LIVE: India celebrates openness; come, be a partner, Modi tells investors

LIVE updates: The virtual summit has seen a high-level presence from Indian and US government policymakers. Stay tuned for latest news of the day.

2:21 AM

Recent clashes triggered by PLA examples of unacceptable behaviour: Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the recent clashes "initiated" by the Chinese military against India in eastern Ladakh are the latest examples of the "unacceptable behaviour" of the Chinese Communist Party.

 

He also praised India's decision to ban 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, which he said are "security risks" to the Indian people.

 

It's important that democracies like ours work together, especially as we see more clear than ever the true scope of the challenge posed by the Chinese communist party.

2:20 AM

Covid-19 impact: Govt extends WFH norms for IT, ITeS firms till year end

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has extended the relaxations in the norms for other service providers (OSPs) to facilitate 'work from home' amid Covid-19 pandemic till the end of December.

 

The decision will help ensure business continuity and employee safety, industry executives said. Nasscom President Debjani Ghosh said the move "will ensure business continuity and employee safety" and "increase talent pool to tier 2 and 3 cities".

2:19 AM

Delhi govt plans more sero-surveys; next to be conducted from August 1-5

The Delhi government has decided to conduct sero-surveys every month to formulate better policies for tackling Covid-19 in the national capital, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday.

 

The decision comes after the city government analysed the results of the latest sero-survey which showed that 23 per cent of the people here had exposure to the novel coronavirus.

 

Interacting with reporters, he also said that the next survey will be conducted from August 1-5.

12:57 AM

12:33 AM

Stocks notch modest gains in choppy trading on Wall Street

Stock indexes are mostly higher on Wall Street in choppy trading Wednesday afternoon as investors size up a mix of company earnings reports and another flare-up in tensions between Washington and Beijing.

 

The S&P 500 was up 0.2 per cent after wavering between gains and losses for much of the afternoon.

 

The index is coming off a three-day winning streak. Gains in technology and health care stocks outweighed losses in energy companies, banks and elsewhere in the market. Treasury yields fell slightly, a sign of caution in the market.

12:32 AM

Trump, Barr to expand anti-crime surge to several US cities

President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr are expected to announce Wednesday that federal agents will surge into several American cities including Chicago to help combat rising crime, expanding the administration's intervention in local enforcement as Trump runs for reelection under a law and order mantle.

 

Hundreds of federal agents already have been sent to Kansas City, Missouri, to help quell a record rise in violence after the shooting death of a young boy there. Sending federal agents to help localities is not uncommon. Barr announced a similar surge effort in December for seven cities that had seen spiking violence.

12:28 AM

Facebook rolls out new privacy features for Messenger

Facebook on Wednesday announced new privacy and security features for Messenger including App lock, which enables users to add "another layer of security".

 

With App lock, users can lock Messenger and it will require an authentication method like Face ID or Touch ID to open it.

 

"App Lock lets you add another layer of security to your private messages and helps prevent other people from accessing them," said Jay Sullivan, Director of Product Management, Messenger Privacy and Safety, in a statement.

12:27 AM

US says it will adopt global climate standards for aviation

The Trump administration said Wednesday that it plans to adopt aircraft emissions standards modelled on international ones, a move it says will not further reduce climate-damaging emissions from planes.

 

Andrew Wheeler, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, said the change strikes the right regulatory balance and would ensure that U.S.-made airliners and large business jets meet the demands of the global market.

 

Environmental groups, which had threatened to sue EPA over delays in setting greenhouse gas limits for aviation, said the agency's proposal does not go far enough.

12:26 AM

Visakhapatnam gas leak: Judicial remand of accused extended till August 5

12:23 AM

SC notice to Madhya Pradesh CM on plea challenging cabinet size

The Supreme Court Wednesday issued notice to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his government on a plea by former Assembly Speaker N.P. Prajapati challenging the appointment of 28 more ministers, as it violated the ceiling on the maximum strength of the council of ministers fixed under the Constitution.

 

A bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian sought a response from the state government as senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha, representing Prajapati, contended that the appointment of 28 ministers in Madhya Pradesh violates the Constitution's Article 164 (1A).

 

According to this Article, the total number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, in the Council of Ministers in a state, shall not exceed 15 per cent of the total number of members of the Legislative Assembly of that state.