Daredevil sets 2 world records with tightrope stunts in Chicago

Daredevil sets 2 world records with tightrope stunts in Chicago





Wallenda Wows With Steepest Incline & Highest Blindfolded Walks

American daredevil Nik Wallenda broke two world records on Sunday when he crossed the Chicago skyline on a tightrope suspended between three skyscrapers, without a safety harness. Wallenda, already the first person to cross the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls on a high wire, set records for the steepest tightrope incline and highest blindfolded walk as he stepped gingerly across the Windy City in mid-air. In the first half of the stunt Wallenda, 35, walked more than two city blocks and crossed the Chicago River with a tightrope set at an incline of 19 degrees, between the Marina City west tower and the Leo Burnett Building.
Upon descending from the tightrope, Wallenda returned to Marina City west via the ground to complete his second and more dangerous feat: a tightrope walk to the east tower at more than 500 feet (152 meters), blindfolded.
He completed the first walk in just under seven minutes and the second in slightly more than a minute, despite gusts of wind.
“It’s all about pushing myself to become better at what I do and hoping to inspire others to become better at what they do,” Wallenda told the Discovery Channel, which broadcast the stunt in more than 220 countries.
The Chicago Tribune said police estimated some 50,000 people turned out to watch Wallenda, a seventh generation member of the Flying Wallendas circus family.

Airtel only telco to allow Loop connectivity





Tele Co Set To Wind Up Ops By Month-End

Lakhs of customers of Loop Telecom, Mumbai's oldest operator, were in for a rude shock as outgoing calls and messaging services were barred on their phones, nearly blacking out their mobile connections. Loop, the embattled telecom operator run by the Dubaibased Khaitan family , will cease to exist from the end of this month, and efforts of the promoter group to sell the company to Bharti Airtel have not been successful. Regulatory hurdles have brought the deal to a standstill, making future uncertain for the firm's nearly 28 lakh customers. Sources said Loop has not paid interconnect usage charges (IUC) and mobile termination charges (MTC) to other operators for completing its calls on their networks. The dues, which run into crores of rupees, have forced the operators to shut their network to Loop's subscribers, who are now helpless.
While making calls, Loop customers get this message after failing to connect, “This call cannot be completed due to non-payment of interconnect charges by Loop Telecom. Please contact your service provider.“
Vodafone confirmed that it has taken action against Loop Telecom. “Incoming calls from Loop Mobile are temporarily restricted due to non-payment of interconnect dues by Loop Mobile,“ a Vodafone India spokesperson said. Vodafone is understood to have sent a notice to the promoters of Loop for recovery of its dues.
Idea Cellular, the country's third-biggest operator, is understood to have discontinued messaging (SMS) services to Loop's customers. The company , which is still allowing calling services, is understood to have filed a case in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Loop for recovery of its dues.
State-run MTNL is also understood to have discontinued its services, though there was no official confirmation. Efforts to contact Loop's management were not successful.
Bharti Airtel, however, is still providing connection on its network to Loop's subscribers, perhaps due to its pending deal with the company . Airtel, which had announced a Rs 700 crore deal to acquire the customers and telecom assets of Loop, has been left in the lurch with regulator Trai as well as the Department of Telecom (DoT) raising objection to the transaction, mainly asking for a choice being given to Loop's subscribers to move out to an operator of their liking through mobile number portability (MNP).
While the deal remains embroiled in regulatory hurdles, Vodafone has been making attempts to poach Loop's customers by offering attractive schemes. Loop's customers say they have been “bombarded“ by calls from Vodafone's sales teams that have been asking them to port out.
Vodafone's efforts seem to be paying off. According to figures accessed by TOI from the Number Portability Gateway , as many as 43% of Loop's subscribers, who have ported out since January , have gone to Vodafone. So, out of the 2.53 lakh subscribers who opted to change telecom service providers through MNP , 1.1 lakh are now in Vodafone's fold.
The troubles for Loop started when the Khaitan family decided not to bid for spectrum after the end of their 20-year license later this month. Loop had already sent a communication to its customers that it will be closing services from November 29.