‘Where will I get my burger’: Delhi wonders as 43 McDonald’s outlets shut

Agencies
June 30, 2017

New Delhi, Jun 30: If you are a glutton for McDonald’s burgers, get ready for some serious heartburn.

mc

As many as 43 of the 55 outlets belonging to the American fast food chain in Delhi temporarily suspended operations from Thursday, after its North and East India licensee failed to renew eating-house permits.

As soon as news of the development spread, Delhiites rushed to their nearest McDonald’s outlets in the hope of landing one last burger before they downed shutters. Only a few emerged successful.

“I have been eating at McDonald’s for several years now. Their sudden decision to suspend operations is shocking. Where will I get them now?” asked Rohit Sharma, a 29-year-old IT professional working in Connaught Place.

McDonald’s burgers have been the most sought-after meal for many, from college-goers to corporate employees. “I logged on to the McDonald’s website to get a burger delivered at my home. I had barely typed in my address and order details when a message that read – ‘Sorry, the assigned store(s) is not able to make deliveries now’ – flashed before my eyes,” bemoaned 20-year-old Pooja Dubey, a first-year BTech student. “This is the final nail in the coffin. Where can I get my favourite burger now?”

Experts believe the temporary closure of these outlets will further hit the reputation of the American food chain, which had already lost its tag of being the largest fast-food restaurant chain to Dominos Pizza about four years ago.

The licensee – Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd (CPRL) – is a joint venture between entrepreneur Vikram Bakshi and McDonald’s India Pvt Ltd (MIPL).

“The eating-house licenses of a number of McDonald’s restaurants in Delhi have expired. The CPRL board is working towards obtaining the required permits. Pending this, the CPRL is temporarily suspending operations at the affected restaurants,” a statement issued by the MIPL read. However, it did not specify the reason or the likely duration of the suspension.

“Though unfortunate, it is correct that around 40 McDonald’s restaurants have temporarily suspended operations in Delhi from today morning,” Bakshi, who is on the CPRL board, said.

Bakshi and McDonald’s have been at loggerheads over control of the CPRL, and the matter is being pursued at the London Court of International Arbitration. The legal scuffle began after Bakshi was removed from the post of CPRL managing director in August 2013.

A highly placed source told PTI that more outlets in the Capital could be shut due to the CRPL’s failure to renew licences.

McDonald’s India spokesperson Barry Sum downplayed reports of possible job losses due to the closure. “We understand that the CPRL is retaining employees of the affected restaurants and will pay them their salary during the period of suspension,” he said.

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Agencies
March 8,2020

New Delhi, Mar 8: In order to spread awareness, a special COVID-19 mobile phone caller tune was launched by all telecom operators with basic infection prevention messages played when a caller dials-out, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday.

"In order to spread awareness about COVID-19, a special COVID-19 mobile phone caller tune was launched by all telecom operators. Over 117.2 crore subscribers of BSNL, MTNL Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone-Idea are being progressively reached out to through SMSs and Call Backs," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a press statement.

"As many as 52 laboratories are now operational across the country for testing the COVID-19 virus. An additional 57 laboratories have been provided with Viral Transport Media and swabs for sample collection," the statement added.

India has 39 confirmed cases of deadly coronavirus so far. The disease has caused deaths of 3200 people globally. 

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Agencies
July 2,2020

Leiden, Jul 2: Astronomers have discovered a luminous galaxy caught in the act of reionizing its surrounding gas only 800 million years after the Big Bang.

The research, led by Romain Meyer, PhD student at UCL in London, UK, has been presented at the virtual annual meeting of the European Astronomical Society (EAS).

Studying the first galaxies that formed 13 billion years ago is essential to understanding our cosmic origins. One of the current hot topics in extragalactic astronomy is 'cosmic reionization,' the process in which the intergalactic gas was ionized (atoms stripped of their electrons).

Cosmic reionization is similar to an unsolved murder: We have clear evidence for it, but who did it, how and when? We now have strong evidence that hydrogen reionization was completed about 13 billion years ago, in the first billion years of the universe, with bubbles of ionized gas slowly growing and overlapping.

The objects capable of creating such ionized hydrogen bubbles have however remained mysterious until now: the discovery of a luminous galaxy in which 60-100 percent of ionizing photons escape, is likely responsible for ionizing its local bubble. This suggests the case is closer to being solved.

The two main suspects for cosmic reionization are usually 1) a population of numerous faint galaxies leaking ~10 percent of their energetic photons, and 2) an 'oligarchy' of luminous galaxies with a much larger percentage (>50 percent) of photons escaping each galaxy.

In either case, these first galaxies were very different from those today: galaxies in the local universe are very inefficient leakers, with only <2-3 percent of ionizing photons escaping their host. To understand which galaxies governed cosmic reionization, astronomers must measure the so-called escape fractions of galaxies in the reionization era.

The detection of light from excited hydrogen atoms (the so-called Lyman-alpha line) can be used to infer the fraction of escaping photons. On the one hand, such detections are rare because reionization-era galaxies are surrounded by neutral gas which absorbs that signature hydrogen emission.

On the other hand, if this hydrogen signal is detected it represents a 'smoking gun' for a large ionized bubble, meaning we have caught a galaxy reionizing its surroundings. The size of the bubble and the galaxy's luminosity determines whether it is solely responsible for creating this ionized bubble or if unseen accomplices are necessary.

The discovery of a luminous galaxy 800 million years after the Big Bang supports the scenario where an 'oligarchy' of bright leakers emits most of the ionizing photons.

"It is the first time we can point to an object responsible for creating an ionized bubble, without the need for a contribution from unseen galaxies.

Additional observations with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope will enable us to study further what is likely one of the best suspects for the unsolved case of cosmic reionization," said Meyer.

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Agencies
January 22,2020

New Delhi, Jan 22: "Don't get into a trap. Your security is in your hands," the Border Security Force (BSF) has said issuing its social media rules for its officers and men. It has directed them not to use 42 mobile applications and show caution while using Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.

"Be cautious while using social media," said the BSF in a circular issued recently.

"Before using WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms, one needs to keep in mind that you are border guarding force and Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules rule duly are applicable," it said.

It further pointed out that by commenting/writing about or forwarding unverified reports and rumours one violates laws of land.

"Several times unverified reports would be presented in way that they are absolutely true and start believing it. Seeing such post always use your commonsense and never get into the trap (sic.)," it state adding that the anti-national elements uses social media to propagate their agenda to cause unrest in India.

A picture clicked by Border Security Force personnel and posted on a social media platform remains there for always. Therefore, one should use officially approved pictures about any incident or untoward incidents related to Border Security Force, stated the circular. It pointed that unauthorised persons should not engage into taking pictures of the incidents.

It also highlighted how through social media, a few BSF personnel have fallen into trap of espionage racket carried out by enemy countries.

"Our security and respect is in our hands. Always think twice whether you are doing correct by accepting friendship requests from unknown persons, especially women and girls," it cautioned the troopers and officers.

It also highlighted that while going on leave and joining back the force, always follow the rules and regulations laid out for safety and security. "This is for your own safety," it stressed in the end.

The BSF has also issued a list of 42 mobile applications that needs to be completely avoided by serving BSF officers and jawans.

They are MI store, Weibo, Wechat, Shareit, Truecaller, UC News, UC Browser, Beautyplus, NewsDog, Viva Video - QU video Inc, Parallel Space, Apus Browser, Perfect Corp, Virus Cleaner - HI Security Lab, CM browser, MI Community, DU recorder, Vault Hide - No mobile Security, Youcam Makeup, Cachecleaner DU Apps Studio, DU battery saver, DU privacy, 360 security, DU Browser,Clean master - Cheeta Mobile, Baidu Translate, Wonder Camera - Bindu Inc, ES Ifle Explorer, Photo Wonder, QQ international , QQ music, QQ Mail, AA player, QQ News Feed, Wesync, QQ security Center, Selfie City, Mail Master, Mi Video Call -Xaomi and QQ launcher.

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