of organisations run on an international scale. However, I believe that these firms should not forget to place more of an emphasis on contributing to the development of the local societies where they are located in several aspects.
The first responsibility that the multinational companies should take is to preserve the local environment. Companies of any size would exert negative influence on the region’s air and water quality by running factories, disposing of waste to the waterworks or simply using airconditioners. Therefore, it is encouraged that they are active in placing restrictions on the level of the contaminants released and endeavouring to operate on an environmentally friendly basis.
Second of all, paying tax on schedule is also an obligation. The tax money is used to upgrade the public constructions and regulate the socio-economic activities, thus facilitate people’s life. Accordingly, not paying tax properly, the companies not only violate the national laws, but also indirectly deprive the inhabitants of a wide range of benefits they are well-deserved to reap.
Finally, the major global companies can support the regional communities by creating jobs. Provided with career opportunities at a firm near their homes, the workers can not only save time and money for traveling but also find it easier to take care of their family. In a broader view, this action helps reduce the unemployment rate at the area, which boosts the local economic development in the long run.
In conclusion, I believe that helping the local communities thrive should be considered a must for the international organisations, and there are many ways to implement the task.
The bar chart illustrates how many people were imprisoned in five different countries over a period of 50 years.
Overall, it is clear that the prison population fluctuated in most of the countries shown. The only consistent trend was in Britain, where the number of prisoners increased steadily.
In 1930, the number of prisoners in Britain was only 30,000, which was significantly lower than in the other countries. However, the number grew steadily, reaching over 80,000 in 1980. In contrast, Canada had the highest prison population in 1930 with 120,000 inmates. Despite fluctuations, the figure declined over the period to 90,000 in 1980.
Prisoner numbers in the USA were generally high, although the figures fluctuated. They rose from 100,000 in 1930 to 130,000 ten years later, but by 1980 they reached a peak of almost 140,000. In 1930, the prison population in New Zealand also numbered 100,000, but the number then fell dramatically by half by 1950, before increasing to over 80,000 in 1980. Finally, while there were 70,000 prisoners in Australia in 1930, the number went down to about 40,000 in 1950. However, in 1970 the figure rose again to 65,000 before falling to just 50,000 in 1980.
In the future, it seems it will be more difficult to live on the Earth. Some people think more money should be spent on researching other planets to live, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Band 9 Model Answer:
It is true that, if present trends continue, it will become increasingly difficult to sustain human life on Earth. While I agree that it is vital to tackle this problem, I believe that expenditure on research for new planets to colonise should be given a low priority, and resources must be used to find other, more practical solutions.
There are two major reasons why life on Earth is becoming more and more unsustainable. One obvious problem is the uncontrolled consumption of natural resources, which are being depleted as a result. For instance, the extraction of fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil, to satisfy growing energy demands has serious environmental impacts, and these resources will eventually run out. Another concern is the rising level of pollution worldwide, of the land, the oceans and the air that we breathe. In Vietnam, for example, thousands of tonnes of industrial rubbish have been released illegally into rivers, killing aquatic life and contaminating drinking water.
However, I would argue that the search for a new planet on which humans could survive is a waste of valuable resources. Firstly, a vast amount of funding would be required to finance such space exploration, with no guarantee of success. This money is needed now to improve health services globally and to provide a better education for all. Secondly, financial resources should be used to develop advanced technologies that would be more environmentally-friendly and provide renewable energy. In the field of transport, to take a simple example, vehicles can now be converted to run on hydrogen or even waste cooking oil – as McDonald's have done with their trucks.
In conclusion, I consider that the search for new planets on which to settle is a waste of time and resources, and efforts should be concentrated on living more sustainably here on Earth.
( 303 words )
Vocabulary:
Sustain Colonise A low priority Unsustainable Depleted Extraction Run out Aquatic life Contaminating Guarantee Environmentally friendly Renewable energy Converted Settle
Voyage has cleared a regulatory hurdle that will allow the company to expand its self-driving service from the private roads of a retirement community in San Jose, Calif. to public roads throughout the rest of the state.
The California Public Utilities Commission issued a permit Monday that gives Voyage permission to transport passengers in its self-driving vehicles on the state’s public roads. The permit, which is part of the state's Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service pilot, puts Voyage in a new and growing group of companies seeking to expand beyond traditional AV testing. Aurora, AutoX, Cruise, Pony.ai, Zoox and Waymo have all received permits to participate in the CPUC's Drivered Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service Pilot program.
The permit also puts Voyage on a path toward broader commercialization.
The company was operating six autonomous vehicles — always with a human safety driver behind the wheel — in The Villages, a community of more than 4,000 residents in San Jose, Calif. (Those activities have been suspended temporarily under a statewide stay-at-home order prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.) Voyage also operates in a 40-square-mile, 125,000-resident retirement city in central Florida.
Voyage didn’t need a CPUC permit because the community is made up of private roads, although CEO Oliver Cameron said the company wanted to adhere to state rules regardless of any technicalities. Voyage was also motivated by a grander ambition to transport residents of The Villages to destinations outside of the community.
“We want to bring people to all the things that live outside The Villages, facilities like hospitals and grocery stores,” Voyage CEO Oliver Cameron told TechCrunch in an interview Monday.
Voyage’s strategy was to start with retirement communities — places with specific customer demand and a simpler surrounding environment. The demographic that Voyage serves has an average age of 70. The aim isn’t to change its customer base. Instead, Cameron wants to expand the company’s current operational design domain to give Voyage a bigger reach.
The end goal is for Voyage’s core customers — people Cameron dubs power users — to be able to use the service for everything from heading to a neighbor’s house for dinner to shopping, doctor’s visits and even the airport.
Announcement time! We recently received a CPUC permit granting permission to move CA residents in driverless cars.
The CPUC authorized in May 2018 two pilot programs for transporting passengers in autonomous vehicles. The first one, called the Drivered Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service Pilot program, allows companies to operate a ride-hailing service using autonomous vehicles as long as they follow specific rules. Companies are not allowed to charge for rides, a human safety driver must be behind the wheel and certain data must be reported quarterly.
The second CPUC pilot would allow driverless passenger service — although no company has yet to obtain that permit.
Under the permit, Voyage can’t charge for rides. However, there might be some legal wiggle room. Voyage can technically charge for rides within The Villages; in fact, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic-related shutdown, the company had started charging for a ride-hailing service.
Rides outside of The Villages would have to be free, although it’s unclear if the company could charge for mileage or time until the vehicle left the community.
Voyage has aspirations to take this further. The company is also applying for a traditional Transportation Charter Permit, which is required for limousine, bus and other third-party charter services. Cameron said the company had to go through the stringent application process for the CPUC’s Drivered AV permit first.
The CPUC programs shouldn’t be confused with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which regulates and issues permits for testing autonomous vehicles on public roads — always with a safety driver. There are 65 companies that hold autonomous vehicle testing permits issued by the DMV. Companies that want to participate in the CPUC program must have a testing permit with the DMV.
Over the weekend, Silicon Valley leader Marc Andreessen broke his usual silence and gave some advice to Silicon Valley: It's time to build. The famed investor urged CEOs, entrepreneurs and investors alike to welcome new companies into their circles.
The blog post details high-flying pieces of advice that could each land in a unique angle depending on where you sit. But as venture capitalists rush to prove they are open for business, the true test these days is a bit more grounded: cut checks and signed term sheets.
The words are eerily similar to the thesis of NextView Ventures, a Boston-based venture capital firm, and its new remote accelerator program, announced today.
"During this current COVID crisis, we have seen many VCs publicly saying that they are 'open for business,' but we wanted to put our money where our mouth is," according to partner David Beisel.
Using money earmarked from its current fund, NextView will invest $200,000 for an 8% stake in fewer than 10 pre-seed and seed startups. The program will be fully virtual and is investing in founders that drive change in the "everyday lives of everyday people."
Rob Go, the co-founder of NextView, tweeted about the launch today.
3. Startups looking to redesign the everyday lives of everyday people often look a little whacky and non-traditional. They aren't your typical enterprise SAAS sold to IT departments. Most VC's appetite for these kinds of companies will go down during this pandemic. But not ours.
The firm also publicly said what it didn't like about traditional accelerator programs, like big batch sizes and flashy demo days.
"Accelerators were at their best when they were small and intimate. YC's initial batch was just eight companies," Beisel said about the small number of participants. "But over time, accelerators became more of a numbers game."
Beisel added, "traditional accelerator demo days originated as a way to showcase startups to follow-on investors, but eventually evolved into an elaborate show attempting to satisfy many constituents."
Still, an unavoidable truth about demo days is that it connects startups to founders and ideally that first check. What happens to deal success when you don't have a buzzy room of journalists, venture capitalists and bright lights on founder faces?
After YC and 500 Startups hosted their first-ever virtual demo days this year, we've heard grumblings of mixed results. Y Combinator last week changed from always investing in YC graduates to reviewing on a case by case basis, hinting at conservatism within the accelerator.
NextView also approaches post-accelerator funding conservatively. The firm says it will connect its small cohort to next-round investors, but will "intentionally not lead the next round of financing." The firm is being upfront about its choice to not lead follow-on investing to "avoid potential signaling issues for future financings." The company will participate with at least pro-rata for all companies in any subsequent round of financing to help the cohort.
An optimistic read of this decision is that NextView is viewing its accelerator as a separate function of its investment firm and wants to be more of a helper than a robust pipeline for deal flow. Alternatively, it could mean that the firm doesn't want to over-promise capital in an unpredictable time for the economy. And in the chance that it does find a gem within this batch, it would be surprising for NextView to not invest in the company.
The bottom line is that NextView is launching an accelerator and investing in startups during a time when many are not. So while we'll wait to see how successful the firm is in cultivating young startups with ripe returns, for now it's building. And in today's new normal, building is a welcome sign.
Vestiaire Collective just closed another big round of funding in the middle of an economic crisis — the round closed in early April. The startup raised $64.2 million (€59 million) and the company has raised more than $240 million over the year, according to Crunchbase. Vestiaire Collective operates a marketplace of pre-owned fashion items. Users can both sell and buy clothes and accessories on the platform.
There's a huge list of investors in today's round — Korelya Capital, Fidelity International-managed funds, Vaultier7, Cuit Invest and existing investors Eurazeo (Eurazeo Growth and Idinvest Venture funds), Bpifrance, Vitruvian Partners, Condé Nast, Luxury Tech Fund and Vestiaire Collective CEO Max Bittner are all participating.
With 9 million members across 90 countries, Vestiaire Collective has become a huge marketplace. And it makes sense that an e-commerce website focused on pre-owned items is working well. There has been a ton of backlash against fast fashion over the past few years.
People now also value circular business models as it becomes more affordable to refresh your wardrobe, especially during an economic crisis, and it is better for the environment.
As always, Vestiaire Collective will use the new influx of cash to expand to more countries. In particular, with Korelya Capital as a new backer, the company will expand to South Korea and Japan this year. While the company started in France, 80% of transactions are now cross-border transactions.
Originally, Vestiaire Collective asked you to send your items to its warehouses to check them before putting them on sale. The startup has been betting on direct shipping from the seller to the buyer in Europe and it has been working well. You can get reimbursed if there's something wrong with what you ordered though.
Direct shipping has been available in Europe since September 2019 and it now represents over 50% of orders in the region. Up next, Vestiaire Collective will introduce direct shipping in the U.S. this summer and in Asia by the end of 2020.
A lot of startups have answered the call for more personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essentials to support healthcare workers in their efforts to curb the spread and impact of COVID-19. One of those is direct-to-consumer 3D-printed eyewear brand Fitz, which is employing its custom-fit glasses technology to build protective, prescription specs for front-line healthcare workers in need of the best protection they can get.
Fitz Protect is a version of Fitz’s eyewear that uses the same custom measurement tool Fitz created for use via its iOS app, made possible by Apple’s depth-sensing Face ID camera on newer iPhones and all iPad Pro models. The app allows virtual try-on, and provides millimeter-level accurate measurements for a custom fit. Protect is a version of the glasses that still supports a wide range of prescriptions, but that also extends further like safety glasses to provide more coverage and guard against errant entry of any fluids through the eyes.
Healthcare professionals are doing what they can to ensure their face, mouth, nose and eyes are protected from any coughs, sneezes or other droplet-spreading activity from COVID-19 patients that could pass on the infection. These measures have more broadly focused on face shields that feature a single transparent plastic sheet, and N95 masks (and alternatives when not available) to protect the mouth and nose.
Fitz CEO Gabriel Schlumberger explained via email that the design for Fitz Protect came from working front-line doctors and nurses from New York, LA and Texas who were all looking for something to source prescription protective eyewear.
“More than 60% of doctors are glasses wearers, and current guidance is for them to stop wearing contact lenses,” Schlumberger explained, adding that Fitz Protect is also designed to be worn in conjunction with a face shield, when that’s an available option, to provide yet another layer of defense.
“We heard from prescription glasses wearers that their standard glasses didn’t provide anywhere near adequate coverage, especially over the eyebrows, and in some cases they were adding cardboard cut-outs,” he said. “We leveraged our existing system to create something much better. ”
Fitz’s model also helps on the pricing side because it’s already designed to be an aggressively cost-competitive offering when compared to traditional prescription eyewear. Their glasses typically retail for just $95 including frames, lenses and shipping, and are also offered in a $185 per year unlimited frame membership plan. For doctors, nurses and hospital staff, the entire cost of Fitz Protect is being waived, and the company is seeking donations to help offset its own manufacturing costs, which currently stand at around $100 per set, though process improvements should bring that down, according to Schlumberger, as they expand availability.
Already, he said that nearly 3,000 healthcare professionals have signed up to receive a pair in their first week of availability, so they’re working on adding scale to keep up with the unexpected demand.
Could the coronavirus crisis — and the way different countries have responded — make Silicon Valley VCs more bullish on European startups? That’s the thesis put forward by Salman Ullah, co-founder and managing director of Merus Capital.
As COVID-19 spreads globally, he argues that countries with national healthcare — along with fiscal and monetary policies that balance the interests of citizens versus those of corporations — are better positioned to navigate the pandemic.
More broadly, investors prefer to invest in stable and resilient economies, and resilience depends on the ability of governments to respond to a crisis, let alone one on such an unprecedented scale. For investors, the strength of national infrastructure and political institutions in many European countries is a net positive — and a stark contrast to Trump’s U.S.
Germany, where Merus has already made several investments, is cited as an example of a European country that has become more attractive to Silicon Valley investors in recent years. Not only is the cost of starting up in Germany lower, but Ullah argues there’s been a “cultural shift” amongst young people who now view startups as a viable career path, while the coronavirus crisis — and the German government’s response — is making ecosystems such as Berlin and Munich even more attractive.
“Your dollar goes much further in Europe, rents are lower, everyone gets free healthcare, essentially,” says Ullah during a call. “And the level of education and expertise in computer science in particular is no better or worse than in the U.S. And I think the pandemic has just kind of reinforced that.”
In a time of such uncertainly and the economic shock that comes with that, Ullah notes that in European countries like Germany, citizens aren’t worried about the personal cost of healthcare. He also points to the way German finance minister Olaf Scholz has pledged unlimited credit for businesses affected by the pandemic alongside an expansion of its short-time work scheme, which gives support for companies that are forced to reduce working hours of their employees.
Uber argued in a recent court filing that former employee Anthony Levandowski committed fraud, an action that frees the company from any obligation to pay his legal bills, including a judgment ordering the star engineer to pay Google $179 million.
Uber’s fraud claim was part of its response to Levandowski’s motion to compel the ride-hailing company into arbitration in the hopes that his former employee will have to shoulder the cost of the $179 million judgment against him. The motion to compel arbitration, and now Uber’s response, is part of Levandowski's bankruptcy proceedings. It's the latest chapter in a legal saga that has entangled Uber and Waymo, the former Google self-driving project that is now a business under Alphabet.
In this latest court filing, Uber has agreed to arbitration. However, Uber also pushed back against Levandowski’s primary aim to force the company to stand by an indemnity agreement. Uber signed an indemnity agreement in 2016 when it acquired Levandowski's self-driving truck startup Otto. Under the agreement, Uber said it would indemnify — or compensate — Levandowski against claims brought by his former employer, Google.
Uber said it rescinded the indemnification agreement several months prior to the inception of Levandowski's bankruptcy case “because it was procured by his fraud,” according to the court filing. Uber revoked the indemnification agreement after Levandowski was indicted by a federal grand jury with 33 counts of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets while working at Google, where he was an engineer and one of the founding members of the group that worked on Google's self-driving car project.
Uber notified Levandowski’s counsel on August 30, three days after the indictment, explaining that the indemnification agreement was rescinded “because it had been procured by Levandowski’s fraud, including his fraudulent concealment of the facts alleged in the indictment.”
Levandowski reached a plea deal in March 2020 with the U.S. District Attorney: one count of stealing trade secrets while working at Google.
Uber said it never received any benefits from Levandowski under the indemnification agreement, and had nothing to return to him as a result of the rescission, the company said in the court filing.
Levandowski’s attorney pushed back at Uber’s argument.
"Uber's assertion that Anthony did not disclose material information to Uber is false,” Levandowski’s attorney Neel Chatterjee said in an emailed statement sent to TechCrunch. “The accusations Uber makes is premised on information they obtained as part of the due diligence process. This is the latest in a string of meritless theories Uber has set forth to try to get out of the deal it struck because it did not like the outcome.”
Levi’s is leveraging its advertising partnership with TikTok to connect online shoppers with the denim brand amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced retailers to close their doors — including most of Levi’s own stores. The company announced today its success as one of the first retailers to use TikTok’s “Shop Now” buttons that allow consumers to make purchases through links posted to TikTok. Though the implementation is still in the early stages, Levi’s says it has already seen high engagement and increased traffic to its website, as a result of initial tests.
To send traffic to its e-commerce site, Levi’s recently partnered with TikTok influencers Callen Schaub, Cosette Rinab, Gabby Morrison and Everett Williams, who used Levis’ laser-powered Future Finish 3-D denim customization technology to create their own customized denim. While the collaboration itself began before the shelter-in-place orders rolled out across the U.S., the resulting videos were only posted last week.
TikTok users viewing the influencers’ videos, which appeared on TikTok as in-feed ads, could then click to buy the same design on Levi.com up until the experiment wrapped on April 19.
Levi’s reports that watch time for these videos were twice as long as the TikTok platform average:
In addition, Levi’s notes that product views to Levi.com’s “Future Finish” pages more than doubled for every product included in the experience.
Though these are not hard numbers, few retailers have yet to share the results of their TikTok-powered social commerce efforts. In fact, the “Shop Now” call-to-action button itself is fairly new, so only a handful of advertisers have used the option to date.
TikTok is not the first social network the Levi’s brand has worked with — it also has similar partnerships with top social platforms like Snap, Instagram and Pinterest. However, the company said it was drawn to TikTok due the size of its audience, noting that in November 2018 TikTok was then seeing 680 million monthly active users worldwide, and is now estimated to have as high as 800 million. Levi’s also noted that nearly 60% of that user base is in between the ages of 16 to 24.
TikTok, meanwhile, has been dabbling in social commerce for over a year through a variety of efforts.
For example, AdWeek in April 2019 reported on Hollister’s participation in a program that allowed retailers to run in-feed ads that directed customers to its e-commerce site by a “Shop Now” button. And Digiday last July noted Poshmark had done the same. In August 2019, Kroger became the first brand to try a new Hashtag Challenge Plus feature, which added a shoppable component to a TikTok hashtag.
Last November, TikTok also began to allow some TikTok users to add e-commerce links to their posts and their bios. Many of the beta participants testing this feature began linking from their video directly to Amazon, The WSJ reported at the time.
In the case of the Levi’s influencer program, the videos from the creators ran as in-feed ads, linked to the retailer’s website. Some influencers also included a Levi’s website link in their bio, but this is separate from the advertiser-facing feature (see photo on right).
“TikTok was the perfect platform for us to expand our efforts in social commerce. Over the last decade, we've been on a journey to not only grow our digital footprint, but also help our fans buy our products at the point of inspiration, when they see something they love,” said Brady Stewart, managing director, U.S. Direct to Consumer, in a statement about the TikTok partnership. “As consumer behavior shifts over the coming months and people explore different online channels for shopping and engaging with brands, we are here to connect with consumers, wherever they are,” he added.
The line between social media and commerce has been blurring for years, thanks to influencer-fueled advertising, in-feed ad units, shoppable media and more. Instagram today even lets you shop from some retailers without leaving its app. Meanwhile, Facebook’s Marketplace has turned into an eBay and Craigslist-sized rival and its business Pages help customers and brands connect in a number of ways.
TikTok, however, has only dipped a toe in the water of social commerce as of yet. But given its app’s sizable reach, particularly among Gen Z, it’s an area to watch. And as the pandemic forces more retailers to remain closed to foot traffic in stores, being able to attract young shoppers to their online shops will be more valuable than ever.
A new study conducted by the University of Southern California along with the LA County Department of Public Health indicates the presence of antibodies for COVID-19 in between 2.8 and 5.6% of the population of LA County, suggesting that between 221,000 and 442,000 individuals had the infection — up to 55 times more people than have been confirmed via testing. This is the second antibody study in a short span of time in California that suspects infections are far more widespread than previously thought, and a good justification for continued social distancing measures.
The LA County study does contain some good news, if the antibody testing proves to be accurate (we aren’t entirely sure what they show for sure at this point, especially in terms of immunity), in that the mortality rate of the infection is actually much lower than the official diagnosed case data would suggest. The infection rate found via antibody testing through the USC study is also remarkably close to the rate found in a Stanford study published last week about the number of infections in Santa Clara County, which found that between 48,000 and 81,000 people in that part of California could’ve had and recovered from the infection.
Whereas the LA study found around 2.8 to 5.6% had antibodies, accounting for the margin of error and extrapolating from results to the entire population, the Stanford research found between 2.5 and 4.2% of residents carry antibodies for the infection. Those numbers are based on the test kits’ performance, as well as the demographic makeup of the sample population tested.
Neither new research papers have yet been peer-reviewed, so it’s worth taking them with a grain of salt. But the close alignment between the numbers in both, along with early results from similar studies being conducted globally, does seem to suggest that the number of actual cases of COVID-19 far undershoots the published numbers, which typically only include confirmed diagnoses — most of which represent individuals showing moderate to severe symptoms.
The higher rate of undetected infection definitely should not be taken as a sign that COVID-19 is less serious than it appeared, however; this new info only means that its transmission from people who showed no outward symptoms and subsequently never sought any medical care or were identified for quarantine or contact tracing is probably a lot higher than anyone guessed.
That means social distancing measures are more important than ever, as it’s likely harder than ever to identify who might be a passive carrier of the virus that leads to COVID-19 without realizing it. Eventually, understanding the nature of the spread should help with refining measures to avoid the greatest potential risks of exposure, but for now, this new info just means that COVID-19 is much more effective at moving through a population without raising early warning signs than we previously understood.
COVID-19 commanded an understandably outsized presence in Jeff Bezos's annual shareholder letter last week. The Amazon exec laid out the company's plans for addressing the pandemic on a number of different levels, including building a testing lab for employees, along "with regular testing of all Amazonians, including those showing no symptoms."
It has become a given that Amazon would test employees exhibiting fever and other COVID-19 symptoms. The company is, after all, one of the primary retail backbones for the U.S. and a number of other countries. And while the World Health Organization has stated that it doesn't believe the virus can be transmitted via parcels, the virus has the potential to spread extremely quickly within a warehouse.
The notion of testing employees who don't exhibit symptoms has been a less pressing question, however, due in no small part to the limited availability of testing kits. But as the WHO, CDC and other organizations have made abundantly clear, it's entirely possible to carry the virus while remaining asymptomatic — a fact that's made the novel coronavirus all the more scary.
Once testing becomes more readily available, it will be important to determine whether employers can, in fact, mandate testing, regardless of whether employees exhibit symptoms. There are important matters of both public safety and personal sovereignty to take into account.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has been actively updating guidance for employers under the Americans with Disabilities Act:
The EEO laws, including the ADA and Rehabilitation Act, continue to apply during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they do not interfere with or prevent employers from following the guidelines and suggestions made by the CDC or state/local public health authorities about steps employers should take regarding COVID-19. Employers should remember that guidance from public health authorities is likely to change as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. Therefore, employers should continue to follow the most current information on maintaining workplace safety.
Among the updated issues to deal with the pandemic is screening, which includes a temperature check. "During a pandemic, ADA-covered employers may ask such employees if they are experiencing symptoms of the pandemic virus," the EEOC continues. "For COVID-19, these include symptoms such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat. Employers must maintain all information about employee illness as a confidential medical record in compliance with the ADA."
We put the question to Tricia Bozyk Sherno, counsel at Debevoise & Plimpton, who focuses on employment and general commercial litigation.
"For current employees, a medical inquiry or exam is permitted for current employees only if the employer has a reasonable belief that a particular employee will provide a 'direct threat' due to a medical condition," Sherno explains. "For new employees, the ADA permits employers to conduct medical examinations after a conditional offer of employment is made, but before an individual begins working, provided that all employees in the same job category must be subject to the same examination requirement. The primary 'medical examination' considered by the existing EEOC guidance is temperature measurements. Available guidance does not yet address COVID-19 testing."
The current rules around testing aren't entirely clear under current guidelines, but expect that to continue to evolve as testing becomes more widely available and state governments begin to loosen stay-at-home restrictions. We can likely expect that the guidance will no longer apply once the pandemic is no longer deemed a threat. What remains consistent under ADA guidelines, however, is the illegality of firing an individual over a condition like COVID-19.
"The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with a disability and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for such individuals," says Sherno. "Local and state laws may also provide additional protections for impacted employees."
Facebook confirmed this week that it will be pulling down a number of posts promoting stay-at-home protests. CNN was the first to report the news, which finds the social media giant pulling down events in a variety of different states, including California, Nebraska and New Jersey.
The news follows a spike in events across the country, as people have gathered to protest stay-at-home orders issued to combat the spread of COVID-19. Facebook confirmed that it has begun pulling some protests, citing defiance of state guidelines.
A spokesperson for the site told TechCrunch, “Unless government prohibits the event during this time, we allow it to be organized on Facebook. For this same reason, events that defy government’s guidance on social distancing aren't allowed on Facebook .”
The company's actions will vary from location to location and event to event, determining whether they are in violation of specific guidance. A spokesperson told CNN they are working with state governments in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to determine whether to pull events. Among other determinations are whether protests call for social distancing among attendees where required.
Pictures from protests have become some of the most defining imagery over the past week, as attendees risk their health and the health of others in hopes of returning to some sense of normalcy a month in. Kentucky, notably, has seen a record number of COVID-19 cases following local protests.
“They seem to be very responsible people to me," President Trump said of protesters during a press conference Friday, "but they've been treated a little bit rough."
A new project designed to help address the growing need for ventilator hardware in order to treat the most serious cases of COVID-19 achieved an important milestone today, getting FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its units to be used and scaled for production. The hardware, dubbed “Spiro Wave,” is an emergency automated resuscitator that can be produced for less than $5,000, and that a team of engineers, doctors and researchers has already begun producing and delivering to care facilities.
The Spiro Wave essentially replicates the functionality of a manual resuscitator, a portable device that is typically operated manually to provide ventilation to emergency patients in case of emergency, but it automated the process, while still working with the same types of bags that are typically used with the manual version for easier sourcing of supplies.
Spiro Wave is based on MIT’s open-source E-Vent prototype design, which was created by researchers at the institution as one way to alleviate the shortage that resulted from the COVID-19 crisis. From that design, the team behind Spiro Wave, which includes the co-founders of Newlab, 10XBeta and Boyce Technologies, were able to go from design to production of their emergency ventilator in just a few weeks.
Manufacturing partner Boyce says that it can hopefully ramp production to as many as 500 per day, at its Long Island City production facility in Queens, and the first few hundred are already shipping out to facilities in NYC starting this week. The team is also now looking for international production scaling assistance with partners that are registered to produce medical devices with the FDA in order to increase supply even further.
The team behind this notes that it’s not meant to replace a full-fledged ventilator, but that it will instead help alleviate the drain on those resources used in emergency care situations where a respirator would be just as effective, but where the manual version is impractical in terms of staffing and prolonged use. Like so many other measures granted EUA, this may not be an ideal replacement for fully FDA-approved equipment and therapies, but it’s an innovative, scalable solution that could mean big differences in the level of care at overburdened healthcare facilities.
Extra Crunch Live Episode 2: Charles Hudson will air at 3 PM PT/6 PM ET this Thursday. Important Note: Extra Crunch members will be able to ask their own questions live on the call.
Hudson has been a guest on Equitya few times and even popped up onstage at Disrupt. Why? Because he’s made a number of notable investments and he has a penchant for explaining the seed venture market in useful, easy-to-grok terms.
Precursor Ventures, Hudson’s firm, has raised a number of funds, and filed paperwork to put together a $40 million third fund earlier this year. If closed, the new vehicle would be Precursor’s largest to date. The firm previously raised two main funds, and one $10 million “opportunity” fund.
Hudson, along with senior associate Sydney Thomas and analyst Ayanna Kerrison, tends to invest in software, internet-focused and e-commerce companies, according to Crunchbase data. However, other data indicates that the firm’s investment pace may have slowed in 2019 as the world unwittingly marched toward the new, COVID-19 era.
Before we let you go, while prepping for our talk with Hudson, we discovered that Precursor put money into both payment firm Finix’s seed round and Series A, according to Crunchbase data. The startup later raised a Series B that would wind up being more complicated than it first seemed.
Movie ticketing company Fandango has agreed to buy Walmart’s on-demand video streaming service, Vudu, for an undisclosed sum. The video service today reaches more than 100 million living room devices across the U.S., including smart TVs, Blu-ray players, game consoles and other over-the-top streaming devices, as well as Windows 10 and Mac computers, and iOS and Android mobile devices.
To date, the Vudu app on mobile has been installed more than 14.5 million times.
As a part of the agreement, Vudu will continue to power Walmart's digital movie and TV store on Walmart.com.
In addition, Walmart says Vudu customers will have uninterrupted access to their Vudu library. They’ll also continue to be able to use their Walmart login as well as their Walmart wallet to make purchases on Vudu, the retailer notes.
Details as to how Fandango will specifically leverage Vudu weren’t immediately disclosed, but the company today operates its four-year old movie streaming platform, FandangoNOW, which is an obvious integration point. The service has become a more essential business in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shut down theaters, significantly impacting Fandango’s digital ticketing operations.
As a result, Fandango has put more efforts into its streaming business. For example, its stream of the newly released “Trolls World Tour,” which skipped its theatrical release due to COVID-19, was the most pre-ordered title in the streaming service's history, the most-rented digital title on opening day and the best-selling rental during its first three days of digital release, according to Deadline.
Fandango says that Vudu will allow it to scale that side of its business. It also plans to make offers to the majority of the Vudu team, when the deal closes.
“For us, it’s a combination of scale for our on-demand streaming service and the addition of Vudu talent,” a Fandango spokesperson said. “Vudu has a strong brand presence and customer base. So right now, we’re focusing on making sure that during this transition Vudu customers are taken care of and likewise on the FandangoNOW side. Both businesses will exist for the time being,” they noted.
Rumors that Walmart was shopping Vudu have been reported for many months. In February, Walmart was said to be in discussions with Comcast, which could have leveraged the platform for its newly launched streaming service, Peacock.
Walmart’s interest in an online movie purchase and rental marketplace may have dwindled in recent months, as competition from other major players has ramped up: WarnerMedia is preparing HBO Max; NBCU just launched Peacock; and Apple TV+ and Disney+ are also live, and gaining traction. There’s even a mobile-only service (Quibi). Elsewhere, there’s been significant consolidation in TV and video, with Viacom and CBS’ merger completing in late 2019, with plans to beef up the CBS All Access streaming service. Viacom also purchased free service pluto.tv. And sports-focused streamer fuboTV just sold to FaceBank.
Meanwhile, Walmart’s original plans for Vudu to be something of a competitor to Amazon Prime’s video service never really panned out.
Fandango couldn’t yet comment on what role Vudu’s adtech or original content plays in the deal, beyond noting that everything live on the platform today would be included in the acquisition.
“We will continue to invest in areas where we have the greatest strength and are in the best position to serve our customers today and in the future,” a Walmart spokesperson noted in a statement, referencing the sale. “Pickup and delivery are great examples of how we've invested to bring digital and physical capabilities together to better serve our customers, by offering more choice and convenience. We're focused on serving customers through these type of omni-retail experiences and we're actively prioritizing our investments to maximize our strengths and serve them in new ways,” they added.
Walmart has seen a surge of interest in its e-commerce operations as a result of the pandemic. The company’s focus now is on hiring to fulfill consumer demand for online shopping and grocery. It has already hired 150,000 new workers and is hiring another 50,000, it said last week.
The Fandango acquisition is expected to close in the months ahead, says Walmart.
Updated, 4/20/20 4:00 PM ET with Fandango comments.
Building a startup is hard enough. But COVID-19, our generation's worst plot twist, gives new meaning to uncertainty and stress. No one had "pandemic" on their early-stage startup’s radar, which begs the question: How do you move your business forward in unprecedented times?
It's a huge challenge, and we've worked hard to find a way to help you keep momentum in the face of lockdowns and travel restrictions. Drumroll please — the Digital Startup Alley Package, a virtual exhibition for startups at Disrupt SF (September 14-16).
Accept no virtual substitutes. Disrupt is the OG of startup conferences, and TechCrunch has the resources and industry connections to replicate the Startup Alley experience as a truly world-class virtual event.
The Digital Startup Alley Package lets early-stage, pre-Series A startups disrupt from home for only $445. Digital Startup Alley kicks off early, and it runs through the end of the physical event in September. Place your startup in front of thousands of influential investors, technologists, customers and media — with months to pitch, demo, network and schedule meetings.
CrunchMatch:TechCrunch’s AI-powered founder/investor networking platform. Save time, zero in and connect with the people who can move your business forward. Each startup will create a customizable profile, allowing startups to easily note their value add and business model to potential customers and investors.
Exceptional Pitch Coaching: Grab a brew and join TechCrunch editors for Pitchers and Pitches — an interactive opportunity to learn from the best. Whip your pitch into shape with the team that coaches the Startup Battlefield competitors.
Exposure to Investors: Exhibiting startups will be included in a deck available exclusively to investors attending Disrupt SF.
Exhibitor Guide: The definitive resource to Startup Alley and Disrupt SF — modified to reflect our digital exhibitors. Plus, you get access to the content included with a Disrupt Digital Pro Pass.
Exclusive Founder Webinars: All Startup Alley exhibitors will get exclusive access to the brightest industry minds to hear their current thinking on ways startups can adapt and thrive both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pro Tip: Come September, if you can exhibit at Disrupt SF in person, you can upgrade your package and still enjoy the benefits of Digital Startup Alley.
It would be easy to assume that Verizon’s purchase last week of video-conferencing tool BlueJeans was an opportunistic move to capitalize on the sudden shift to remote work, but the ball began rolling last June and has implications far beyond current work-from-home requirements.
The video-chat darling of the moment is Zoom, but BlueJeans is considered by many to be the enterprise tool of choice. The problem, it seems, is that it had grown as far as it could on its own and went looking for a larger partner to help it reach the next level.
BlueJeans started working with Verizon (which owns this publication) as an authorized reseller before the talks turned toward a deeper relationship that culminated in the acquisition. Assuming the deal passes regulatory scrutiny, Verizon will use its emerging 5G technology to produce much more advanced video-conferencing scenarios.
We spoke to the principals involved in this deal and several industry experts to get a sense of where this could lead. As with any large company buying a startup, outcomes are uncertain; sometimes the acquired company gets lost in the larger corporate bureaucracy, and sometimes additional resources will help grow the company much faster than it could have on its own.
After being forced to quickly shift plans and stage a remote demo day last month following the outbreak of COVID-19 stateside, Y Combinator announced today that they will officially be fully moving their next batch to a remote format.
In a post today on Y Combinator’s site, YC CEO Michael Seibel announced the move. “We have decided to run the S20 batch remotely, because amid the COVID-19 crises, the safety of founders and YC staff is our top priority.”
The Summer 2020 group of founders will operate fully online with interviews, office hours, evening talks and meetups taking place over video conferencing. This could assumedly extend to the group’s demo day as well, though that was not explicitly stated. Y Combinator had given startups in the most recent class the option to defer an onstage launch until a later Demo Day; it seems that those YC startups may not get that option for 2020.
As YC shifts online, questions are sure to only grow on whether founders are still getting a good deal from the accelerator in the midst of a crisis.
Founders joining the program give up a 7% slice of their company in exchange for $150K and, more importantly, access to YC’s network and group of advisors.
Y Combinator has already been scaling rapidly with larger class sizes, and this move will force the company to add a radical format change to the mix. Accelerator batches have ballooned in size in recent years, tapping out at 240 startups in this most recent class.
To account for these larger groups, YC has had to experiment with major format changes in how startups are grouped internally and how they present to investors. Losing their Demo Day last session meant founders lost easy access to in-person introductions with the large group of VCs that typically flock to the event.
Last week, TechCrunch reported that YC was changing the terms of its pro rata investment program and would be investing in startups on a case-by-case basis, shifting their years-old policy of investing in every company’s seed and Series A rounds.
The new Magic Keyboard is good, Uber launches new delivery services and Facebook releases its Gaming app ahead of schedule.
Here’s your Daily Crunch for April 20, 2020, a totally regular date with no cultural significance whatsoever. Also, just a reminder: We’re holding our first Extra Crunch Live session, with Aileen Lee and Ted Wang, at 1:30pm Eastern!
TechCrunch’s Editor in Chief Matthew Panzarino says that, for the past two years, he’s typed nearly every word while traveling on the iPad Pro's Smart Keyboard Folio. Even so, he acknowledged that, aside from its reliability and durability, the Keyboard Folio kind of stinks.
In contrast, the new Magic Keyboard is a first-class typing experience, full stop.
Uber Direct is a delivery platform for retail items, while Connect is a peer-to-peer package delivery service for sending goods to family and friends. This marks the most aggressive foray yet for Uber into courier services after it already introduced grocery items to its Uber Eats platform.
The social media giant pushed the app out two months prior to its scheduled unveiling — amid a global pandemic that's left people all over the world isolated at home, rapidly burning through entertainment options.
A letter, signed by nearly 300 academics and published Monday, praised recent announcements from Apple and Google to build an opt-in and decentralized way of allowing individuals to know if they have come into contact with someone confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus.
While Boston's startup market announced a number of huge rounds that bolstered its total venture dollars raised in the first quarter, there were signs of weakness: Deal volume was still a little under the pace set in 2018. (Extra Crunch membership required.)
In a new essay published over the weekend, Andreessen writes that to "reboot the American dream” we need to "demand more of our political leaders, of our CEOs, our entrepreneurs, our investors. We need to demand more of our culture, of our society. And we need to demand more from one another. We're all necessary, and we can all contribute, to building."
The latest full-length episode of Equity discusses Robinhood’s plans to raise new capital, while the Monday news roundup looks at the U.K.’s financial aid for startups. And on Original Content, we reviewed “Tigertail” and the full season of “Devs” (both are good, but everyone should be watching “Devs”).
The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 9am Pacific, you can subscribe here.
Research institutes Inria and Fraunhofer have shared details on their contact-tracing protocol that could be used by the French and German governments in the coming weeks. It is named ROBERT for ROBust and privacy-presERving proximity Tracing protocol.
Inria and Fraunhofer are members of the Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT) project. On Friday, PEPP-PT said that seven European governments were interested in developing national apps based on the standardized approach. So ROBERT could become an important inspiration for various contact-tracing apps around Europe.
The French and German research teams have chosen to share technical specifications on GitHub with various documents explaining their work so far. In addition to a full-fledged specification document, the group has written a high-level overview with frequently asked questions, an illustrated example and an interestingly-named document: "Proximity Tracing Applications: The misleading debate about centralised versus decentralised approaches."
Inria's CEO Bruno Sportisse also wrote an article on Inria's website describing the thinking behind Inria's (and Fraunhofer's) work. In addition to explaining the concept of contact tracing, he says there's no such thing as a decentralized contact-tracing protocol or a centralized contact-tracing protocol.
"None of the projects aim to implement a peer-to-peer network in which everything would rely on a supposedly 'independent' community […] of devices/smartphones that exchange information between them. The main reason why that's not the case is that security vulnerabilities could have an impact with such an approach," Sportisse wrote.
"All systems in the works include a common component (a server) and a decentralized component (a group of smartphones that can communicate between them using Bluetooth): all systems currently in the works are therefore both centralized […] and decentralized," he continued.
And yet, centralization and decentralization have been at the heart of a debate between privacy researchers in Europe, with backers of the DP-3T initiative sometimes calling out PEPP-PT's approach. DP-3T is another coalition of experts that claim to care more about privacy than PEPP-PT.
So let's dive in to ROBERT and find out what Inria and Fraunhofer mean by a centralized-decentralized contact-tracing protocol.
Unpacking ROBERT
In the specification document, Inria and Fraunhofer define the big principles behind ROBERT.
Our scheme provides the following goals as detailed in [2]:
Open participation. Participants are free to join or leave the system at any time.
Simple and transparent. The system is simple to use and understand.
Easy deployment. The scheme is easy to deploy and requires only minimal infrastructure.
Anonymity. The smartphone App as well as the back-end server database do not collect or store any personal data.
Federated infrastructure. The system must scale across countries, ideally worldwide. In order to preserve countries' sovereignty, a trusted federation of infrastructures is necessary.
Those are all fair points, but based on the rest of the document, anonymity is not 100% guaranteed for all actors involved (the government, other app users, malicious users). The document itself describes why there could be some loopholes in the protocol:
The authority running the system, in turn, is "honest-but-curious". Specifically, it will not deploy spying devices or will not modify the protocols and the messages. However, it might use collected information for other purposes such as to re-identify users or to infer their contact graphs. We assume the back-end system is secure, and regularly audited and controlled by external trusted and neutral authorities (such as Data Protection Authorities and National Cybersecurity Agencies).
That's a big if.
Basically, the protocol is designed in such a way that it protects your privacy as long as you trust the government/the health ministry/whoever is in charge of running the central server. Based on that statement alone, it seems like the authority could log a ton of information about app users.
Generating a log of your proximity contacts
At its core, a contact-tracing app uses Bluetooth to build a comprehensive list of other app users who you've interacted with for more than a few seconds. A ROBERT-based contact-tracing app would make those matches on your device.
ROBERT uses ephemeral Bluetooth IDs that change every 15 minutes. For example, if you're talking with someone for 10 minutes, you're going to regularly send your ephemeral Bluetooth ID to the other person, and you're going to receive the other person's ephemeral Bluetooth ID. If nobody gets infected with COVID-19, those IDs remain on your device (and might even get purged after a while).
The app also collects additional information associated with ephemeral Bluetooth IDs. For instance, it collects the strength of the Bluetooth signal to evaluate the distance between the two persons.
All of this is fairly standard.
Uploading your contact list, not your own ephemeral identifiers
Approaches differ if somebody is confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. Under the ROBERT implementation, if a user is diagnosed COVID-positive and gives their consent to help the community of other app users, the app will upload the list of ephemeral Bluetooth IDs of other users that they've been interacting with over the past 14 days.
Again, the app doesn't send the user's own ephemeral Bluetooth IDs — it sends information about the circle of people gravitating around the infected user.
The server then has a list of potentially exposed users. It doesn't necessarily mean they'll be infected with COVID-19.
Computing a risk score on the server
So what does the server do with this list of potentially exposed users?
When you download a ROBERT-based contact-tracing app (such as France's Stop Covid app that is in the works) and launch it for the first time, the server is notified. The server generates and sends a permanent ID and a list of ephemeral Bluetooth IDs. The server also keeps a list of all temporary IDs associated with permanent IDs.
In other words, the authority has a giant database of all permanent and ephemeral IDs associated with all app users. While the specifications say "the stored information are 'anonymous' and, by no mean, associated to a particular user," it's in no way anonymous. It's pseudonymous.
When a user is diagnosed COVID-positive and accepts to share a list of the ephemeral Bluetooth IDs of people they've interacted with, the server logs all that information and increases the risk score of people they've interacted with.
Over time, multiple users who are confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 could flag different Bluetooth ephemeral IDs that belong to the same user. The server is going to increase the risk score of the permanent ID associated to that user.
Essentially, the authority will have a database of permanent IDs with each ID representing one person. There will be a risk score associated to each person. When the risk score reaches a certain threshold, the user is notified.
A weak defense of centralization
As you can see in my description of the ROBERT protocol, the project tries to minimize the attack surface by centralizing most computing on a server. It is designed to be resilient against malicious users as much as possible — it requires you to "register" your account by obtaining a permanent ID from a central server.
But this centralized implementation means that you'll have to trust your government. In particular, you have to trust that:
They're not doing anything nefarious without telling you.
They have developed a secure implementation of the ROBERT protocol.
For instance, what if a ROBERT-based app uploads your IP address when your app checks the risk score associated with your permanent ID? What if the government wants a little more data to examine the social graph of pseudonyms? Those could be huge privacy risks and the end user wouldn't even be aware of the vulnerability. It is basically the opposite of “privacy by design.”
Instead, Inria and Fraunhofer throw the DP-3T implementation under the bus:
Other, qualified as 'decentralised', schemes broadcast to each App an aggregate information containing the pseudonyms of all the infected users. This information allow each App to decode the identifiers of infected users and verify if any of them are part of its contact list. Our scheme does not follow this principle because we believe that sending information about all infected users reveals too much information. In fact, it has been shown that this information can be easily used by malicious users to re-identify infected users at scale. We claim that infected user re-identification must absolutely be avoided since it could lead to stigmatisation. Instead, we chose to securely store this information on a central server.
Dismissing decentralized protocols in such a way is completely irresponsible. In both cases, it depends on the implementation. That's why it's going to be important to let developers audit the code that runs both on the smartphone and the server — whether the server is only a relay server or a central database. Otherwise, people are not going to trust contact-tracing apps and they will be useless.
Data on your device can be encrypted and inaccessible to other apps and malicious users. The government could even control a decryption key using a multi-signature authentication. This way, malicious users wouldn't be able to decrypt data without interacting with the central server, and the central server wouldn't be able to access user data.
The European Commission has launched a data portal for scientists studying the SARS-CoV-2 virus to speed up access to data sets and tools in order to bolster research efforts by encouraging data reuse and open science.
The COVID-19 Data Portal is intended to accelerate regional efforts to combat the virus by creating a central repository for storing and sharing available research data, such as DNA sequences, protein structures, data from pre-clinical research and clinical trials and epidemiological data.
Mariya Gabriel, the EU’s commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth, described it as an “important concrete measure for stronger cooperation in fighting the coronavirus.”
“Building on our dedicated support for open science and open access over the years, now is the time to step up our efforts and stand united with our researchers. Through our joint efforts, we will better understand, diagnose and eventually overpower the pandemic,” she said in a statement.
The initiative is a joint effort by the Commission, the European Bioinformatics Institute of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL-EBI), the Elixir infrastructure and the COMPARE project, working with EU Member States and other partners.
It’s one part of a package of measures agreed on by EU leaders to encourage pan-EU coordination over research and innovation to fight the virus.
“Rapid and open sharing of data greatly accelerates research and discovery, which is essential to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” runs the blurb on the COVID-19 Data Portal website.
“An unprecedented number of scientific efforts are taking place worldwide in order to help combat the new coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19). One of the biggest challenges in this fast-moving situation is to share data and findings in a coordinated way, in order to understand the disease and to develop treatments and vaccines.
“To address this challenge, EMBL-EBI and partners have set up the COVID-19 Data Portal, which will bring together relevant datasets submitted to EMBL-EBI and other major centres for biomedical data. The aim is to facilitate data sharing and analysis, and to accelerate coronavirus research.”
The data portal is one of two connected pieces of what’s intended as a wider European COVID-19 Data Platform — illustrated in the below diagram — the other being SARS-CoV-2 Data Hubs, which will “organise the flow of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak sequence data and provide comprehensive open data sharing for the European and global research communities,” fed by inputs from national health data infrastructures and public health labs.
“To rapidly populate the COVID-19 Data Portal, EMBL-EBI will bring together COVID-19 datasets that have been submitted to its public databases, including ENA, UniProt, PDBe, EMDB, Expression Atlas and Europe PMC,” is how it’s explained on the site. “The data, which have so far been collated, include genes, protein structures, electron microscopy data and scientific publications.”
Data submissions to the COVID-19 Data Portal can be made here — where the website notes that: “Non-biological data of relevance to COVID-19, such as travel, trade, meteorology and social distancing behaviour are not managed within the European COVID-19 Data Platform, but where possible are linked to data within the system.”
In addition to the data platform, other actions agreed via the action plan include coordinating funding for relevant research; extending large EU-wide clinical trials; increasing support to “innovative companies”; and supporting a pan-European Hackathon in the end of April to mobilise European innovators and the civil society.
The joint plan’s “priority actions” will continue to be updated with input from the Commission and national governments over the coming months, it said.
Overall, the Commission said it’s committing “hundreds of millions” of euros in research and innovation measures to develop vaccines, new treatments, diagnostic tests and medical systems to prevent the spread of the coronavirus — though not all of this is new funding, since it’s factoring in long-term investment vehicles such as FP7 & Horizon 2020.
More specifically, it highlights the “rapid mobilization” of €48.2M for 18 shortlisted research projects — including work being done on rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests; new treatments; new vaccines; and on epidemiology and modelling to improve preparedness and response to outbreaks.
The Commission’s press release also notes 50 ongoing or completed European Research Council projects which it says are contributing to the response to the coronavirus pandemic by providing insights from several different scientific fields — including virology, epidemiology, immunology, public health, medical devices, social behaviour and crisis management.
Hi and welcome back to The Station, a weekly newsletter dedicated to the future (and present) of transportation. I’m your host Kirsten Korosec, senior transportation reporter at TechCrunch.
What you’re reading here is an abbreviated version of The Station. To get the complete newsletter, which comes out every weekend, go here and click The Station.
There wasn’t a ton of news in micromobility this week, but I came across an interesting read over at City Lab about whether or not cities should financially support micromobility services. Shared bikes and scooters provide transportation options to city-dwellers during a time when some cities are deciding to scale back public transportation operations in order to keep its employees and residents safe.
In Portland, City Lab pointed to how the city agreed to temporarily waive e-scooter fees as long as Spin passed those savings on to riders. Now, Spin rides cost about 50% less in Portland.
But, as the authors write, "While we believe that waiving e-scooter fees and offering public funding may be necessary, we harbor no illusions that it would be easy to do so in the current fiscal environment."
— Megan Rose Dickey
A little bird
We hear things. But we’re not selfish. Let’s share.
Layoffs are nothing new in this COVID-19 world. More than 260 startups have laid off 25,010 workers, according Layoffs.fyi, a website that is attempting to track cuts in the startup ecosystem amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not all of these layoffs are directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In many cases, the pandemic has merely augmented pre-existing problems. One such example is Kodiak Robotics, an autonomous trucking startup, that laid off 20% of its staff on Wednesday (about 15 of its 85-person staff). The Information was the first to report the layoffs and TechCrunch has since confirmed those numbers. The official line is that Kodiak reduced its headcount due to the dramatic impact COVID-19 has had on the economy. The move was couched as the best way to position Kodiak for the future.
We’ve learned from several people that the company was already facing considerable headwinds on the fundraising front.
Kodiak Robotics came out of stealth in August 2018 with $40 million in a Series A funding round led by Battery Ventures. CRV, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Tusk Ventures also participated in the round. The company likely attracted interest and investment because of its founders. CEO Don Burnette was part of the Google self-driving project before leaving and co-founding Otto in early 2016, along with Anthony Levandowski, Lior Ron and Claire Delaunay. Uber then acquired Otto (and its co-founders). Burnette left Uber to launch Kodiak in April 2018 with Paz Eshel, a former venture capitalist and now the startup’s COO.
The pair scaled up quickly. The company, headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., went on a hiring spree in 2019 and opened a new facility in North Texas to support commercial deliveries using its fleet of eight trucks. Autonomous vehicle technology startups are already capitally intensive. But Kodiak was also trying to launch a carrier service — not just develop the self-driving truck stack.
Fundraising efforts started late last year and Kodiak was hoping to raise a $100 million round on a $300 million pre-money valuation, according to two sources. It was suggested that Kodiak already had a lead. However, the company has had trouble closing a Series B round with attractive terms, according to several sources who spoke to TechCrunch on condition of anonymity. When COVID-19 erupted it put more pressure on the startup.
Kodiak is hardly alone. Autonomous vehicle technology startups have had a more tepid reception from investors since spring 2019. It’s still possible to raise funds. But it’s harder now — particularly those seeking larger raises — and the terms are less desirable.
Another autonomous delivery pivot
Pony .ai is the latest autonomous vehicle startup to turn its efforts to delivery — at least temporarily. The company announced this week it will partner with e-commerce platform Yamibuy to provide autonomous last-mile delivery service to customers in Irvine, Calif.
The new delivery service was launched to provide additional capacity to address the surge of online orders triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Pony.ai said.
Pony.ai, which recently raised $400 million from Toyota Motor Corporation, has focused on shuttling people, not packages. The company has launched ridesharing and commuter pilots in Fremont and Irvine, Calif. and Guangzhou, China.
Pony.ai now said it will use its Irvine robotaxi fleet of 10 electric Hyundai Kona vehicles for delivery through at least mid-summer. It’s not clear how, or if, Pony.ai can generate revenue with this new delivery service. The company is in talks with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the agency that issues AV testing permits, about this issue. The DMV doesn’t allow AV testing fleets to charge money by delivering goods or rides. However, a deployment permit, which Pony.ai is still waiting to receive, does allow for commercial use, just not a delivery fee.
Pronto.ai makes a move
Pronto.ai, a startup co-founded by controversial star engineer Anthony Levandowski, is not pursuing Level 4 autonomous vehicle technology. Instead, the company is developing an advanced driver assistance system product for trucks, called Copilot. Pronto AI was originally called Kache.ai, according to paperwork discovered at the time by TechCrunch, and was registered as a corporation with the California Secretary of State.
The startup has maintained a low profile since August 2019, when Levandowski was indicted by a federal grand jury on theft of trade secrets, forcing him to step down as CEO. Levandowski has since reached a plea deal. Now, it seems that the company is making some moves.
Pronto.ai recently applied for a five-year exemption from the federal government that would let drivers in trucks with Pronto’s Copilot technology stay on the road longer than current rules allow. The request to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which was first reported by Freight Waves, would let drivers drive up to 13 hours within a 15-consecutive hour driving window after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
Drivers are typically allowed to drive up to 11 hours in a 14-hour window, after being off duty for 10 or more consecutive hours.
Lime swoops up Boosted IP
Boosted, the startup behind the Boosted Boards and, more recently, the Boosted Rev electric scooter, would typically fall into micromobbin’. But it deserves it’s own segment this week.
Five weeks ago, Boosted laid off "a significant portion" of its team and began actively seeking a buyer. It seems that a sale never materialized and Lime swooped in and bought up Boosted’s core patents, according to a report from The Verge. Lime was apparently working on acquiring Boosted’s intellectual property since the end of 2019. The shared scooter company snapped up the IP after a proposed acquisition from Yamaha fell through for Boosted.
Boosted co-founder and former CEO Sanjay Dastoor, who left the board 18 months ago, posted a message to the Boosted subreddit shortly after The Verge story published that suggests Lime’s acquisition was broader than originally thought.
Dastoor wrote that the company is closed and will likely enter into some form of bankruptcy protection. He also wrote that Lime purchased all the assets and IP of the company and appears to be in possession of everything at Boosted’s headquarters in Mountain View, including access to the building. Here’s one important nugget:
As far as I can tell, this includes design files, software and code, diagnostics, parts, and test equipment I’m not sure if this includes the responsibility for warranty coverage for boards and scooters sold before. I do know that a handful of former engineers at Boosted, most senior is Michael Hillman who joined as VP Engineering last year, are now at Lime and may be able to help. Regardless of how this is structured, if we want our products to continue being supported, including parts for boards or any software diagnostic tests and debugging, their cooperation and help will be needed.
He added that some Boosted employees have been trying unsuccessfully to service and send boards back to customers for weeks.
“I’m not a lawyer, but I suspect that those boards should rightfully get back to their owners and should be safe to ride, and I’m trying to find a way to help with this,” Dastoor wrote. “In the meantime, I’d recommend folks who are looking to get in touch more urgently should reach out to Lime directly.”
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Coronavirus | Alagappa VC distributes face masks Alagappa University Vice-Chancellor N. Rajendran inaugurated the distribution of 250 cotton face masks and 'kabasura kudineer' by the National Service
Announcement time! We recently received a CPUC permit granting permission to move CA residents in driverless cars.
For example, AdWeek in April 2019 reported on 
