Swiss nightclub, shuttered by COVID-19, reborn as blood donation centre

People give blood on the stage of the closed MAD (Moulin a Danse) night club during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Lausanne, Switzerland, December 7, 2020. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

LAUSANNE (Reuters): A Swiss nightclub shuttered by COVID-19 restrictions has been converted into a temporary blood donation centre, bringing new life to an empty multi-floor warehouse that previously heaved with revellers. Chandeliers that used to illumine the dance floor for thousands of party-goers at the MAD nightclub in the student town of Lausanne now light… Continue reading Swiss nightclub, shuttered by COVID-19, reborn as blood donation centre

Study calls for streamlining of global data protection rules

FILE PHOTO: Skyscrapers in the City of London financial district are seen on a foggy morning, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, December 7, 2020. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

LONDON (Reuters): Personal data can be properly protected without forcing banks to build storage servers in every country they serve, which bumps up costs for customers and dents growth, a financial think tank said in a study on Tuesday. The London-based International Regulatory Strategy Group (IRSG) said data can be sufficiently protected without “localisation” –… Continue reading Study calls for streamlining of global data protection rules

Chuck Yeager, 1st to break sound barrier, dies at 97

FILE - In this Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, file photo, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles Yeager talks to members of the media following a re-enactment flight commemorating his breaking of the sound barrier 65 years earlier, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, died Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, at age 97. Photo courtesy: AP

(AP): Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles “Chuck” Yeager, the World War II fighter pilot ace and quintessential test pilot who showed he had the “right stuff” when in 1947 he became the first person to fly faster than sound, has died. He was 97. Yeager died Monday, his wife, Victoria Yeager, said on his… Continue reading Chuck Yeager, 1st to break sound barrier, dies at 97

Uber, hard-hit by pandemic, sells its robot-vehicle division

File-This March 20, 2020, file photo shows a parking lot full of Uber self-driving Volvos in Pittsburgh. Uber is selling off its autonomous vehicles development arm to Aurora as the ride-hailing company slims down after its revenues were pummeled by the coronavirus pandemic. Aurora will acquire the employees and technology behind Uber's Advanced Technologies Group in an equity transaction, the companies said Monday. Photo Courtesy: AP

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP): Uber is selling off its autonomous vehicles development arm as the ride-hailing company slims down after its revenues were pummeled by the coronavirus pandemic. Self-driving vehicle technology company Aurora will acquire the employees and technology behind Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group in an stock transaction, the companies said Monday. Uber will also… Continue reading Uber, hard-hit by pandemic, sells its robot-vehicle division

Rita Ora apologizes for second breach of Covid lockdown restrictions

(BBC): Pop star Rita Ora has apologised for a second breach of the UK’s Covid-19 restrictions, after failing to self-isolate following a trip to Egypt. The 30-year-old flew to Egypt for a private performance on 21 November. On her return the following day, she should have isolated for two weeks. Instead, she threw a birthday… Continue reading Rita Ora apologizes for second breach of Covid lockdown restrictions

Doug Scott: Everest summit mountaineer dies aged 79

Doug Scott and his wife Trish opening a school in Nepal. Photo Courtesy: BBC

(BBC): A mountaineer who was part of the first UK team to summit Everest via the south-west face has died aged 79. Doug Scott was part of the famous team to complete the challenge in 1975. He also founded the charity Community Action Nepal (CAN) in 1994 to help people in the Himalayas, and had… Continue reading Doug Scott: Everest summit mountaineer dies aged 79

Russia willing to invest in Nepal’s hydropower

Photo Courtesy: Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation

Kathmandu: Russia has expressed interest in building a large investment hydropower project in Nepal. A team led by the Russian Ambassador to Nepal Aleksei Novikov met Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Barshaman Pun at the Ministry on Tuesday and expressed interest in investing in hydropower. Russia’s two largest banks, Lanta and Moscow Industrial… Continue reading Russia willing to invest in Nepal’s hydropower

Summit will be organized to speed up SAARC: PM Oli

Kathmandu: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has stressed the need to expedite the summit to give fresh impetus to the stalled South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) process. Expressing his best wishes on the occasion of the 36th SAARC Charter Day, Prime Minister Oli said that in the 36 years since its inception, SAARC… Continue reading Summit will be organized to speed up SAARC: PM Oli

Agreement between ANFA and APF to build football academy

Photo Courtesy: All Nepal Football Association

Kathmandu: An agreement has been reached between All Nepal Football Association and Nepal APF School to build a football academy. A six-year agreement has been signed between ANFA and APF on Tuesday for the construction of Nepal APF School Football Academy. ANFA has called it a historic agreement. ANFA President Karma Chhiring Sherpa and APF… Continue reading Agreement between ANFA and APF to build football academy

BMW sales begin in Nepal

Kathmandu: Laxmi Premium Motors, the sole official importer of BMW Motors for Nepal, has started the official sale of the BMW brand from a grand showroom of 10,165 square feet in Tinkune, Kathmandu. Lakshmi Premium has collaborated with BMW Asia and BMW Bangladesh to establish and market the German brand BMW in the Nepali market.… Continue reading BMW sales begin in Nepal