Loknath Das, Author at Pinfaves

The US wants travellers to reveal social media account details. Will it keep us safer?

June 4, 2019 Loknath DasAccount, Details, It, Keep, Media, reveal, Safer, Social, The, to, travellers, US, Wants, Will

Anyone submitting an Online Non-immigrant Visa Application (DS-160) to visit the US will be required to provide the details of their social media accounts over the last five years. And we have been warned that non-compliance will have serious consequences. PHOTO: For the time being most Australian passport holders will be exempt from the new rules. (ABC News: Melanie Vujkovic) Fortunately most Australian tourists and business travellers are covered by the US Visa Waiver Program. Under this program Australians must complete the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form, which gives us an option to list…

US now seeking social media details from all visa applicants

June 3, 2019 Loknath DasAll, applicants, Details, From, Media, Now, Seeking, Social, US, visa

WASHINGTON (AP) – The State Department is now requiring nearly all applicants for U.S. visas to submit their social media usernames, previous email addresses and phone numbers. It’s a vast expansion of the Trump administration’s enhanced screening of potential immigrants and visitors. In a move that’s just taken effect after approval of the revised application forms, the department says it has updated its immigrant and nonimmigrant visa forms to request the additional information, including “social media identifiers,” from almost all U.S. applicants. The change, which was proposed in March 2018, is…

New education policy seeks to junk 10+2 format, ‘high-stakes’ exams

June 2, 2019 Loknath Das$102, Education, exams, format, Junk, New, policy, Seeks, to, ‘high-stakes’

NEW DELHI: Replacing the 10+2 system, replacing ‘high stakes’ Class 10 and 12 exams with subject-wise ‘modular’ assessments anytime between Classes 9 and 12, ‘census’ examinations for classes 3, 5 and 8 to track progress throughout the school experience and deregulating higher education to allow students to opt for courses, exit them mid-way and resume them at fully autonomous public and private institutes — these are some of the key recommendations of the new education policy that the Modi government is set to make public as it begins its second stint. Key…

Virtual route to travel

June 1, 2019 Loknath Dasroute, to, travel, Virtual

It was a powerpacked panel at the Digital Nomads: How online companies are shaping the travel plans’ session where the discussion ranged from how millennials are choosing to travel to the way they seek technology to enhance their travelling experience. Smartphones have revolutionised travel, said Rajesh Magow, CEO and co-founder of MakeMyTrip while explaining how the real change for this travel portal started somewhere in 2006, when they relaunched and bought convenience booking at one’s fingertips. Today, there is a ton of data available and we are looking at using…

New framework looks at how technology is changing our cities

May 28, 2019 Loknath Dasat, changing, Cities, Framework, How, Is, Looks, New, Our, Technology'

The Urban Land Institute, a non-profit grop creating sustainable communities, has launched an Urban Technology Framework to help cities advance into the next generation. The Urban Technology Framework has identified 12 current trends that will shape metropolitan hubs, the group said. This in turn, will help developers and architects who are responsible for delivering future cities. Key tech trends include 3D printing transforming the way we build, and the Internet of Things (IoT) progressing smart buildings from stationary structures to machines. Digitalisation will transform business models, causing the existing sharing economy to…

Modi government’s 2nd term: Where to invest in stock market now?

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 Loknath Das2nd, government's, In, Invest, Market, Modi, Now, Stock, Term, to, where

The return of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister has pumped adrenaline into the stock market. As it became clear on Thursday that the BJP will get a clear majority, the benchmark indices created history: the Sensex crossed the 40,000 mark and Nifty rose above 12,000. Though both indices retraced from those levels due to profit booking, the formation of a stable government at the Centre is seen as good news. The markets prefer a strong, stable regime without the crutches of coalition because it ensures continuity in economic policies. “Investors…