Top headlines: Quarantine for flyers from abroad, CCI probe against Google

India climb up the ladder of emerging tech patents, shows data. More in today's top headlines

Domestic and global firms are lining up in India with patent applications in emerging technologies. In the past 5 years, 80,000 applications have been filed in areas such as AI, IoT, and cyber security, among others. Read more on that in today's top headlines.

Omicron spread: Seven-day quarantine must for flyers from abroad

No new registration would be required for those eligible for the precautionary or the third dose of Covid vaccine, the Union health ministry said on Friday. Those who have taken two doses of the Covid vaccine can directly take an appointment or walk-in to any Covid-19 vaccination centre to get their jab, the government said.

The fresh guidelines came as as the daily Covid-19 cases in India soared past the 100,000 mark on Friday, the highest in seven months. India also asked all international passengers to undergo a seven-day home-quarantine, and test on the eighth day. Read more

India climbing up the ladder of emerging tech patents, shows data

The IP regime is exploding with patent applications. Domestic and global companies in emerging technologies have filed over 80,000 applications in India between 2016 and 2020 in areas ranging from Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data to cloud, Edge, cyber security, and real time processing. They account for 70 per cent of all technology patents.

According to data from global IP research and consultancy firm Sagacious, 5,000 patents were filed in AI in India in the decade 2011-2020. But of these, 86 per cent were filed in the last five years. Read more

Govt may rein in fiscal deficit at 6.8% of GDP: First advance estimates

Even if the government spends Rs 71,000 crore more than the Budget Estimates (BE) and all revenues remain constant at the BE level, the Centre would be able to rein in its fiscal deficit at 6.8 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). Read more

Morris Coin scam: At least 1.1 million investors may have been cheated

Earlier this week, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at 11 locations across the country regarding a fake cryptocurrency called Morris Coin that floated an “initial coin offering” similar to an initial public offering.

Though the investigating agencies peg the scam's size at Rs 1,265-crore, victims, pin stockists who were part of the Morris Coin team, lawyers who have been battling the case in courts for over two years, and police officials indicate that at least 1.1 million investors spread across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka might have lost over Rs 3,000 crore in the scheme. Read more

CCI orders probe against Google for alleged abuse of dominant position

Fair trade regulator CCI on Friday ordered a probe against Google for its alleged abuse of dominant position.

"In a well-functioning democracy, the critical role played by news media cannot be undermined, and it needs to be ensured that digital gatekeeper firms do not abuse their dominant position to harm the competitive process of determining a fair distribution of revenue amongst all stakeholders," CCI said. Read more