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Joe Biden slams oil and fuel companies for war profits

Date : 02-Nov-2022

President Biden threatened on Monday to seek a new windfall profits tax on major oil and fuel companies unless they ramp up production to curb the price of petrol at the pump, an escalation of his battle with the energy industry just a week before the midterm elections.

The President lashed out against the giant firms as several of them reported the latest surge in profits, which he called an “outrageous” bonanza stemming from Russia’s war on Ukraine. He warned them to use the money to expand oil supplies or return it to consumers in the form of price reductions.

“If they don’t, they’re going to pay a higher tax on their excess profits and face other restrictions,” Biden told reporters at the White House. “My team will work with Congress to look at these options that are available to us and others. It’s time for these companies to stop war profiteering, meet their responsibilities to this country, give the American people a break and still do very well.”

The President’s embrace of new taxes on the energy industry heartened liberals in his party. But it was more of a way to pressure the oil firms than a realistic policy prescription for the short term given that Congress is not even in session and would be evenless likely to approve such ameasure if Republicans capture one or both houses in next week’s election.

Biden has been eager to direct public anger over fuelprices towards the oil industry and away from himself asDemocrats try to overcomehistorical and popular headwinds to keep the power onCapitol Hill. While the priceat the pump has fallen significantly since topping out just above $5 a litre in the summer, it is still much higher than when Biden took office and contributes to the overall inflation rate.

The President framed his case against the oil companiesin terms that seemed clearly aimed at next week’s vote.“The American people are going to judge who is standing with them and who is only looking out for their own bottom line,” he said. “I know where I stand.”

Twitter's new boss Elon Musk says blue tick on sale for US$ 8 per month

Date : 02-Nov-2022

PTI

New York, November 1

Twitter's new owner billionaire Elon Musk announced that the verification blue tick in front of a user's name that authenticates the account will now be available at a price of eight dollars per month.

Musk blasted the "current lords and peasants system for who has or doesn't have a blue checkmark”, using an expletive.

“Power to the people! Blue for US$ 8 per month,” he tweeted adding that the price is adjusted by country proportionate to purchasing power parity.

With that price, he said, users will also get priority in replies, mentions, and searches, which he said is essential to defeating spam/scams, as well as the ability to post long video and audio, half as many ads, and paywall bypass for publishers willing to work with the social media company.

He said the monthly payments from users for the blue tick “will also give Twitter a revenue stream to reward content creators”.

A blue tick signifies that a particular account is verified “because it's notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category”.

North Korea fires 10 missiles towards South Korea, alert in coastal areas

Date : 02-Nov-2022

Seoul, 2 Nov (HS): North Korea fired ten missiles towards South Korea, protesting its joint military exercise with the US. The missiles fired one after another, fell near South Korea, which sounded an alert in the small islands in the east.

North Korea criticised the joint military drill earlier and threatened South Korea and the US of serious consequences.

South Korea’s Joint Chief of Staff stated that North Korea fired missiles on Wednesday morning from the eastern coastal region Wonsan, which fell in the sea, about 26 kms south of South Korea. Some missiles also fell at a distance of 167 kms from Ulleung island. High alert has been sounded in Ulleung island. South Korea spoke of stern response to North Korea’s attack.

Hindusthan Samachar/ Ajay Mardikar/ Mukund

Supreme Court Rules That Lindsey Graham Must Testify in Georgia Inquiry

Date : 01-Nov-2022

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to block a Georgia grand jury subpoena seeking testimony from Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, about his activities in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.

The court’s order was a paragraph long and did not note any dissents. It said that Mr. Graham had been afforded substantial protections by lower courts, which had ruled that he did not have to testify on subjects related to his official duties.

“The lower courts assumed that the informal investigative fact-finding that Senator Graham assertedly engaged in constitutes legislative activity protected by the speech or debate clause” of the Constitution, the order said, “and they held that Senator Graham may not be questioned about such activities.”

But the Supreme Court’s order refused to stay rulings by lower courts that permitted questioning on other topics, and it noted that Mr. Graham remained free to object to questions that implicated his legislative activities.

North Korea warns US of 'powerful' response to allied drills

Date : 01-Nov-2022

Seoul, November 1

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry criticised the United States for expanding joint military exercises with South Korea that it claims are practice for a potential invasion, and it warned on Tuesday of “more powerful follow-up measures” in response.

The statement from the ministry came as the US and South Korea conduct aerial drills involving more than 200 warplanes, including their advanced F-35 fighter jets, as they step up their defence posture in the face of North Korea's increased weapons testing and growing nuclear threat.

North Korea has ramped up its weapons demonstrations to a record pace this year, launching more than 40 ballistic missiles, including developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles and an intermediate-range missile fired over Japan.

The North has punctuated those tests with an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorises pre-emptive nuclear attacks in loosely defined crisis situations.

The US and South Korea have resumed large-scale military drills this year after downsizing or suspending them in past years as part of efforts to create diplomatic space with Pyongyang and because of the pandemic.

The United States and South Korea's “Vigilant Storm” air force drills, which are to continue through Friday, came after South Korea completed its annual 12-day “Hoguk” field exercises that officials say also involved an unspecified number of American troops.

North Korea's latest statement came just days after the country fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, extending a barrage of launches since late September. Some of those launches have been described by the North as simulated nuclear attacks on South Korean and US targets.

Elon Musk ropes in Indian-origin technology executive as he implements changes in Twitter

Date : 01-Nov-2022

Sriram Krishnan, an Indian-origin technology executive, is "helping out" Twitter's new owner Elon Musk as he revamps the social media giant following its acquisition by the billionaire entrepreneur.

Krishnan is a general partner at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z).

"Now that the word is out: I'm helping out @elonmusk with Twitter temporarily with some other great people. I (and a16z) believe this is a hugely important company and can have a great impact on the world and Elon is the person to make it happen," Krishnan tweeted.

Krishnan added that he is "still very much in my day job" at @a16zcrypto. "If you're a crypto founder, you know how to find me!."

According to his profile on Andreessen Horowitz's website, Krishnan invests in early-stage consumer startups and serves on the boards of companies Bitski, Hopin, and Polywork.

Prior to joining a16z, Krishnan held numerous senior product roles and most recently, he "led core consumer teams at Twitter where he was responsible for products including the home timeline, new user experience, search, discovery, and audience growth", his profile said.

Previously, he created and oversaw various mobile ad products for Snap and Facebook, including Snap's Direct Response ads business and the Facebook Audience Network, one of the largest networks in display advertising, his profile said.Krishnan started his career at Microsoft where he touched numerous projects related to Windows Azure.

Author of "Programming Windows Azure" published by O'Reilly, he also co-hosts with his wife Aarthi Ramamurthy The Good Time Show' on Clubhouse, a nightly show through which they interview innovators around tech and culture.

He is an alumnus of SRM Engineering College, Anna University where he did his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Information Technology, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Last week, Musk completed the USD 44 billion acquisition of Twitter and ousted chief executive Parag Agrawal, legal executive Vijaya Gadde, Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal and General Counsel Sean Edgett.

The New York Times reported that Musk "planned to begin laying off workers" at Twitter. Citing people with knowledge of the situation, the report said that some managers were being asked to "draw up lists of employees to cut."

There are also media reports that Twitter might soon begin charging about 20 dollars for verification - the blue check mark next to the user's name that authenticates accounts. Musk tweeted that the "whole verification process is being revamped right now."

Brazil: Jair Bolsonaro in stunning poll loss

Date : 01-Nov-2022

Voters in Brazil on Sunday ousted President Jair Bolsonaro after just one term and elected the Leftist former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to replace him, election officials said, a rebuke to Bolsonaro’s far-Right movement and his divisive four years in office.

The victory completes a stunning political revival for da Silva — from the presidency to prison and back — that had once seemed unthinkable. It also ends Bolsonaro’s turbulent time as the region’s most powerful leader. It was the first time an incumbent President failed to win re-election in the 34 years of Brazil’s modern democracy.

For years, he attracted global attention for policies that accelerated the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and exacerbated the pandemic, which left nearly 700,000 dead in Brazil, while also becoming a major international figure of the far right for his brash attacks on the Left, the media and Brazil’s democratic institutions.

More recently, his efforts to undermine Brazil’s election system drew particular concern at home and abroad, as well as worldwide attention to Sunday’s vote as an important test for one of the world’s largest democracies.

Without evidence, Bolsonaro criticised the nation’s electronic voting machines as rife with fraud and suggested he might not accept a loss, much like former President Donald J. Trump. Many of his supporters vowed to take to the streets at his command.

Yet in the hours after the race was called, far-right lawmakers, conservative pundits and many of Bolsonaro’s supporters had recognised da Silva’s victory.

By 11pm (local time), Bolsonaro had not spoken publicly.

It was not all quiet. Truckers in the heart of Brazil’scentral farming region started fires and tried to block the main highway important for the agriculture industry, according to videos posted on social media and local news reports.

Da Silva won with the narrowest margin of victory for that same period, signalling the deep divide that he will confront as President. He won50.90 per cent of the vote, versus Bolsonaro’s 49.10 per cent, with 99.97 per cent of the votes counted Sunday night.

“I will govern for 215 million Brazilians, and not just for those who voted for me,” daSilva said in his victory speechSunday night, reading from pages held by his new wife, whom he married this year. “There are not two Brazils. We are one country, one people, one great nation.”

Da Silva, 77, a former metalworker and union leader with a fifth-grade education, led Brazil during its boom in the first decade of the century, leaving office with an 80 percent approval rating.

UN chief Antonio Guterres deeply saddened by Morbi bridge collapse tragedy

Date : 01-Nov-2022

PTI

United Nations, November 1

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep sadness over a tragic bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi city and expressed condolences to the families of the victims and injured.

At least 134 people lost their lives in the tragedy which took place in Morbi town of the Saurashtra region when the British-era suspension bridge came crashing down on Sunday evening.

“The secretary-general is deeply saddened by the tragic news of the collapse of the Morbi bridge in Gujarat," a statement issued by Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said on Monday.

Guterres expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, as well as the people and government of India, and wished a quick recovery to those injured, the statement said.

President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly Csaba Korosi said in a tweet “Deep sorrow at the bridge collapse in Gujarat, India. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and with the emergency services.”

UK PM Rishi Sunak criticised for planning to skip UN climate summit

Date : 31-Oct-2022

PTI

London, October 31

Rishi Sunak's decision to skip the upcoming climate summit in Egypt and the government preventing King Charles III from attending it has been criticised by many across the world who have accused the new UK prime minister of washing his hands of Britain's commitment to tackle the climate crisis.

‘COP27’ will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, in Egypt, from November 6 to November 18 -- finishing the day after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is due to set out the UK's tax and spending plans.

Downing Street in a statement last week has said that Prime Minister Sunak is no longer expected to attend the COP27 Climate Summit in Egypt due to “other pressing commitments, including preparations for the autumn statement”.

The UK will still be represented by other senior ministers as well as by COP26 president Alok Sharma at the climate summit, it said, adding that "the government is absolutely committed to supporting COP27 and leading international action to tackle climate change and protect nature”.

Earlier in October, the UK media had reported that noted environmentalist King Charles III would miss COP27 after then-prime minister Liz Truss advised him to drop his plans to attend.

The Egyptian government, the host of the COP27 Summit, has voiced “disappointment” at Sunak's decision.

Sunak's decision to snub the COP27 talks and to keep King Charles from attending has angered and upset countries around the world, risking the UK's standing on the world stage and raising concerns over his government's commitment to tackling the climate crisis, the Guardian newspaper reported on Sunday.

"As the principal UK policymaker and the Cop26 president, the PM should have led the summit. It seems as if they are washing their hands of leadership,” the report quoted Carlos Fuller, Belize's ambassador to the UN, as saying.

Questioning Sunak's reason for not attending the summit, Mohamed Nasheed, speaker of the Maldives parliament and former president, said, “It's very worrying that the UK thought there was anything more serious than climate change. You can count the pennies but might lose the pounds.”

Instead of attending COP27, Sunak will speak at a reception for business and environmental leaders to be hosted by the King at Buckingham Palace on Friday, two days before the climate talks begin.

K-Pop singer-actor Lee Jihan killed in Seoul Halloween stampede

Date : 31-Oct-2022

Seoul, October 31

Singer and actor Lee Jihan is confirmed to have passed away in the crowd crush that occurred during Halloween celebration in Seoul, South Korea over the weekend.

His agency 935 Entertainment confirmed the sad news on Sunday, October 30, "It's true that Lee Ji Han passed away due to the accident in Itaewon on October 29," reports aceshowbiz.com.

The representative of the agency continued: "We also hoped that it wasn't true, and we were very shocked to hear the news." Asking public to respect the family's privacy in this period of mourning, the agency added: "The family is suffering immense grief right now, so we are being very cautious. May he rest in peace." The news of Lee Jihan's passing first reached the public when several of his 'Produce 101' castmates, Park Heeseok, Jo Jinhyung and Kim Dohyun, paid tribute on social media. They wrote on Instagram" "Ji Han has left this world and gone to a comfortable place. We ask that you say goodbye to him on his final path." Lee Jihan first entered the spotlight as a contestant on Mnet's 'Produce 101' season 2 in 2017. He originally auditioned on the show with a cover of EXO's "Overdose" and was eliminated in the fifth episode.

Lee Jihan went on to make his debut as an actor on the web drama 'Today Was Another Nam Hyun Day' in 2019. He was 24 years old (by international reckoning) at the time of his passing. His mortuary will be set up at the funeral hall of Myongji Hospital, and the funeral will be held on November 1.

Lee Jihan was one of 154 people killed in the stampede, which occurred on Saturday in Itaewon, a busy nightlife district in the capital city. Thousands of people assembled in the narrow streets of the district to celebrate Halloween festivities when the crowd size became overwhelming, leading to panic and an eventual fatal crowd surge.

Over 80 people were reported injured and thousands of missing person reports were filed in the days since the tragedy. The Korean government has announced a period of national mourning that will last until November 5. Several K-pop music releases and events have been cancelled or postponed in the wake of the tragedy.

IANS