News Digest (16th July 2021, Friday)

News Digest (16th July 2021, Friday)

- by AVM

 

Headlines

ISRO has successfully conducted the third long duration hot test on Vikas Engine that will be used to launch the Gaganyaan Mission

Startup Log 9 materials (incubated from IIT-Roorkee) develops fast-charging batteries for electric vehicles which will help extend the life of the power unit and adoption of EVs

Gandhinagar Railway station revamped & 5-star hotel built on top; has "world-class" facilities, an interfaith prayer hall, and a facade with theme-based lighting

Study: Alcohol consumption linked to over 7.4 lakh new cancer (breast, liver, colon, rectum, oropharynx, larynx and oesophagus) cases in 2020; Males accounted 76.7%

WHO chief says it was ‘premature’ to rule out Covid lab leak

Arvind Kejriwal pitches for Bharat Ratna for environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna

PM Modi inaugurates, lays foundation stones of projects worth over Rs. 1,500 crore in Varanasi; lauds UP for Covid management

Gujarat’s Gandhinagar Capital station that PM Modi will inaugurate, will become India’s first redeveloped station

PM Modi meets President Ram Nath Kovind, discusses important issues

Supreme Court: Sedition law ‘colonial’, does govt want to retain it?

Former Union Minister Arun Shourie moves SC against sedition law

Supreme Court seeks Jharkhand and UPSC response on DGP appointment

‘Law of ruler, not rule of law’: NHRC panel slams Mamata govt over Bengal post-poll violence

Silent siege of Sonia fort: Smriti Irani takes over key Rae Bareli coordination panel

Bombay HC asks Federation of Indian Pilots to disclose details of pilots involved in ‘Vande Bharat’ mission, their compensation structures as well as how many such operations had been conducted.

Villagers start signature campaign to oppose proposed Pune Int'l Airport; acquire land of nine villages in Purandhar and Baramati tehsils

NCP betrayed us in 2014, Congress will go solo in 2024: Nana Patole

Congress to reach out to opposition to corner globe in monsoon session

Five held for attack on Haryana deputy speaker’s car, FIR mentions sedition

Union Health Ministry raises with states and UTs issue of violations of Covid-19 norms in many parts of country, especially hill stations, and impresses upon them the need for focussed public health measures to combat pandemic (PTI)

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu to work together: Harish Rawat

UP’s 2-child policy: Is there a need for population control measures in India?

Sharad Pawar is ‘remote control’ of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) govt: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole

Prashant Kishor set to join Congress? Buzz gets stronger day after Rahul Gandhi meet

Mehul Choksi lands in Antigua and Barbuda after getting bail in Dominica

Indian mariner wins $1 million in UAE lucky draw

Financial & Business News

Infosys plan to hire 35,000 college graduates for financial year 2021-2022; rising attrition in the industry poses a near-term challenge; net profit rises 22.7% to ₹5,195 crore in June quarter

Tata Group can't wait to get its hands on debt-saddled national carrier Air India; has intensified its due diligence process

IL&FS expects to address ₹58,000 crore or 95% of its estimated debt recovery target by March 2022

WhatsApp banned two million Indian accounts while it received 345 grievance reports between May 15 and June 15

Mutual fund investors have final say in scheme’s closure: Supreme Court

Petrol rate hits new high, crosses Rs. 107 per litre-mark in Mumbai

Bengaluru-based storytelling platform Pratilipi raises $48 million

Home sales up 67% in first half of year: Report

Elon Musk congratulates Isro on successful test of Vikas Engine for Gaganyaan

Sensex surges 255 points to hit record closing high; Nifty settles above 15,900 for first time

Second wave might wipe out life insurers Covid provisions

ITC CMD Sanjiv Puri’s total remuneration jumps 47.23% in FY21

India will reduce more than targeted 33% carbon emission by 2030: Power minister

Record $43 billion worth deals closed in H1 2021; 10 unicorns created: Report

Wipro Q1 net profit rises 35.6% at Rs. 3,243 crore; to hire 33% more refreshers in FY22

Ex-Gaana CEO & PropTiger co-founder launches spiritual wellness platform OMI

2nd wave poses challenge: ITC

Investors wealth jumps over Rs. 2.22 lakh crore in three days of market rally

Centre releases Rs. 75000 crore to states as GST compensation

Many I-T portal issues addressed, some left: Infosys COO

Financial inclusion will continue to be a policy priority after pandemic: Shaktikanta Das

Corona Updates

India has reported 41,806 new Covid-19 cases, 39,130 recoveries and 581 deaths in the last 24 hours, the bulletin released by the Union health ministry on Thursday stated. Active caseload stands at 4,32,041 and the virus death toll at 4,11,989 at present.

Daily Covid cases cross 40k after 3 days; Kerala, North East lead surge

EU likely to decide on Moderna Covid shot for kids next week

WHO experts warn of 'strong likelihood' of new, possibly more dangerous Covid variants emerging and spreading

Covid scourge: 94% Households surveyed in rural Bihar hit in some way by crisis, says Study

Govt advises 15 states over 'slow pace' of Covid-19 vaccination by private centres - cause of serious; Panel says Delta Sub-lineages AY.1, AY.2 unlikely to be more transmissible than Delta

3rd wave of Covid pandemic looks more real now; increased presence of Delta variant; pace of vaccination has slowed down to under 3.4MN doses daily from 4 MN earlier; 45% of the daily infections reported from rural areas

Check ‘blatant violation’ of Covid norms: MHA to states

Mansukh Mandaviya rejects charges of vaccine shortage

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slams Centre’s ‘biased attitude’ in vaccine supply

Centre launches campaign to ramp up Covid-19 vaccination among tribals

Fully vaccinated flyer to Maharashtra no longer need negative RT-PCR report

Over 1.92 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses still available with states, UTs: Centre

Melbourne to lockdown for 5 days from Thursday

Pfizer, BioNTech deny talks with Thai Thonburi Healthcare on vaccines

Official: Nearly 70% of medical workers in Moscow vaccinated

WHO panel advises against Covid-19 vaccination proof for ravel: Reuters

World: Confirmed: 188,314,045; Total Deaths: 4,057,531; Recovered: 124,072,806; Active Cases: 60,183,708

India: Confirmed; 30,987,880; Total Deaths: 411,989; Recovered: 30,143,850; Active Cases: 432,041

State News

Haryana schools to open from Friday, SOPs issued

Not only CMIE, even govt data also indicates unemployment is at its peak in Haryana: Hooda

72 new Covid-19 cases, one more death in Delhi; positivity rate 0.1%; Assam reports 1,992 new cases, 27 deaths; 8,010 new Covid cases, 170 deaths reported in Maharashtra; Gujarat records 38 new cases and no death; Telangana reported 170 cases and 4 deaths in the last 24 hours

Puducherry government extends Covid restricts till July 31; allows reopening of tourist spots like boathouse with 50% capacity while adhering to Covid norms; postpones opening of schools, colleges

More TN cities included for NEET says Centre, as state govt renews plea to scrap NEET

AI-based tech to help detect Covid with X-ray images

Decoding credit cards for millennials

Light to moderate rain likely in Delhi today

Delhi’s water supply situation to improve soon: Raghav Chadha

Delhi: Over 900 apply for Covid financial assistance scheme

No plans to reopen schools in Delhi for now: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi BJP chief promises action against corruption

Add separate chapter on gender-related issues in Master Plan of Delhi 2041: Public campaign

Delhi forest department sets ball rolling for first urban wildlife corridor

New Excise Policy will minimize corruption, provide fair competition: Delhi Government to HC

Noida: Woman complainant alleges SI, female constable made casteist remarks, snatched phone on recording

Noida: Sanitation worker dies after electrocution from iron booths, FIR lodged against local pradhan

Sharjeel Imam seeks bail in sedition case, denies encouraging violence during anti-CAA protests

Mekedatu issue: Tamil Nadu BJP will stand by state govt, Annamalai says

BMC directs Sonu Sood to convert his Juhu hotel into a residential building in 2 weeks, actor says he will comply

Elderly man swept away in flood in Maharashtra's Jalna

Sonu Nigam to judge ‘Super Singer Season 3’

Andhra Pradesh to implement EWS quota in employment, education

Police complaint filed against Kareena Kapoor Khan for hurting religious sentiments over book title, 'Pregnancy Bible'

Kuwait News

Ten Kuwaitis laid to rest at military funeral 30 years after Iraqi invasion

Kuwait oil edges 36 cents higher Wed to USD 76.03 pb: KPC

Kuwaiti medical supplies heading to Tunisia to counter Covid-19 spread

Kuwait’s FM receives outgoing Senegalese Ambassador

Kuwait’s FM receives credentials of new Ambassadors

MoI detains drug dealer with 1.2 million Captagaon pills

Egyptian President Abdulfattah Al-Sisi received in Cairo, Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, who conveyed a verbal message of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the Egyptian leader regarding bilateral relations and cooperation

Kuwait had always been one of the top countries supporting Yemen’s peace and security and Yemenis are grateful for the Kuwaiti role in their development as well as for the humanitarian efforts: Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmad bin Mubarak

Kuwaiti champions look forward to make good record in Olympics

Kuwait lists 1,385 new Covid-19 cases, 16 deaths

International News

Russia to Afghan: Start negotiations with Taliban before it's too late; Taliban flag raised above Afghan's border crossing with Pakistan

Brazil Prez Bolsonaro hospitalised to 'find cause of chronic hiccups; under observation for b/w 24-48 hrs

22 earthquakes hit eastern Taiwan for over 2 hrs; no casualty reported; largest with a magnitude of 5.2; others ranged from magnitude 3-5

11160 kids found buried at another closed school in Canada; 1,000 bodies found so far; we must face the trauma because of...acts of genocide says official

China calls Pak bus blast (that killed 12 people, including 9 Chinese nationals) 'bombing'; Pak says blast caused by 'gas leak'

US hospital in Texas on average delivers 16 babies/day sees two 'baby booms' with 107 deliveries in 91 hours

Dutch Court: 150,000 Volkswagen car owners with software meant to rig diesel engine emissions tests are entitled to compensation; get up to €3,000 each

Italy bans cruise ships from Venice lagoon after UNESCO threat to put Venice on its endangered list unless Italy permanently banned cruise ships from docking in the world heritage site

As Spain’s beaches fill up, a seaside resort sends in the drones

US expected to announce start of evacuation of Afghan visa applicants: Sources

US Covid-19 case are doubling over three weeks, experts blame fast-spreading delta variant

China weighs risk and reward in a Taliban-led Afghanistan

China building another enclave in Sri Lanka: Colombo Port City

Taliban offer three-month ceasefire in return for prisoner release

China threatens to ban unvaccinated adults from schools, hospitals

After a 24-year hunt, man finds his kidnapped son

Pakistan guards use tear gas to disperse crowd at Afghan border

China senior diplomat urges Pakistan to investigate bus blast

WHO warns of ‘early stages’ of Covid-19 third wave amid Delta variant surge

EU court rules employers can limit religious symbols

Military Black Hawk helicopter makes emergency landing in downtown Bucharest

Six dead, 30 missing in Germany as houses collapse in floods; 2 die in Belgium

OPEC crudes basket up 16 cents to reach USD 75.29 pb

Israeli occupation forces detain Palestinian students

US offers USD 10 million reward for information on ‘foreign malicious’ cyber activity

Lebanon’s Hariri abandons effort to form new cabinet

Dutch crime reporter dies from gunshot wounds

Six dead from floods in Belgium

Blinken, French counterpart discuss array of issues

Sports News

Athlete tests positive as Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony nears

‘I was on the verge of quitting’: Swimmer Sajan Prakash came back from an ugly injury to qualify for Tokyo Olympics

Indian sailors Nethra and Vishnu’s boats arrive in Tokyo for Olympics

Pandemic did not impact my Olympic preparation: P V Sindhu

Covid scare for Team India: Rishabh Pant, support staff Dayanand Garani test positive, three more isolated in London

Indian player tests positive in UK, BCCI secretary Jay Shah sends team a reminder

Fear for India-England Test series: Michael Vaughan calls for change in isolation laws

Germany’s Angelique Kerber and former world number one and 2012 Olympic gold medallist Victoria Azarenka became the Grand Slam winner to pulls out of Tokyo Olympics

Hundreds of horses fly into Tokyo for equestrian competition

Kusal Perera ruled out of India series due to injury: Report

India vs. Sri Lanka: Dhawan-led squad hits the nets under lights

Grant Flower faces Sri Lanka inquiry over virus bubble breach

ECB chief executive says no strict bubble for India-England series

Jamie Murray to partner Skupski for Team GB at Tokyo Games

IOC guidelines for medal ceremony: Participants to wear mask all times, no group photo on podium

Great Britain women’s football team to take the knee at Tokyo Olympics

I never lose hope: Refugee runner Lohalith revs up for Tokyo