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Economic Times | 01 Aug, 2020 | 04.31PM IST
Coronavirus Updates Live: Air India commences fifth phase of Vande Bharat
The airline is expected to operate close to 700 flights between India and at least 53 countries during this phase, airline sources said.
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J&K, Manipur, Nagaland, Uttarakhand join 'One Nation-One Ration Card' scheme
- Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland and Uttarakhand have joined the 'One Nation-One Ration Card' scheme, taking the total number of states and union territories connected under the scheme to 24, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Saturday.
- With this, about 65 crore beneficiaries, comprising 80 per cent of the total beneficiaries, covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) can now get their subsidised ration from anywhere in these 24 states and union territories, he said.
- Remaining states/UTs are targeted to be integrated in national portability by March 2021, he added.
GST collections dips in July
- The collection for this month stood at Rs 87,422 cr; lower than Rs 90,917 cr in June: Finance Ministry.
Iran says it has arrested head of US-based 'terrorist group'
Hero MotoCorp July sales surpass 5 lakh units
Now, Indian expats in UAE can renew passport in just two days
The Indian Consulate in Dubai can now accept passport applications from expatriates living across the UAE. Earlier, each emirate had its individual centre for verification.
WHO suggests Ahmedabad COVID-19 measures as case study
The WHO has suggested to take up initiatives in Ahmedabad like 'Dhanvantari Rath', 104 fever helpline, Sanjivani Van; and active participation of private hospitals in control and treatment as a case study for other cities in India and abroad.
Govt to come out with strategic sectors list soon
The government will soon come out with a new public sector enterprises policy that will define strategic sectors which will not have more than four PSUs, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday.
As part of the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' package, the finance minister in May had announced that there will be a maximum of four public sector companies in strategic sectors, and state-owned firms in other segments will eventually be privatised.
As part of the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' package, the finance minister in May had announced that there will be a maximum of four public sector companies in strategic sectors, and state-owned firms in other segments will eventually be privatised.
Media scion James Murdoch quits News Corp board
Former 21st Century Fox chief executive James Murdoch, the son of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, has resigned from News Corp's board citing clashes over editorial content.
The 47-year-old once seen as his father's successor has been openly critical of some media coverage from publishing empire News Corp's outlets in recent months.
The 47-year-old once seen as his father's successor has been openly critical of some media coverage from publishing empire News Corp's outlets in recent months.
Crane collapse in AP leaves 11 including 4 HSL employees dead
- As many as 11 people were killed at the Hindustan Shipyard Limited premises here on Saturday when a huge rail-mounted crane collapsed during a trial run, a top district official said.
- Four of the victims were employees of HSL while the rest belonged to a contracting agency, District Collector Vinay Chand told reporters.
Smartphones, components worth Rs 11.5 lakh crores to be produced in India in next 5 years.
- Ravi Shankar Prasad
Bharat Electronics gets new director of finance
Dinesh Kumar Batra joined BEL at its Ghaziabad unit in 1984. In a career spanning over three-and-a-half decades, he served the company in various capacities in Delhi, Pune and Bengaluru.
Assam to set up 40-member committee to analyse Centre's New Education Policy
The panel will be divided into several sub-groups to study and analyse the various facets of the new policy.
Auto sales in July
- Mahindra sales dip 36%
- MG Motor retail sales increase by 40%
- Toyota Kirloskar sales drop 48% to 5,386 units
- Maruti total sales decline 1pc in July; domestic sales edge up
- Hyundai Motor India sales drop 28%
TNPL 2020 postponed again
The fifth edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League has been postponed for the second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic with TNCA now hoping to host the T20 event either in November this year or March next year.
Ram temple is coming up with consent of all.
- Kamal Nath
Air India commences fifth phase of Vande Bharat
- The airline is expected to operate close to 700 flights between India and at least 53 countries during this phase.
- In the fourth phase till July 30, the airline had operated 617 flights to bring back around 110,383 passengers.
- The airline will continue to deploy the majority of its assets in the 5th phase, which will see ultra-long-haul flights to north America.
- It will also operate extra flights to the UK, Canada and also service the Hong Kong route.
Google searches during pandemic hint at future increase in suicide
Researchers have found that Google searches for information about financial difficulties and disaster relief have increased sharply. And with previous studies suggesting that suicide rates in the aftermath of national disasters may increase several months later - as seen after the 1918 flu pandemic and the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong - concerns are being raised.
UAE begins start up operations at its first nuclear power plant
Passing of capital decentralisation bills 'unconstitutional': TDP
"Yesterday was a black day in the history of Andhra Pradesh. TDP strongly condemns the manner, in which the bills related to the shifting of capital Amravati have been passed by the honourable governor. It is totally unconstitutional," a TDP spokesperson said.
NASA Perseverance Mars rover healthy, exits 'safe mode'
Flight controllers for NASAs Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission have returned the spacecraft to nominal flight operations; the spacecraft had entered a state called "safe mode" soon after it was placed on an interplanetary trajectory because a sensor indicated that part of the spacecraft was slightly colder than expected.
Russia plans mass vaccination from October
A source told Reuters that Russia's first potential COVID-19 vaccine, developed by a state research facility, would secure local regulatory approval in August and be administered to health workers soon after that.
Samsung Elec to shutter its last computer factory in China
Samsung becomes the latest to pull back from China, as companies rethink their production and supply chains amid rising Chinese labour costs, a U.S.-China trade war and the blow from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Second round of sero survey begins in Delhi
The second round of sero-prevalence survey began in the national capital on Saturday, with the five-day exercise set to cover all districts and various demographic segments.
NGT raps MoEF over monitoring of environmental norms
- The National Green Tribunal has rapped the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) over compliance of conditions mentioned in environmental clearances granted for projects.
- The green panel said compliance of conditions of environmental clearance must be monitored on a periodic basis, atleast once in a quarter.
- A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said there is poor monitoring and there are huge gaps in laying down of conditions and its enforcement.
- It asked the Environment Ministry to review and strengthen the mechanism for the purpose.
- The directions came during a panel hearing of a plea seeking stricter mechanisms to ensure compliance of conditions mentioned in environmental clearances granted for projects.
Energy demand in India showing signs of recovery
Energy demand in June contracted by 10.9 per cent year-on-year for the fourth consecutive month to 105.6 billion units but is showing signs of recovery due to gradual lifting of COVID-19 induced lockdown for certain economic activities, according to India Ratings and Research.
Fauci confident virus vaccine will get to Americans in 2021
Looking ahead, Fauci said he's "cautiously optimistic that we will have a vaccine by the end of this year and as we go into 2021. I don't think it's dreaming ... I believe it's a reality (and) will be shown to be reality.” As the government's top infectious disease expert, Fauci heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Rajasthan: 563 new cases, 10 dead
The state currently has 11,979 active cases and 29,977 recovered cases. With the 10 deaths, a total of 690 people have lost their lives.
Chidambaram questions Mehbooba Mufti detention
The extension of the detention of Ms Mehbooba Mufti under PSA is an abuse of law and an assault on the Constitution… https://t.co/01dSqOokyg
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) 1596257314000BJP launches protests in Kerala; demands Vijayan step down
The BJP Kerala unit launched protest demonstrations across the state, demanding that the Pinarayi Vijayan government resign in the wake of unearthing of the gold smuggling racket.
Milk producers' protest in Maharashtra intensifies
"Under the aegis of Milk Producers' Committee and All India Kisan Sabha, the milk producers have started protests across the state. Our demand is that the milk producers should get at least Rs 30 per litre as the price of milk for which the government should make a policy," General Secretary of All India Kisan Sabha, Maharashtra, Ajit Navale said.
Army jawan killed by Pakistani firing along LoC
An Army spokesperson said the Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire agreement by opening fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Rajouri sector.
Odisha: 1,062 new cases, highest single-day spike
Total cases now 33,479, death toll rises to 187 with 10 more fatalities.
Maruti sales jump 88% MoM in July
The July figures include domestic sales of one lakh units and 1,307 units for other original equipment manufacturers in the domestic market. In addition, the automaker exported 6,757 units.
Andhra Pradesh to free up inter-state movement
While the state's borders are not fully open yet, the government is relaxing movement within.
Trump visits Florida as hurricane Isaias nears
Isaias is currently impacting The Bahamas and is expected to approach the southeast coast of Florida before tracking up the East Coast as far north as New England next week.
Lockdown in Thane containment zones extended till August 31
Telangana crosses 64K cases, death toll reaches 530
In the highest-ever daily spike, Telangana reported 2,083 new cases pushing the state's tally to 64,786.
Uttarakhand's Valley of Flowers opens for tourists
The UNESCO World Heritage site has been opened for tourists by the state government, with a COVID-19 negative certificate being the pre-requisite. Tourists from outside the state have also been allowed.
Pakistan, Afghanistan trade barbs over border clash
"Pakistani forces reportedly opened fire on protesters. In response to Pakistani security forces, the Afghan border forces came in action and exchanged fire with Pakistani forces," Dawn News quoted the Afghan Islamic Press as saying.
Arunachal: 107 new cases, largest spike
New cases of the virus, which included 40 security personnel, took the state's case tally to 1,591.
Pune Mayor suspects 400 virus deaths unaccounted for in July
"There are at least 12 deaths of suspected coronavirus patients that are going unaccounted for in Sassoon hospital daily. Similar cases are taking place in private hospitals also," alleged Mayor Murlidhar Mohol.
S.Korea arrests church leader on qualms of cramping virus response
Prosecutors in the central city of Suwaon have been questioning 88-year-old Lee Man-hee, chairman of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, over charges that the church hid some members and underreported gatherings to avoid broader quarantines
COVID-19: India registers 57,000 cases in largest spike yet
Total cases now at 16,95,988 - including 5,65,103 active cases, 10,94,374 cured/discharged and 36,511 deaths.
Please do not use the Sushant Singh Rajput case as an excuse to create friction between Maharashtra and Bihar
- Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister, Maharashtra
No cases among Hajj pilgrims, so far
Saudi Arabia announced that pilgrims have been performing the Haj rituals safely and that no COVID-19 or any other public health-related cases have been reported so far. Health Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Abdulaali told a press briefing on Friday that health services would continue all throughout the Hajj rituals.
EU provides €40 million aid for plasma collection equipment
The EU urged over 200 blood collection services around the bloc to apply for funding for the purchase of plasmapheresis equipment, which extracts plasma from donors.
James Murdoch resigns from News Corp board
The younger son of News Corp Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch tendered his immediate resignation to the News Corp Board of Directors, "due to disagreements over certain editorial content published by the Company’s news outlets and certain other strategic decisions."
Frontline healthcare workers more likely to test +ve, despite PPE
The study published in the journal Lancet Public Health has also found that healthcare workers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds were more likely to test positive.
Microsoft in talks to acquire TikTok's US operations
The Wall Street Journal Friday night reported that Microsoft, headed by Indian-American Satya Nadella, is in advanced talks to acquire the US operations of TikTok. The deal could run into billions of dollars.
COVID-19: Closing in on 18 million cases
- Total cases: 1,75,16,264
- Casualties: 6,78,226
As far as TikTok is concerned, we're banning them from the United States
- President Donald Trump
Will take action against TikTok soon: Trump
U.S. lawmakers have raised intelligence and privacy concerns about the company's ownership. The company has denied allegations that it shares user data with the Chinese government.
Brazil reports 52,000 cases in 24h
The death toll has risen by 1,212 to 92,475, while total cases stand at 26,62,485
Brazil judge fines Facebook for not blocking Bolsonaro supporters
Justice Alexandre de Moraes had ruled earlier that Facebook and Twitter failed to comply with orders to block the accounts because they were only blocked within Brazil, but remained accessible with foreign IP addresses. On Friday, he ruled that Facebook must pay the fine for not complying and face further daily fines of 100,000 reais per day if it does not block the accounts in question globally.
US has 'deep concern' over arrest warrants against HK activists
"We are deeply concerned by today's announcement that China has issued arrest warrants under Hong Kong's new national security law for several noted democracy activists, including an extraterritorial warrant for the arrest of an individual who has been a United States citizen for over two decades," said Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Senator Bob Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations in a statement.
America: 1,442 deaths in 24h
This is the fourth consecutive day with more than 1,200 deaths recorded; the USA now has a total of 1,53,268 deaths from COVID-19, making it the hardest-hit country in the world.
Biden's running mate search enters final stretch
Biden had said in May that he hoped to name his pick around August 1 and told reporters this week that he would "have a choice in the first week of August.''
Record economic slumps hit Europe
France's economy contracted by 13.8% in the April-June quarter, mirroring similar devastation in Spain (18.5%), Portugal (14.1%) and Italy (12.4%). Europe as a whole saw gross domestic product (GDP) fall by 12.1% in the eurozone and by 11.9% across the Union bloc.
Odisha government offices to function with 50% staff through August
All departments will ensure that government work does not suffer, all the state government offices will remain closed on Saturdays in August, said an official Order issued by General Administration and Public Grievance Department.
Boston Marathon bomber's death sentence overturned
A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new penalty-phase trial on whether the 27-year-old Tsarnaev should be executed for the attack that killed three people and wounded more than 260 others.
