News Analysis India

Tag: requirements

  • Sydney Residents Asked To Watch New Year Fireworks From Home Under New COVID Restrictions

    New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian on December 27 announced a set of new restrictions for Sydney on the occasion of the New year as NSW recorded 14 new cases of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours. In an official press conference, Berejiklian banned the congregation in Sydney’s downtown harbourside where the crowd gathers every year to watch the New Year fireworks at the Opera House, citing the deadly resurgence of the disease. Restrictions of the outdoor public gathering were also announced for Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong areas, according to NSW primer’s announcement. 

    “The CBD frontline worker fireworks vantage point offering is cancelled. Frontline workers will be offered another opportunity in 2021,” the NSW government informed in a release. Berejiklian told a press conference that a short, seven-minute fireworks display will continue at midnight and will be broadcast on ABC TV for the public to watch it from the home confinement. Boats will be permitted on Sydney Harbour to watch the midnight fireworks display with adherence to Exclusion Zones restrictions, speed limits, minimum wash requirements and anchoring restrictions. “Only approved vessels will be granted access into the Managed Access Area as defined by the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Transport for NSW Maritime,” NSW premier announced.

  • Shortages of Laptops and PCs caused by high demand to last till 2022

    As the world got hit with the viral outbreak earlier this year, the demand for various electronic products like laptops and desktop PCs rose immensely. This apparently has left manufacturers still being months away to fulfill existing orders with the shortge possibly lasting till 2022, as per analysts and hardware industry executives.

    According to a Reuters report, one of the primary reasons for this sudden rise in demand was caused by the growing remote working or work from home requirements in the professional sense; whilst education was also shifted to the online digital realms due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The outbreak saw smartphone sales decline while devices with larger displays saw an increase in popularity and demand.

    Gregg Prendergast, Pan-America president at hardware maker Acer Inc stated that “The whole supply chain has been strained like never before.” Furthermore, the annual shipments of PCs, including desktops and laptops, had topped out at about 300 million in 2008 and has since been on a steady decline, with only a few predicting such a resurgence in demand. At the moment, projections from analysts note that shipments in 2020 could reach around 300 million as well, which would be up by 15 percent over last year.

  • BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe Shadow Black Shadow ‘Edition Launched in India

    BMW Group India launched the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe ‘Black Shadow’ edition . Locally-produced at BMW Plant Chennai, the exclusive edition is available at the shop.bmw.in from 7 December 2020 onwards.

    “The first-ever BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe perfectly blends the comfort of a sedan and the sportiness of a coupe. The new ‘Black Shadow’ edition with BMW ‘M’ Performance parts offers an excellent athletic edge which further enhances the sporty character of the car in all aspects. Designed with a focus on dynamics, it demonstrates powerful uniqueness tailored to suit the requirements of motorsport enthusiastic customers. Available in limited units, the ‘Black Shadow’ edition offers our discerning customers an exclusive opportunity to own the latest BMW four-door coupe,” said Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India. New design elements enhance the exterior of the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe to give it even more dynamic looks. The ‘M’ Performance parts are not only visually attractive but also integral elements of the light-weight construction concept.

    All components are perfectly matched to the specific character of the car and meet the highest requirements with regard to performance, production quality, and design.Price prevailing at the time of invoicing will be applicable. Ex-showroom prices inclusive of GST (incl. compensation cess) as applicable but exclude Road Tax, Tax Collected at Source (TCS), RTO statutory taxes/fees, other local tax cess levies, and insurance. Price/options are subject to change without prior notice.

  • Hong Kong-Singapore ‘travel Bubble’ To Open On Nov 22, Will Allow Quota Of 200 Passengers

    In another much-required boost to the tourism industry, Hong Kong and Singapore have agreed to open the “travel bubble” on November 22, their governments reportedly said on November 11. While the COVID-19 pandemic has long-stalled the tourism sector of all nations across the globe, Hong Kong’s commerce minister Edward Yau said in a briefing that a quota of at least 200 residents from each city will be permitted to travel on one daily flight to the other.

    However, only those passengers will reportedly be allowed to board the flight who have been in the former British colony or Singapore for at least two weeks and have tested negative for COVID-19. The newly-introduced concept of ‘travel bubble’ between nations has been a boon for the travel industry allowing safe air travel in the world that is still crippled under the global health crisis.

    These transport bubbles that have been rolled out by governments rocked by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, mean that two nations have arranged to and from commercial flights even if international flights are absent. Air bubbles are reciprocal, which implies that both countries enjoy the same benefits. Also known as “transport bubbles” or “air travel arrangements”, these temporary arrangements are a desperate measure by nations across the globe to resume the commercial passenger services.

    While passengers boarding the flight have conditions, they will be subjected to a different set of requirements in Hong Kong and Singapore. Tourists arriving in Hong Kong will have to test negative for COVID-19 again at the airport in a bid to avoid a quarantine period. Meanwhile, those reaching Singapore will have to download a contact-tracing mobile application. 

    This to-and-fro arrangement offering safe travel to nations will less spread of the disease between Hong Kong and Singapore will be operated by  Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Hong Kong’s commerce minister reportedly also said that if either country records a daily average of more than just five cases from untraceable sources for more than seven days, the travel bubble arrangement will be suspended for two weeks. However, if the situation remains under control like right now, the daily quota might be increased from December 7.