e-Paper
India overtakes UK to become fifth largest economy in the world
India has overtaken the United Kingdom to become the world's fifth-largest economy and is now behind only the United States, China, Japan and Germany, according to IMF projections.
A record beating expansion in the April-June quarter helped the Indian economy.
On an adjusted basis and using the dollar exchange rate on the last day of the quarter, the size of the Indian economy in "nominal" cash terms in the quarter through March was US$854.7 billion. On the same basis, the UK was US$816 billion," stated a Bloomberg report.
First nasal vaccine for Covid-19 approved
The Central government approved a locally developed, needle-free and nasally administered Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use on Tuesday, in a boost to India's homegrown pharmaceutical industry.
The new inoculation was developed by Bharat Biotech, the makers of another intravenous vaccine approved by the World Health Organisation last November.
India's drug regulator allowed the new product to be used as a primary dose by any unvaccinated or partially vaccinated adult, but not as a booster.
Police arrest alleged teen serial killer
A 19-year-old man accused of killing four security guards in a week-long murder spree was arrested on Saturday.
Shiv Prasad allegedly bludgeoned to death three guards in isolated areas in Sagar district, near Bhopal. A fourth man was killed in Bhopal on Aug 31.
"The accused wanted quick fame and money and apparently got addicted to crime sites and videos on social media," Sagar district Superintendent of Police Tarun Nayak said. "We are investigating his involvement in some other crimes."
Enforcement Directorate searches Paytm, Razorpay premises
India's anti-money laundering agency searched the premises of online payment companies including Razorpay, Cashfree Payments and Paytm Payment Services as part of a probe into a Chinese loan app.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted the search operations in Bengaluru on Sep 2 amid allegations of extortion and harassment of customers involving the Chinese app.
Singapore's GIC funds rocket startup Skyroot ahead of launch
Indian rocket startup Skyroot Aerospace has raised US$51 million in a funding round led by Singapore sovereign investor GIC which it plans to use to begin commercial satellite launches by the middle of next year.
The funding follows the Indian government's push to get the private sector to complement its state-run space programme known for its affordable launches and missions.
Emissions deadline extended for coal-fired plants for third time
The Central government extended a deadline for coal-fired power plants to install equipment to cut sulphur emissions by two years in a notification on Tuesday.
It marked the third pushback on a commitment to clean up dirty air.
Indian cities have some of the world's most polluted air.
Thermal utilities, which produce 75 per cent of the country's power, account for some 80 per cent of industrial emissions of sulphur and nitrous-oxides, which cause lung diseases, acid rain and smog.
India had initially set a 2017 deadline for thermal power plants to install flue gas desuphurisation (FGD) units to cut sulphur emissions. That was later changed to varying deadlines for different regions, ending in 2022, and further extended last year until 2025.
Congress starts cross-country march to revive support
Members of India's main opposition Congress party gathered on Wednesday for a cross-country march against "hate and division", hoping to regain some of the popularity it has lost to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Party members began walking from the coastal town of Kanyakumari on the southern tip of India on Thursday, planning to cover more than 3,500 kilometres to reach Srinagar city in the northernmost Himalayan region of Kashmir in about 150 days.
The march, named Bharat Jodo Yatra or Unite India Rally, is led by Rahul Gandhi, a scion of the Gandhi family, and comes on the heels of several veterans leaving the party.
Government to take action against fake, paid reviews on social media
The Central government will tighten rules to root out fake or paid reviews for products from cars to smartphones on e-commerce websites and social media, responding to a growing consumer outcry.
It will soon announce a framework of regulations that target people paid to endorse merchandise, Mr Rohit Kumar Singh, the most senior bureaucrat at the consumer affairs department, said on Wednesday.
Such reviewers will be held liable in case of issues related to the product.
New Delhi to ban firecrackers ahead of pollution season
New Delhi is set to ban firecrackers to ease the burden of winter pollution on its longer-suffering residents, though the move will likely also take some of the fun out of the Deepavali festival next month.
The city of about 20 million people is the world's most polluted capital and the air becomes particularly bad from mid-December to February as cold air traps dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from burning crop stubble in nearby fields.
"In order to save people from the danger of pollution in Delhi, like last year, this time also the production, storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers are being completely banned," Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai, said on Wednesday.
Trade fair organiser booked for joyride collapse
A day after a swing broke mid-air and fell from 50 feet injuring at least 16 persons at the Mohali Trade Fair in Punjab, the district police on Monday registered a case against the event's organisers.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Harsimran Singh Bal told Indianexpress.com that organiser Mukesh Kumar and members of his team would be arrested soon.
Chaubey elected football federation president
Former India goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey has been elected the new president of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), a week after world football's governing body FIFA lifted the ban imposed on it for undue third-party influence.
The Bharatiya Janata Party politician from West Bengal got 33 votes, with former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia, his only rival, receiving one vote.
