India Bids to Host 2036 Olympics

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According to latest news reports: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has expressed strong support for India's interest in hosting the Olympic Games, following the Indian Olympic Association's formal communication of its desire to host the 2036 Olympics. 

The IOC welcomed India's firm commitment, highlighting the country's passion for sport and youthful population as assets for the future of the Olympic Movement. The IOC also noted that discussions are ongoing with interested parties from four continents about hosting future Olympic Games. Other contenders for the 2036 Olympics include Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, Barcelona, and Chile. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that India has not yet submitted any specific cities for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games, despite expressing strong interest in hosting the event. India's ambitions were outlined last year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the country's desire to host the Olympics at the IOC Session in Mumbai.

IOA President PT Usha assured that despite internal challenges, such as disputes over the appointment of CEO Raghuram Iyer, the IOA remains committed to hosting the 2036 Games. The IOC has been monitoring the situation within the IOA, having addressed governance issues in a direct letter to the organization. Last month, the IOC urged the IOA to urgently resolve its internal governance concerns.

India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympics took a significant step forward with the official "Letter of Intent" submitted to the IOC, moving the bid process from the 'Informal Dialogue' to the 'Continuous Dialogue' stage. This includes a feasibility assessment that will evaluate various factors, such as human rights and sustainability, through external bodies like Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Ahmedabad is the leading candidate city, with plans already in motion to develop Olympic-standard infrastructure, including a 300-acre Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Motera. This plan includes six new stadiums, alongside the existing Narendra Modi cricket stadium, with a combined capacity exceeding 100,000 spectators.

The IOC's next step will be the 'Targeted Dialogue,' which involves detailed consultations with Olympic stakeholders, sports federations, and experts to assess various aspects like environmental impact and costs. These discussions began following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pitch at the IOC Session in Mumbai in 2023 and continued to gain momentum, even appearing in the ruling BJP’s election manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

In addition to the bid for the 2036 Olympics, India is also seeking to host the 2030 Youth Olympics. However, concerns regarding transparency, accountability, and doping control have been raised, particularly as India works to align its sports administration with international standards.

Donald Trump's Victory Speech - Key Message to World & America

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Donald Trump addressed his supporters in Florida to celebrate his victory in the 2024 Presidential election. He thanked the American people and described it as the greatest political movement of all time. He also pledged to fight for the American people and "Make America great again!"

“I want to thank the American people for the honour of being elected your 47th & 45th President of the United States of America. I will not rest till we have delivered a strong, safe and prosperous America that our children need. This will truly be the golden age of America!”  He also said, "God spared my life for a reason, to save America at that point of time. We are going to help our country heal. We have a country that needs help and it needs help very badly. We are gonna have to seal up those borders!"

Trump, in his victory speech also thanked and expressed appreciation for Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla. He called him a "Star."  Elon Musk had gone all out in his support for Donald Trump in this Presidential Election, using his social media platform X to boost his campaign. Trump called him an "amazing guy" and said that they had spent a lot of time together. Musk campaigned for Donald Trump online & Offline backing him all the way to the White House. He spoke highly of him in all his posts and even his podcasts. He shared several posts praising all the people who voted for a "change".

“We have a new star; a star is born: Elon,” Trump said, highlighting Musk's role in his campaign. “He (Elon) is a super genius. We have to protect our geniuses, we don't have many of them."

Trump's Message on War

Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential race has also raised concerns, particularly among Ukrainians, regarding his stance on foreign conflicts. 

In his victory speech, Trump emphasised his intention to end wars, a policy shift that some fear could lead to a reduction in US support for Ukraine in its ongoing battle against Russia. Trump's past rhetoric, which has criticised US aid to Ukraine and suggested he could resolve the conflict swiftly, has heightened these anxieties. 

As the war against Russia intensifies, with Moscow's growing alliance with North Korea, the uncertainty surrounding Trump's foreign policy has led to alarm among Ukrainian officials and citizens, who rely heavily on US military and financial support. 

Trump's previous term, which saw his engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and no major wars, contrasts sharply with the current geopolitical tensions involving Ukraine and Russia.

Watch US President Elect Donald Trump's Full Victory Speech on You Tube:

According to Times of India news report: Republican candidate Donald Trump addressed his supporters, calling it a "magnificent victory for the American people." Reflecting on his journey, Trump cited a July 13 assassination attempt, saying, "God spared my life for a reason."

Posts on X:

Raphinha Turns Down Arsenal to Remain in Barcelona

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Image Source: FMT

According to a latest news report - "Raphinha turned down overtures from Saudi Arabia to remain at Barcelona in the summer even though he was offered lucrative contracts."

Raphinha has become a key figure at FC Barcelona under coach Hansi Flick, solidifying his role as both a top performer on the pitch and a leader in the dressing room. Despite speculation about his future during the summer transfer window, including interest from clubs like Arsenal and Saudi Arabian teams, he chose to stay at Barcelona. 

Arsenal made an attempt to sign the Brazilian international, with former sporting director Edu holding talks to bring him to the Premier League. However, Raphinha wanted assurances of a regular starting role, and ultimately decided to remain at Barcelona. His decision has paid off, as he has outperformed expectations in his first two seasons, leading both on the field and in the locker room. Raphinha has been named one of Barcelona's five club captains and is reportedly in line for a new contract.

"Raphael Dias Belloli, known as Raphinha, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a winger for La Liga club Barcelona and the Brazil national team. Raphinha began his footballing journey with Avaí, but left for Portuguese side Vitória Guimarães in 2016, where he made his professional debut." Source Wikipedia. Born on 14th December 1996 in Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and has played in 12 La Liga matches so far.

US Election Results Live - Donald Trump Wins 277 Vs Kamala Harris 226 to Become 47th President of USA

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 Kamala Harris Vs Donald Trump - US Election Results Live Today

 According to latest news reports, Republican candidate Donald Trump won 9 counties including Florida, Indiana, Kentucky and more while Democrat Kamala Harris won Vermont and four other seats as the early projections started streaming in. The voting is now closed and counting of the ballots is underway. Over 82 million people in the country took advantage of early voting to cast their ballots.

You can Follow the US Election Results Live Here.

The U.S. presidential election uses a total of 538 electoral votes, with a candidate needing 270 to win. In 2020, Joe Biden secured 306 electoral votes, defeating Donald Trump, who earned 232. The election outcome also determines control of Congress—the Senate and House of Representatives. Polls suggest a tight race between Trump and Kamala Harris, with swing states like Pennsylvania, Florida, and Wisconsin potentially deciding the winner, meaning the results may take time to finalise.

The 2024 U.S. presidential election has been marked by intense drama and unpredictability. Key events include Trump’s courtroom conviction, an injury from a bullet grazing his ear, a pivotal debate that dampened Joe Biden's chances of re-election, and Kamala Harris's last-minute nomination. Harris, aiming to become the first female president, focuses on bipartisan cooperation to address economic issues while staying aligned with Biden's policies. In contrast, Trump promises to replace federal workers with loyalists, impose tariffs on both allies and adversaries, and carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

The New York Times predicts that Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is projected to win 277 electoral votes, while Kamala Harris is expected to secure 261 votes. However, the race remains a "tossup," with both candidates still competing for key battleground states. The final outcome will depend on the remaining votes, as both candidates strive to secure the last electoral votes needed to win.

Elon Musk Posted on X: 

Latest Update on Election Final Results Date & Time: 

There are 51 separate elections with 6 different time zones in each US state. Each state has its own rules and practices for counting the votes. Officially, November 5th has been set as the Election Day, but the actual final picture may take hours or days to emerge due to the neck-and-neck contest between Democrat Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump.

To complicate matters more, unlike in India, there is no election commission to tabulate the results. It is the responsibility of the state and local governments to count the votes. Therefore, all the citizens of US and the world have to rely on the American media to provide the election results within hours of the end of voting.

"According to the BBC, the last polls will close at 01.00 EST, which, as per Indian time, will be 11.30 am on Wednesday. Thus, by Wednesday night, a clear picture of the trends may start to emerge about who is ahead in the race to occupy the White House."

Indian Air Force & Uber Mobility MoU - Why Question It?

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A few days back a section of a podcast went viral. The subject of discussion was MoU signed between Indian Air Force and Uber towards mobility solutions for Air Force personnel and their families. The so-called experts were mocking not only the concept / arrangement made by the organization, but also deriding the people behind the concept as also the leadership of the Air Force. The excuse – Security concerns on using a mobile app from a US Company storing data outside India. 

 

Which world are thses guys living in? Do they think that the Indian Armed Forces do not allow their personnel to use commercially available smart phones, or that the Armed Forces personnel and their families do not use Uber otherwise, or that these men and their families do not use any apps on their phones, or that they use only Indian made apps storing data only on servers within India, or that Armed Forces personnel and their families do not use any apps from Alphabet, Meta or Amazon, or that these companies cannot or do not track the movements/actions of their users, or that any of these companies will profile the user data only if the parent organization has a formal MoU with the said company or that the Indian Armed Forces have the budget to provide a Government Vehicle to all the personnel or that the intelligence of the other countries is so weak that they do not know the locations of the bases of Indian Armed Forces, which is crazy since we actually have railway stations named after cantonments, for God’s sake or, finally, that the senior leadership has not carried out the due diligence before giving the go ahead.

 

Given a data set of mobile usage, any amateur data analyst can figure out the workplace of any person. If you use Google maps, it actually asks the user to set the location as workplace or home when it sees you are travelling back and forth to same locations during mornings and evenings. So, there it is, if one is travelling to sena bhavan even in his own vehicle, Maps and so many other apps already know that you are working in the Armed Forces and that too in the Headquarters. You don’t have to be using the Uber app or even registering with them for Uber and the other apps to start profiling you. And even if you are using a service vehicle but carrying a smart phone, you are still being tracked. So, what are we trying to achieve by denying a welfare scheme to the Armed Forces personnel.

Few lessons to be learnt here. 

 

First, an expertise on one subject does not make one an expert on all subjects. Just because someone is a good orator and specializes in one subject should not and does not give them the right or authority to opine on any other subject under the garb of free speech. The people on the podcast, besides indulging in fearmongering, damaged their own reputation as well as their own following, by speaking on a subject clearly out of their grasp. None of the panelists in the said podcast are qualified in cyber security, mobile telephony, defence matters or mobility solutions. Still they yap!!  

 

Second, one should not shun development, technology or even an idea just because there is a risk, but we should take measures to mitigate the risk and protect ourselves from misuse, abuse or even sabotage. Pathankot, Uri, Pulwama did not happen because of Armed Forces personnel travelling in taxis. 

 

Lastly, it is a common issue in the civilian/corporate world, they get in an expert to solve their problem and then start telling the expert how to solve the problem. Likewise, here, people who have entrusted their own security to the Armed Forces, are now questioning the capability of the Armed Forces to look after the security of the Armed forces personnel. If these people are so concerned about security of the armed forces, they probably should canvass against any commercial activity, buildings, hotels in the vicinity of the Naval docks, Army cantonments and Air Force bases. For example, stop civilian/foreigner movements around Gateway of India, shut down Taj Palace hotel, Mazagaon docks, etc., the list is endless.

 

PS: Microsoft Word just auto corrected the spelling of Mazagon, above. Is it now a national security threat, Should I stop using MS Word?

Beware of "Digital Arrest Scam" - What Should You Do?

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What does the term "Digital Arrest" mean? Well, "Digital arrest" typically refers to the phenomenon where a person is prevented from accessing their digital devices or online accounts, often due to security measures, hacking incidents, or unauthorised access. It can also relate to situations where digital assets or accounts are frozen or suspended, perhaps due to legal issues or policy violations. In a broader sense, it highlights the growing importance of cybersecurity and the potential risks associated with our reliance on digital technology.

But, here we are not referring to this legal action of arresting someone by the sanctioned legal authorities, instead this term is now being used by fraudsters and scammers to fool people into believing so! 

The "digital arrest scam" usually involves fraudsters posing as law enforcement or government officials who claim that the victim is involved in illegal activities online. They might threaten the victim with arrest unless they pay a fine or fee immediately, often demanding payment through unconventional means like gift cards or cryptocurrency. They may do this via emails, WhatsApp calls or phone calls. There have been several cases now reported of people losing crores of rupees to these scammers. Most recent case was that of a techie from Hyderabad who spent 30hrs on a fraud call by these fraudsters. According to news reports, more than 6,000 complaints of digital arrests have been registered this year! 

Here are some key points about the scam:

1. Threats of Legal Action: Scammers create a sense of urgency by claiming that the victim has committed a crime or is involved with some illegal activities, such as money laundering, copyright infringement, or tax evasion.

2. Impersonation: They often spoof official-looking emails, phone numbers, or websites to make their communications appear legitimate.

3. Payment Pressure: Victims are pressured to make quick payments to avoid arrest, often with threats of further legal action or embarrassment.

4. Common Targets: These scams can target anyone, but older adults or less tech-savvy individuals might be more vulnerable.

5. Prevention: It’s important to verify any claims made by contacting official sources directly and to be cautious about sharing personal information or making payments.

If you or someone you know encounters this type of scam, it’s best to report it to local authorities and avoid engaging with the scammers. Or call 1930. 

This scam has become so worrisome and menacing that recently our honourable Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi in his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' broadcast, flagged the issue of fraudsters targeting people with the cyber crime of "digital arrests" and urged people to adopt the mantra of "Stop, Think and Take Action" when faced with such a scam, asserting that these steps will provide digital security to them.

"'Stop, Think And Take Action': PM Shares Must-Dos Against Digital Arrests Scam"

According to a news report in Times Now - 

"The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a high-level committee to investigate digital arrest scam cases and cyber fraud. The committee has been instructed to take immediate action against the perpetrators. The committee was announced days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged the issue of fraudsters targeting people with the cyber crime of "digital arrests" and urged people to adopt the mantra of "stop, think and take action" when faced with such a scam, asserting that these steps will provide digital security to them."

Be Alert Citizens....! Take Action to avoid becoming a Digital Arrest Victim, for the next one could be YOU!