Air India to launch non-stop flights from Bengaluru to San Francisco from Jan 11

Transport

The new non-stop service is expected to meet the demand of corporate customers for travel to San Francisco and adjoining areas in the US.

PTI

Passengers from Bengaluru can soon fly non-stop to San Francisco as national carrier Air India is set to launch a twice weekly service, scheduled to commence from January 11, 2021. This would be the first non-stop flight between Bengaluru and the United States, connecting the world's two tech hubs, the original Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley of India, Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru,said in a release. This is a significant milestone for Bengaluru Airport and would transform the city as the new gateway to India, it said, adding that it would tremendously help passengers, enabling faster and easier access to cities on the West Coast of the United States. The new non-stop service is expected to meet the demand of corporate customers for travel to San Francisco and adjoining areas in the US. Air India plans to operate a 238-seater Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft to serve the largest unserved international origin/ destination (O/D) market for Bengaluru Airport, it said,adding that Bengaluru and San Francisco are ranked first and second among the worlds top 45 digitally advanced cities. The new route sets two records it would be Air Indias longest route at 14,000+ km (8,698 miles) and longest flight to and from India (over 16 hours). The national carrier has opened ticket booking from November 25, 2020, the release added.  

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Trump officials hold first 'Operation Warp Speed' briefing for Biden

The focus of the initial meeting was on Covid-19 vaccines, therapeutics and distribution, said one person familiar with the agenda.

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Karnataka teen dies in explosion after crude bomb meant to kill wild boars goes off

Death

The incident occurred in Belagavi’s Khanapur taluk.

TNM Staff

Representation photo

A 17-year-old boy was killed on Thursday after a crude bomb meant to hunt wild boars exploded in Karnataka’s Belagavi district. Girish Rajput (17) and Shivakumara Gajendra Rajput (28), members of the Hakki-Pikki community had come from Shivamogga to Belagavi to hunt wild boars. Shivakumara Gajendra was riding the bike and Girish was riding pillion. When they reached Machimada village in Khanapur, they met with an accident. The incident was first report by TOI.  According to the Khanapur Police, Shivakumara and Girish were navigating a narrow meandering path leading up to the forest close to Machimada village at around 9.30 am and did not see a tractor driving through in the opposite direction due to the bend in the road. The bike and tractor collided, leading to Girish being thrown off the bike and the tractor ran over him. Girish was carrying a bag, which contained the ball-like explosive material. Girish had landed close to the tractor, which ran over his body. Due to the pressure on the bag, the crude bomb exploded, ripping apart his body. Shivakumara and the tractor driver sustained minor injuries. The locals, who heard the explosion, rushed to the spot. They called the Forest Department and the police.  Belagavi SP Laxman Nimbargi told TNM that it was not uncommon for members of the Hakki-Pikki community to hunt for wild boars. “The people from Shivamogga come here often and use explosives to hunt wild boars.  SP Nimbargi said that samples from the site of the explosion have been taken and sent for forensic examination to ascertain what kind of explosives were used. “So far, we have not made any arrests. The two others sustained minor injuries and were treated. Once the investigation is complete, we will take the next step,” he added. An accident case has been registered at the Khanapur Police Station.   

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Apollo Hospital in Bengaluru introduces robot-assisted knee replacement surgeries

Health

This novel technology will first be available in Apollo’s facility in Bengaluru’s Jayanagar, and later expanded to other parts of the city and country.

TNM Staff

Leading private medical healthcare player Apollo Hospitals announced on Wednesday that they are launching a first-of-its-kind knee replacement program, offering specialized partial and total knee replacement care with the use of advanced robotic technology. This treatment will be introduced in their Jayanagar facility in Bengaluru starting Thursday, and later expanded to other centres in the city as well as the rest of the country. Doctors advocating for this novel surgery said that, while currently knee replacement surgeries have a success rate of upwards of 90%, the new robotic technology will further enhance this and will likely have better outcomes. Speaking at the launch of the event, Dr Sanjay Pai, senior consultant with the company, said, “While currently the outcome is often dependent on the seniority and experience of the surgeon, the technology is likely to negate that gap due to the technology on offer.” He added, “This technology will also increase the success rate of partial knee replacement surgeries compared to legacy surgeries.” He further said this advanced surgery will also mean that the patients recover quickly and return to normalcy much earlier, and spend less time in the hospital. The robotic system has an advanced computer program that relays precise information about the knee with three-dimensional mapping. The use of advanced robotics, which involves a smaller incision, will result in lesser pain and blood loss. The hospital will reportedly be using the NAVIO surgical system, which is a handheld robotic device. Precision in bone cutting and better position of implant with alignment is expected to give near-normal knee motion for both total and partial knee replacements Speaking on this, Dr Pratap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “Osteoarthritis is a rising health concern in India, with a prevalence rate between 22-39%. To overcome pain and limitations in mobility of such patients, joint replacement is the solution. The outcome of surgeries can be improved by leveraging technology. Today, robotic technology has come a long way, helping perform some of the most complicated surgeries with precision, and Apollo Hospitals has always been at the forefront of using technology in healthcare.”

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Transport strike: Autos, cabs, Ola and Uber may not operate in Karnataka on Nov 26

Protest

The auto and cab drivers will also hold a protest march from Majestic railway station to Freedom Park on Thursday.

TNM Staff

Most autos and cabs will not operate in Karnataka on Thursday after a collective of over 20 unions of auto rickshaw and cab drivers announced that they are going on a strike on November 26. Autos and cabs will not operate in the state from 6am to 6pm on Thursday, according to a statement released by the unions to the media.  Auto and cab drivers will begin a protest march from Bengaluru’s Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station in Majestic to Freedom Park at 10 am. The drivers will gather at Freedom Park for a sit-in protest. They have listed a series of demands from the government, which they say are crucial for their sustenance.  During the lockdown between March and May, cabs and autos were not allowed to operate, leaving several of them without any income. “We have suffered for even a single meal. Now the banks are foreclosing and taking away our cabs and autos as we don’t have enough income to repay the loans or EMI,” said Tanveer Pasha, President of the Karnataka Ola, TaxiForSure and Uber Drivers’ Association.  Their demands from the government: Interest-free loans from the government of Rs 1 lakh for auto drivers and Rs 2 lakh for cab drivers.  Free housing for auto and cab drivers, which should either be taken up by the Bengaluru Development Authority or the Home Department To waive interest on vehicle loans for the three months of the lockdown and to urge banks not to seize their vehicles.  To reduce the retail price of new cars by 17% and the price of autos by 5%.  For the government to offer a compensation of Rs 25,000 to the families of auto and cab drivers, who died due to COVID-19.  To implement the pricing regulations suggested for cab aggregators by the government in 2016 and introduced a minimum fixed price and taxi metres for app-based cab aggregators.  To issue an order to stop app-based cab aggregates from collective excessive amounts of commission from drivers.  To reduce the GST charge for income generated by auto and cab drivers.  Speaking to TNM, Tanveer Pasha said, “The coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown has affected our families badly. We have not been able to stay afloat even after the lockdown was lifted. Despite this, the government has made no effort to provide us with relief despite many appeals. We have no other option but to strike.”

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Bengaluru airport records highest-ever domestic outbound cargo in October

Aviation

The airport processed 34,339 tonnes of cargo in October, recording a 26-month high in tonnage.

TNM Staff

The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru witnessed its highest-ever domestic outbound tonnage of 8,117 tonnes in October, largely driven by e-commerce shipments. Overall, the airport processed 34,339 tonnes of cargo in October, recording a 26-month high in tonnage. This, at a time when international air travel remains restricted to only Union government regulated bio bubbles and domestic passengership slowly recovering since the COVID-19 induced lockdown. Between April and October, the footfall in the airport had reduced to 35,47,644 from 1,93,06,980 in April-October 2019 due to the pandemic. Domestic operations resumed on May 25. Bangalore International Airport Limited, which manages the airport, said that perishable commodities, which have been the major growth driver for cargoes in the current financial year 2020-21, continued to be the top international commodity, accounting for 12% of total exports in October. Doha emerged as the top destination in October, with 1,095 MT. With this, the airport also became the first airport in India to record positive growth in September, a trend which continued in October as well, registering a 0.1 % increase against October 2019, BIAL said in a statement. The record single-day Air Traffic Movement (ATM) was 52 ATMs on October 22, with the day witnessing a volume of 1,359 metric tonnes of cargo. In October, BIAL had said that cargo volumes were gathering momentum with international cargo leading the recovery, following a prolonged slump due to the pandemic. Airport authorities said that international cargo volumes were recovering at a higher rate than that of domestic. While September witnessed a 4.5% growth in international cargo, of which export cargo grew by 7.6%, domestic cargo is showing a slower recovery as it is 5.2% lower than the same period in the previous year. With the onset of the pandemic and resultant low ridership, the airport had shifted its focus towards becoming a successful cargo hub.

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Karnataka CM Yediyurappa brings back Bhrungeesh as media advisor

Politics

He has served under 10 CMs of Karnataka under various roles has over 30 years of experience in the Information Department.

TNM Staff

Bhrungeesh N, the recently retired Director of Department of Information and Public relations of Karnataka, has been appointed as the Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, a government order said on Wednesday. This, after Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's media advisor Mahadeva Prakash resigned on Sunday making it the second such high profile exit from his close quarters within a month from his media team. Bhrungeesh had served as media secretary to Yediyurappa in his tenure as CM between 2008-11. He has served under 10 CMs of Karnataka under various roles in the CMO. He has over 30 years of experience in the Information Department. Prior to this, he was the press secretary to two Chief Minister’s SM. Krishna and N Dharam Singh.  In his letter addressed to Yediyurappa dated November 18, Prakash cited "personal reasons" for his resignation. Prakash, a senior journalist, who was appointed in August 2019 after the BJP government came to power, thanked Yediyurappa for giving him an opportunity to serve as the Chief Minister's media advisor. According to sources in the CM’s office, the CM and his team was not happy with the Mahadeva’s reactive approach to the CM’s media management. This is the most important reason leading to the change in personnel in the media advisory role. The issue had come up in the fore during the recent controversy involving alleged illegal gains made by one of CM’s family members through kickbacks from a government contractor .  The issue had blown up after Power TV, a private Kannada television channel, ran a series of sting operations allegedly done by an official in the channel on the member of the CM's family. Later one BJP worker C Nagaraja Gowda had obtained a temporary injunction from a Bengaluru court prohibiting reporting on the matter. In connection with the same incident, Vijayendra, son of CM Yediyurappa had filed a defamation case against  three officials from Power TV - Rakesh Shetty, managing director and editor-in-chief; and anchors Chandan Sharma and Rehman.  Recently another veteran journalist MB Maramkal was removed as the chief minister's political advisor. Media reports had cited Maramkal's alleged fallout with Yediyurappa's family members as the reason for his removal.

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