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Here is a masonry blog layout with no sidebarUS announces $57 mn aid for TB treatment in seven high-burden countries
Countries for which the aid is being given are India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, Tajikistan and Ukraine.
The USAID said alongside COVID-19, TB is the leading infectious disease killer, particularly in low and middle-income countries, sickening 10 million people and taking 1.4 million lives every year.
Willis Towers Watson collaborates on world-first insurance protection for endangered Mesoamerican Coral Reef
The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems and is home to 65 species of coral and more than 500 species of fish, as well as many other protected marine species. Coastal wetlands, lagoons, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds also protect against storms and coastal erosion.
China permits Ant Group to operate a consumer finance company
In December, the People’s Bank of China instructed Ant Group to develop a rectification plan, and in April, it approved a series of steps. One of those includes Ant Group becoming a financial holding company, which could mean the company becomes regulated more like a bank. While that has not yet happened, the creation and operation of a consumer finance company is a big first step for Ant Group to resolve its regulatory issue
U.S. cities hire specialists to counter climate change as impacts worsen
Since 2019 at least 30 U.S. cities have taken fresh action such as hiring specialists to combat the impact of extreme weather, including Phoenix, Houston, Louisville, Nashville, and Oakland, according to the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, based at Washington D.C.’s Atlantic Council think tank.
Many of those cities have created posts and initiatives to deal with worsening heat waves, seasonal wildfires or the effects of flooding, often with a focus on poor and minority communities, the group said.
Helpless’ Sri Lankan fishermen count cost of chemical cargo ship wreck
The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl, carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics, was anchored offshore when a fire erupted after an explosion on May 20.
Flaming containers filled with billions of plastic pellets tumbled into the sea from the ship’s deck as emergency crews sought to contain the blaze over the next two weeks.
Now there are fears some 300 tonnes of fuel oil remaining on board could leak from the ship.
The ship’s operators, X-Press Feeders, said on Friday there was no sign of an oil spill.
Sedgwick announces new leadership appointments in Australia
Kimberley Daley was recently named head of professional services, and now four new appointments join the Australia leadership team, including:
Leon Briggs as , head of property, Emma Levett as head of forensic advisory services, Margot De Villiers as head of marine, Johanna Agar as capability development manager.
Kerala retains top rank in Niti Aayog’s SDG India Index 2020-21; Bihar worst performer
The Index for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) evaluates progress of states and union territories on social, economic and environmental parameters.
The country’s overall SDG score improved by 6 points — from 60 in 2019 to 66 in 2020-21. This positive stride towards achieving the targets is largely driven by exemplary country-wide performance in clean water and sanitation, and affordable and clean energy, the Niti Aayog said in a statement.
Environment Day: Climate change, toxic air remain issues of deep concern for India, say experts
As per the ‘State of India’s Environment 2021’ report, poor air quality was the fourth leading risk factor for early death worldwide in 2019, surpassed only by high blood pressure, tobacco use, and poor diet. Over the past two decades, deaths attributable to ambient PM2.5 in India has increased by 2.5 times, the report said, adding that between 1990 and 2019, deaths due to household pollution has increased by over 40 per cent, the report said.
COVID in kids still moderate; only 1-2 pc required hospitalisation: Expert
Govt warns Twitter exemption from liability will be withdrawn on non-compliance
The new IT rules require significant social media intermediaries – those with other 50 lakh users – to appoint a grievance officer, nodal officer, and chief compliance officer. This personnel is required to be residents in India.
Under the new rules, social media companies will have to take down flagged content within 36 hours, and remove within 24 hours content that is flagged for nudity, pornography, etc. The Centre had said the new rules are designed to prevent abuse and misuse of platforms, and offer users a robust forum for grievance redressal.
States begin easing COVID lockdowns as case numbers decline
The national capital territory of Delhi, the seat of India’s federal government, was among those relaxing restrictions and will allow shops to open on alternate days. Shops with even numbers will open on one day while those with odd numbers will open the next day. Private offices will also now be allowed to operate at 50% of normal staffing levels.
In the industrialised western state of Maharashtra, the local government will from June 7 allow malls, movie theatres, restaurants and offices to open regularly in districts where the positivity rate has fallen below 5%.
FM meets insurers, New India pays Rs 209 crore for settling 419 health workers’ COVID-19 claims
A total of 4.65 lakh claims have been paid amounting to Rs 9,307 crore under PMJJBY. Since the beginning of the pandemic that is April 2020 onwards till date, 1.2 lakh claims have been paid amounting to Rs 2,403 crore, at a disposal rate of 99 per cent.
She also called for accelerating disbursement of pending claims under PMJJBY during the pandemic.
Sitharaman also took stock of Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), under which a total of 82,660 claims of Rs 1,629 crore have been paid as on May 31, 2021.
Yamuna International Airport secures financing from SBI for development of Noida Airport
Christoph Schnellmann, the Chief Executive Officer of Yamuna International Airport Private Limited said, “We are extremely delighted to partner with the State Bank of India, the country’s largest bank, for financing the development of the Noida International Airport. The entire loan of Rs 3725 crore has been underwritten by SBI on a door-to-door loan tenor of 20 years. We look forward to working closely with SBI to develop NIA as a world-class airport in India. The project will not only boost the Indian economy but will also help in employment generation in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi NCR region”.
Unlock: Mumbai at level 3; local trains yet off-limits for common people
As per the state government’s notification, municipal corporations and districts in Maharashtra with a positivity rate between 5 per cent and 10 per cent and occupancy of oxygen beds over 40 per cent are categorised under level 3.
As per the fresh guidelines issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday, local trains will remain available only for specific categories.In a notification issued on Friday night, the Maharashtra government had stated local trains will remain available for ”medical, few essentials and women”, but authorised the civic administrations to put additional restrictions they deem fit.
The reference of ”women” was deleted by the BMC in its latest order which stated that entry in suburban trains will be restricted only for ”medical and few essentials.
Delta variant dominant in UK, may increase risk of hospitalisation
There were 5,472 new cases of the Delta variant reported in latest weekly figures, taking the total confirmed cases of the variant to 12,431, PHE said, adding it had overtaken Alpha, the variant first identified in England’s Kent, as Britain’s dominant variant.
The Delta variant is also thought to be more transmissible than Alpha, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that it could derail plans for lockdown restrictions in England to end on June 21.
RBI keeps rates at record low on virus fallout, projects retail inflation at 5.1%
According to Das, upside risks to inflation emanates from persistence of second COVID wave and consequent restrictions on activity on a virtually pan-India basis.
“In such a scenario, insulating prices of essential food items from supply side disruptions will necessitate active monitoring and preparedness for coordinated, calibrated and timely measures by both Centre and state governments to prevent emergence of supply side bottlenecks and increase in retail margins,” the governor said.
ACKO clocks Rs 100 crore from employee group health insurance premium in FY21
Headache most common health ailment among urban Indians: Survey
“Notably for fever, consumers chose doctor visit over self-medication whereas for headache, cough and cold, more respondents seemed to self-medicate and rely on chemists. Further, gastric conditions were found to be more prevalent among geriatrics.
“Interestingly, Eno has emerged the top OTC brand choice for gastric conditions with at least 7 in 10 urban Indian preferring it. Zandu Balm was the top choice among balms for headaches,” says a statement by Ipsos.