LIVE: Delhi pollution caused 24,000 deaths in 1st half of 2020, says report

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3:16 AM

Google can ward off EU antitrust probe into Fitbit deal with data pledge

Google may be able to stave off a full-scale EU antitrust investigation into its planned $2.1 billion bid for Fitbit by pledging not to use Fitbit's health data to help it target ads, people familiar with the matter said.

 

The deal announced in November last year allows Google, a unit of Alphabet, to take on Apple andSamsung in the fitness tracking and smart watch market, alongside others including Huawei and Xiaomi.

3:15 AM

24,000 pollution-related deaths in Delhi in first half of 2020: Report

Air pollution in Delhi is linked to the loss of around 24,000 lives and 5.8 percent of its GDP in the first half of 2020, despite a strict Covid-19 lockdown since March 25, a report said.

 

According to a new online tool by IQAir AirVisual and Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Delhi lost Rs 26,230 crore, equivalent to 5.8 percent of its annual GDP, over the last six months due to air pollution.

 

 

It is also the highest economic cost of air pollution in terms of GDP across 28 major cities in the world.

3:15 AM

DCGI asks manufacturers to prevent black-marketing of Covid-19 drugs

In order to prevent black-marketing and overpricing of Covid-19 drugs such as Remdesivir, India's drugs regulator DCGI has asked manufacturers to set up a helpline for patients and also put on their websites details of distributors and supply chain.

 

Rajesh Bhushan, the Officer on Special Duty, Union Health Ministry, told an online media briefing Thursday that it has been noticed that certain drugs are not available freely in the market.

3:15 AM

At 16.5 million, TikTok removed most number of videos from India: Report

India made the highest number of requests to TikTok for content removal and user information between July and December last year, according to the Chinese short-video apps’ latest transparency report.

 

TikTok owned by Beijing-based tech firm ByteDance is among the 59 Chinese apps along with Alibaba's UC Browser and Tencent's WeChat which were recently banned by the government citing security concerns. This move came after Indo-Sino tensions escalated.

12:31 AM

One Nation, One Ration Card to start working across India by January

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan has reiterated that 'One Nation, One Ration Card' (ONORC) scheme would likely start working across India by January next year, ahead of its March 31 deadline.

 

Paswan on Thursday said the ministry is trying to include all remaining States/UTs onboard of ONORC by January 2021. He said that earlier many States/UTs highlighted the challenges related to slow network connectivity.

 

In this regard, he informed that he has taken up the issue with the department of telecommunications (DoT) and there is a proposal to provide a free net connection to every gram panchayat for one year duration.

 

While interacting with reporters through video conferencing, the Minister said the balanced quantity of foodgrains and whole chana under under the 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' scheme will now be distributed till August 31, 2020.

12:01 AM

Air pollution caused around 24,000 deaths in Delhi in first half of 2020: Greenpeace

Air pollution in Delhi is linked to the loss of around 24,000 lives and 5.8 percent of its GDP in the first half of 2020, despite a strict Covid-19 lockdown since March 25, a report said.

 

According to a new online tool by IQAir AirVisual and Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Delhi lost Rs 26,230 crore, equivalent to 5.8 percent of its annual GDP, over the last six months due to air pollution.

 

It is also the highest economic cost of air pollution in terms of GDP across 28 major cities in the world.

11:42 PM

India in talks with Sri Lanka over its request for debt relief

India on Thursday said it was holding talks with Sri Lanka over its request for postponement of repayment of debt.

 

"The matter has progressed and technical level discussions are presently underway," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said.

 

He was responding to a question on the issue at an online media briefing.

 

Sri Lanka is reeling under a major economic crisis and has requested several countries and international donors, including India to provide debt relief.

11:42 PM

Google selects Mississippi site for 1st US operations centre

Google's first US operations centre is coming to northwest Mississippi.

 

The company announced Thursday it will lease a new 60,000-square-foot (5,574 square-meter) facility in Southaven, Mississippi, near Memphis, Tennessee.

 

Google expects the site, which will provide customer and operations support to customers worldwide, to be operational by summer 2021.

 

This Google Operations Center represents a critical investment for the company and we look forward to being an active member of the local community for years to come, said Troy Dickerson, vice president of Google Operations Center.

11:27 PM

Senior IAS officer G Narendra Kumar appointed Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi: Official order

11:25 PM

US in talks with India on market access, trade concessions

The United States is in talks with India on market access for its goods in exchange for reinstating New Delhi's trade concessions under the Generalised System Of Preferences (GSP), U.S. ambassador to India Kenneth Juster said on Thursday.

 

"The GSP by law requires that there be some market opening measures in recipience of that preferential system, and that's what we have been trying to reach an agreement on with the government of India," Juster said at India Global Week 2020, an online business summit.

11:02 PM

US imposes sanctions on 3 Chinese officials for human rights violations in Xinjiang

11:02 PM

Data of one country should not become surreptitious property of another country: Ravi Shankar Prasad

11:01 PM

CDC: No rewriting of guidelines for reopening schools

Despite President Donald Trump's sharp criticism, federal guidelines for reopening schools are not being revised, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

 

Dr Robert Redfield said the agency would be issuing additional reference documents for parents and schools to facilitate the reopening and deal with safety concerns in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. But he said there would be no changing of the overall guidance.

 

Redfield commented a day after Trump complained the reopening guidelines were very tough and expensive and the CDC was asking schools to do very impractical things.

 

Speaking of CDC officials, he tweeted, I will be meeting with them.!!!" Redfield said, It's really important, it's not a revision of the guidelines, it's just to provide additional information to help schools be able to use the guidance that we put forward."

 

He made his comments on ABC's Good Morning America. Trump is pressuring state and local officials to reopen schools this fall, threatening to withhold federal funds from those that keep their learning remote.

10:59 PM

Assam govt changes MSME ordinance norms after protests; allows no conversion of agriculture land

10:33 PM

India-UAE special repatriation flights to begin July 12

The civil aviation authorities of India and the UAE have agreed to operate special repatriation flights between the two countries during July 12-26.
 

As per the arrangement, chartered flights operated by UAE carriers to bring flying out Indians from the UAE will be allowed to carry ICA (Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship) approved UAE residents to their native country on their return leg.
 

Further, Indian carriers operating repatriation flights to bring back Indians from the UAE will be allowed to carry the ICA approved UAE residents on their onward journey from India to the Gulf country.

10:31 PM

MCA restores two seats for Gavaskar at Wankhede Stadium

10:23 PM

BCCI CEO Rahul Johri's resignation accepted

The BCCI is all set to part ways with its chief executive officer Rahul Johri, whose long-pending resignation was accepted on Thursday.

 

While the top bosses in the BCCI remained tight-lipped about the development, a senior official in the know of things told PTI that they have decided to accept his resignation letter sent on December 27.

 

"Rahul Johri's resignation has been a accepted. He was earlier given an extension till April 30 but this time it has been accepted," a BCCI veteran told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

10:17 PM

Industry looking at replacing features phone with smartphones in country: ICEA

10:17 PM

Brazil bans fires in Amazon rainforest to meet investor demands to slow deforestation

10:15 PM

India closely monitoring developments relating expat quota bill in Kuwait

9:51 PM

Nepal bans India's news channels except Doordarshan

Nepal on Thursday stopped the transmission of all Indian private news channels except Doordarshan, accusing them of airing reports hurting the country's national sentiment.

 

There was no immediate reaction from India on the issue. People familiar with the development said the Nepalese embassy in New Delhi apprised its views to the Indian government over coverage of Nepal's political developments by the Indian channels.

 

"We have stopped the distribution of all Indian news channels except Doordarshan," Dinesh Subedi, the chairman of Multi-System Operator (MSO), foreign channel distributor, told reporters here.

 

"We have halted distribution of India's private news channels as they have aired news reports hurting Nepal's national sentiment," he added.

9:16 PM

Tomato prices rise to Rs 60-70 a kg in most cities; Paswan says due to lean period

9:00 PM

India rejects China's claim over Galwan; diplomatic talks likely on Friday

India has once again rejected China's claim over Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh even as both sides are expected to hold another round of diplomatic talks on the border row on Friday to thrash out modalities for further de-escalation of tension along the Line of Actual Control.

 

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India remained convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and resolution of differences through dialogue, but at the same time asserted that the country is committed to ensuring its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

 

At an online media briefing, he said the Line of Actual Control (LAC) must be strictly respected and observed as it is the basis for peace and tranquillity in border areas.

 

Srivastava said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval categorically conveyed to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday India's position on the recent developments along the LAC including in the Galwan valley area. READ MORE...

8:41 PM

PM Modi will dedicate to the nation 750-MW Solar Project set up in Madhya Pradesh tomorrow: PMO

8:40 PM

Temporary non-patrolling zones in areas vacated as part of mutual disengagement in Eastern Ladakh

The first phase of disengagement between armies of India and China at friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh has been completed and the talks for the second phase is expected to begin in next few days, according to an ANI report.

 

As part of the first phase of disengagement, Chinese troops have moved back from Finger 4 to Finger 5 in the Finger area. They have already moved back by around two kilometres in the other friction points including Galwan valley, Hot Springs and Patrolling Point-15, top government sources told ANI.

 

The Indian side has also moved back as per the mutual disengagement agreed upon during the Corps Commander-level talks, the sources added. The vacant spaces will be treated as temporary non-patrolling zones by both sides and their troops will not come there, news agency ANI reported.

 

The second round of disengagement will focus on talks about moving back to permanent locations as per the discussions between NSA Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart. Corps Commander-level talks will take place between the two armies after meeting of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) to be held tomorrow.

8:30 PM

Withdrawal of Chinese troops in Gogra and Hot Springs complete: Report

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday completed moving back its troops from the face-off sites in Gogra and Hot Springs in eastern Ladakh in line with the understanding reached with the Indian Army, and the two sides are set to hold high-level military talks to further de-escalate tension in the region, people familiar with the development said.

 

They said both sides have completed the creation of a buffer zone of three kilometres in the three friction points of Galwan Valley, Gogra and Hot Springs as part of a temporary measure aimed at reducing the possibility of any confrontation.

 

On Thursday, the PLA has totally pulled back its troops from Gogra (patrolling point 17), and with this, both sides have implemented the first phase of disengagement to avoid any friction, the people cited above said. READ MORE...

8:16 PM

India again rejects China's claim over Galwan Valley; another round of talks expected Friday

India has once again rejected China's claim over Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh even as both sides are expected to hold another round of diplomatic talks on the border row on Friday to thrash out modalities for further de-escalation of tension along the Line of Actual Control, according to a PTI report.

 

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India remained convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and resolution of differences through dialogue, but at the same time asserted that the country is committed to ensuring its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

 

At an online media briefing, he said the Line of Actual Control (LAC) must be strictly respected and observed as it is the basis for peace and tranquillity in border areas. Srivastava said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval categorically conveyed to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday India's position on the recent developments along the LAC including in the Galwan valley area.

 

Doval and Wang, the special representatives for border talks, held a telephonic conversation following which armies of the two countries began disengagement of troops from friction points in eastern Ladakh.

8:05 PM

MHA allows NIA to probe Thiruvananthapuram airport gold smuggling case: Official

8:01 PM

US noted India's concerns over new visa rule for foreign students: MEA

India on Thursday said it has conveyed its concerns to the United States regarding the new rule on F-1 visa and urged Washington to keep in mind the role educational exchanges have played in the developing relationship between the two countries.

 

The Trump administration has announced those F-1 and M-1 (non-academic and vocational students) visa holders planning to take online classes only will not be allowed to remain in the US.

 

The issue was raised during the virtual foreign office consultations between Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale on Tuesday. Ministry of External Affairs' spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that the United States has noted India's concern regarding the new rule.

 

Addressing a virtual media briefing, Srivastava said that New Delhi is concerned over the possibility that the implementation of the new rule may lead to the return of a large number of Indian students studying in the US. READ MORE...

7:26 PM

First phase of disengagement between armies of India and China at friction points has been completed