September 10, 2025

THE CLIFF NEWS

National Daily Bilingual Newspaper

Category: Technology

Apple to Unveil Slimmest iPhone Yet at ‘Awe-Dropping’ Event

Apple is expected to debut its thinnest iPhone ever at its annual fall showcase on Tuesday at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. The iPhone 17 lineup will feature the standard, Pro, and Pro Max models, along with a new addition — the iPhone Air, tipped to be Apple’s lightest flagship yet, echoing the branding of its MacBook Air laptops. Beyond iPhones, Apple is set to launch the Apple Watch Series 11 and updated AirPods, rumored to include live translation capabilities — a feature already offered by Google’s Pixel Buds. The company is also likely to confirm rollout dates for iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe. The showcase comes as Apple grapples with potential cost hikes from Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Chinese goods. CEO Tim Cook has mitigated risks by moving significant production to India and stockpiling U.S. inventories ahead of deadlines. Another focal point will be Apple Intelligence, the AI suite unveiled last year to a lukewarm reception. Key among user expectations is the long-promised revamp of Siri, which has yet to materialize. Cook has pledged progress toward a more personalized Siri in 2026, with reports suggesting Apple may integrate Google’s Gemini AI models to bolster the assistant.

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ILJIN Electronics India Raises ₹1,200 Crore from ChrysCapital, InCred PE

ILJIN Electronics India Pvt Ltd, the electronics arm of Amber Group, has secured ₹1,200 crore in its first-ever external institutional funding round. The investment was led by ChrysCapital, which contributed ₹1,100 crore, while InCred Growth Partners Fund I (InCred PE) invested ₹100 crore. The funding, routed through separate definitive agreements, is subject to regulatory approvals. The capital will be deployed to scale operations, enhance manufacturing capabilities, and pursue strategic acquisitions, strengthening ILJIN’s leadership in the electronics space. The move aligns with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and leverages government support under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS). ILJIN, a leading manufacturer of bare printed circuit boards (PCBs), PCB assemblies, and box build solutions, clocked ₹2,194 crore in revenues and ₹151 crore in operating EBITDA in FY25, achieving a 52% revenue CAGR from FY22 to FY25. Its product portfolio spans smartwatches, routers, solar inverters, EV charging systems, and energy storage solutions. Amber Group, which recently applied under ECMS for two projects worth ₹4,190 crore and announced acquisitions in battery energy storage and industrial automation, sees this investment as a growth catalyst. “This funding will empower us to pursue both organic expansion and strategic inorganic opportunities, reinforcing our leadership in PCB and EMS solutions,” said Jasbir Singh, Executive Chairman and CEO of Amber Group. With 31 manufacturing plants across India, Amber Group operates in three segments — consumer durables, electronics (EMS), and railway subsystems & defence.

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Red Sea Subsea Cable Damage Disrupts Internet Across South Asia and Middle East

New Delhi: Internet users in India, Pakistan, and parts of the Middle East faced widespread connectivity issues after multiple subsea cable systems in the Red Sea were damaged, internet observatory NetBlocks reported on Saturday. The outage has once again highlighted the fragility of global digital infrastructure that relies heavily on undersea cables. Who Was Affected? NetBlocks traced the source of the problem to cable failures near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a crucial hub where several global fibre-optic routes converge. Cause Still Unknown Authorities have yet to determine the reason for the damage. The Red Sea is considered one of the world’s most vital corridors for undersea fibre-optic cables, carrying a significant share of global internet traffic between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Microsoft Issues Advisory Tech giant Microsoft confirmed that its cloud platform Azure was among the services impacted. “We do expect higher latency on some traffic that previously traversed through the Middle East. Network traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted,” Microsoft said in a statement. To mitigate the impact, Microsoft rerouted traffic through alternate global paths, ensuring that most Azure users could continue operations with minimal disruption. Why It Matters Undersea cables handle over 95% of international internet traffic, making them the backbone of global connectivity. Experts warn that incidents like this can: With increasing dependence on cloud-based services, calls for better security, monitoring, and redundancy in subsea cable infrastructure are growing louder. ⚡ Bottom line: The Red Sea cable cuts may be temporary, but they serve as a stark reminder of how the world’s internet hinges on a few fragile lines laid deep under the ocean.

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Editor03 mins

Blood Moon 2025: One of the Longest Total Lunar Eclipses of the Decade

On the night of September 7–8, 2025, skywatchers across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia will witness a breathtaking total lunar eclipse, popularly known as a Blood Moon. This eclipse is set apart by its exceptional duration, with the total phase lasting about 82 minutes, making it one of the longest total lunar eclipses in the past 10 years. The extended length of this celestial spectacle is due to two rare factors: the Moon’s slower movement near apogee (its farthest point from Earth) and its central passage through Earth’s umbra, the darkest part of the shadow. This perfect alignment offers observers a prolonged and unforgettable view of the Moon glowing in shades of deep red and copper. Why the Moon Turns Red: The Science Behind the Blood Moon A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow across the lunar surface. During a total eclipse, the Moon passes fully into the umbra and darkens dramatically. Instead of vanishing, it takes on a reddish hue because of Rayleigh scattering. As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, shorter wavelengths (blue and green) scatter away, while longer red wavelengths bend around the Earth to light up the Moon. This same effect makes sunsets and sunrises appear red. Eclipse Timings for India (IST) – September 7–8, 2025 With the Moon high in the sky, Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru will provide ideal viewing conditions. Global Visibility For regions missing out, astronomy observatories will stream the event live worldwide. Why the September 2025 Eclipse is Special How to Watch the Blood Moon A Celestial Treat for Billions The September 7–8, 2025 Blood Moon will not only be a dazzling astronomical event but also a rare opportunity for billions to connect with the cosmos. With its unusual duration, striking colors, and wide visibility, this eclipse promises to be one of the most memorable skywatching events of the decade.

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Editor05 mins

ISRO Invites Proposals for Scientific Use of Chandrayaan-3 Data

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has issued an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) inviting India’s scientific community to analyse and utilise data from the Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover experiments. The Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made history on August 23, 2023, with a successful soft-landing near the Moon’s south pole, has generated valuable datasets that ISRO now seeks to open for wider scientific research. The AO is open to faculty and researchers from recognised Indian universities, colleges, research institutions, and government organisations outside ISRO and the Department of Space. Proposals may be submitted individually or in groups. ISRO clarified that only researchers with at least four years of service left before retirement can lead projects as Principal Investigators (PI). Proposals must be endorsed by institutional heads. Each project will run for three years, with a possible one-year extension based on scientific outcomes and committee recommendations. Annual reviews will be conducted by ISRO to monitor progress. The last date for submission of proposals is October 21, 2025.

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Supreme Court Dismisses Challenge to Rollout of 20% Ethanol (E20) Fuel

India’s top court on Monday rejected a public interest petition that sought to block the government’s move to roll out 20% ethanol-blended petrol (E20) nationwide. The challenge, filed last month, had asked for motorists to retain the option to buy unblended fuel after E20 became the sole fuel available at nearly 90,000 petrol pumps across the country. Attorney General R. Venkataramani told the Supreme Court the decision to introduce E20 was carefully considered and would also help farmers — ethanol in India is largely produced from sugarcane. The government argued the rollout was not a “mindless application of switching out one system with another” and that related concerns were being addressed. Some automakers had earlier warned that E20 had not been fully tested for compatibility with older vehicles, prompting consumer worries. However, many in the auto sector later downplayed safety risks. P.K. Banerjee, executive director of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), said over the weekend that while E20 may reduce mileage in older cars, it is not a safety risk. With the Supreme Court dismissal, the government’s E20 policy remains in force as India pursues its clean-energy goals and seeks to boost domestic ethanol demand.

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Metro Awaits Safety Certification, CMRS Visit Expected Soon

Scheduled for an October rollout, the Metro in the state capital requires mandatory certification from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) before operations can begin. According to officials, the CMRS will visit the city twice prior to granting approval. The first inspection will focus on the Metro Depot and rolling stock (trains), while the second visit will cover Metro stations. Departments including Civil, Signalling, and Telecom are required to upload their compliance reports online for scrutiny. “Many departments have already submitted their reports, and the first visit by CMRS is expected shortly,” an official from the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation told The Free Press. Meanwhile, senior officers are carrying out regular reviews of the project. On Saturday, Metro Corporation MD S. Krishna Chetanya inspected the ongoing works and assured that all tasks will be completed on schedule. On Sunday, Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Sanjay Dubey also reviewed the preparations.

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India’s E20 Ethanol Blending Program: Stakeholders Reaffirm Benefits, Address Concerns

At a high-level press conference on Friday, key stakeholders of India’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Program — including oil companies, automakers, distilleries, certification agencies like ARAI and iCAT, and regulatory bodies such as BIS — came together to highlight the country’s progress toward 20% ethanol blending (E20) and reaffirm its transformative benefits for the economy, environment, and farmers. The joint session stressed that India’s E20 journey is a calibrated, standards-backed process spanning two decades, designed to reduce crude oil import dependency, save foreign exchange, cut carbon emissions, and boost farmers’ incomes without compromising on vehicle safety or performance. Key Outcomes and Benefits Technical Advantages Ethanol has a higher octane rating (108.5 vs petrol’s 84.4), enabling modern high-compression engines to deliver better acceleration and efficiency, especially in urban driving conditions. With E20, India’s petrol now achieves RON 95, improving anti-knock performance. Concerns about drastic mileage loss were dismissed. Testing on older vehicles showed only a marginal drop in fuel economy, while real-world mileage remains more dependent on driving practices, vehicle condition, and AC usage. Clarifications on Rumours Global Lessons and Domestic Commitment Stakeholders noted that India’s program draws heavily from Brazil’s successful ethanol adoption model, but has been adapted after detailed studies under Indian conditions. The government and industry reiterated their shared commitment to expanding ethanol use as part of India’s energy security and climate goals. “This is not just a fuel transition, but a national mission benefiting the economy, the environment, and millions of farmers,” said representatives from ARAI and oil marketing companies.

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Editor04 mins

Ashwini Vaishnaw Inaugurates Optiemus’ ₹870 Crore Tempered Glass Factory in Noida

Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday inaugurated Optiemus Infracom’s tempered glass screen protectors factory in Noida, marking a major step in India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem. The plant comes with an overall outlay of ₹870 crore. Earlier this month, the company launched its RhinoTech brand — Made-in-India tempered glass screen protectors — developed using glass engineered by U.S.-based Corning. In the first phase, Optiemus has invested ₹70 crore, setting up an installed capacity of 25 million units annually. The facility is expected to generate direct employment for more than 600 people. “Optiemus is the new gem in the fast-growing electronics manufacturing ecosystem in the country. By the end of this year, production of covered glass from Corning will also commence,” Mr. Vaishnaw said, urging the company to expand its research team from 40 to 400 members. Optiemus Chairman Ashok Kumar Gupta announced that in the second phase, the company plans to expand production capacity to 200 million units per year, aimed at both domestic and global markets. This expansion will require an additional ₹800 crore investment and create over 4,500 direct jobs. “This is the first time in India that such advanced screen protection, developed with Corning glass, will be produced locally and made available for both Indian and international markets,” Mr. Gupta had earlier said.

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RC Bhargava Bats for Lower GST as US Tariffs Hit Indian Industries

At Maruti Suzuki’s annual general meeting, Chairman RC Bhargava urged the government to expedite GST reforms, warning that fresh US tariffs could disrupt multiple Indian industries and erode the purchasing power of small car buyers. To be sure, the Narendra Modi government has already proposed lowering the GST on Maruti Suzuki’s bestselling small cars. However, the additional US import duties—effective 27 August—have raised total tariffs to as high as 50% on goods like garments, gems and jewellery, footwear, sporting goods, furniture and chemicals. The move threatens thousands of small exporters and jobs, a vital customer base for the carmaker. In his Independence Day address on 15 August 2025, Prime Minister Modi announced India’s biggest tax overhaul since the rollout of GST in 2017. Consumer, auto and insurance firms are expected to benefit most when product prices fall from October. The Centre has suggested cutting GST on small cars from 28% to 18%, while insurance premiums could see rates drop from 18% to as low as 5%—or even zero.

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