2:27 AMSellers from towns drive e-commerce giant Flipkart's Freedom sales
E-commerce giant Flipkart said its marketplace platform recorded a 54 per cent increase over the last year in transacting sellers during the five-day Independence Day sales.
The event, which concluded on August 10, saw participation from sellers primarily from tier-2 cities that have now become local businesses with strong growth pipelines.
“With businesses across India rethinking their operations in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, e-commerce has emerged the preferred channel to connect with consumers,” said the company.
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2:27 AMFortnite creator sues Apple and Google after ban from app stores
Apple and Alphabet’s Google on Thursday removed popular video game "Fortnite" from their app stores for violating the companies' in-app payment guidelines, prompting developer Epic Games to file federal antitrust lawsuits challenging the two companies' rules.
Apple and Google cited a direct payment feature rolled out on the Fortnite app earlier on Thursday as the violation.
Epic sued in US court seeking no money from Apple or Google but rather injunctions that would end many of the companies' practices related to their app stores.
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2:26 AMDonald Trump wants substantial benefit, 'total security' from TikTok deal
Any deal to sell TikTok to an American company must provide “total security” and “substantially” benefit the United States, President Donald Trump has said as he emphasised on the September 15 deadline for the popular Chinese social networking app to enter into an agreement with a US firm to continue its operations in the country.
Microsoft is in talks to buy TikTok’s American business, a forced sale after Trump threatened to ban the video-sharing platform, which claims 100 million US users and hundreds of millions globally.
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2:26 AMTikTok and its employees prepare to fight Donald Trump over app ban
TikTok and its US employees are planning to take American President Donald Trump's administration to court over his sweeping order to ban the popular video app, according to a lawyer preparing one of the lawsuits.
The employees' legal challenge to Trump's executive order will be separate from a pending lawsuit from the company that owns the app, though both will argue that the order is unconstitutional, said Mike Godwin, an internet policy lawyer representing the employees.
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12:43 AMS&P 500 trading near flat, lingering below record highs
The S&P 500 was near flat, hovering below record highs, on Friday as data showed the US economy was still hurting from the Covid-19 pandemic, adding to uncertainty over the recovery.
Aggressive stimulus measures have helped the three main US stock indexes bounce back from a coronavirus-driven crash in March, and the S&P 500 briefly traded above its Feb 19 record close for a second straight day on Thursday.
But the index has been unable to finish above the record, partly as prospects of more fiscal aid have faded with the Senate and House of Representatives in recess and no fresh talks scheduled.
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12:00 AMUS Embassy to process student visas on limited basis from August 17
The US Embassy is set to resume the processing of student and academic exchange visa application on a limited basis.
"We are pleased to announce that consular sections at the US Embassy in New Delhi and our Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata will begin processing of student and academic exchange visitor visa applications on a limited basis on August 17," as per the Embassy.
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11:15 PMUS-China trade deal review planned for Saturday postponed: Report
A review of the US-China trade deal initially slated for Saturday will be delayed due to scheduling issues and no new date has been agreed, according to sources familiar with the plans.
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He had been expected to meet via videoconference on Aug. 15, the six-month anniversary of agreement's taking effect.
One source familiar with the talks said the delay stemmed from continued meetings of senior Communist Party leaders at the seaside town of Beidaihe on China's northeast coast.
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11:14 PMNew era of development has dawned in J&K: L-G Manoj Sinha
A new era of normalcy and development has dawned in the Union Territory due to changes effected in the last year and the goal is to make progress, peace and social harmony an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir's narrative, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Friday.
In his Independence Day message, the lieutenant governor said that equality and justice are being gradually restored in Jammu and Kashmir.
"After the constitutional change enacted in 2019, the Centre took not one or two, but 50 historic decisions to transform the face of the region. A new era of normalcy and development has dawned due to the changes effected; a new journey has been undertaken," the LG said here.
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11:07 PMRahul again criticises govt on Ladakh situation
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi again criticised the government on the Ladakh situation on Friday, and claimed that the country will have to pay a "huge price".
In a tweet, he said, "The government of India (GOI) is scared to face up to Chinese intentions in Ladakh. Evidence on the ground indicates that China is preparing and positioning itself," but did not elaborate.
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11:06 PMStocks drift on Wall Street following latest run at record
Wall Street is drifting on Friday after a report showed that sales for US retailers strengthened again last month, but by less than economists expected.
The S&P 500 was virtually unchanged in afternoon trading after earlier flipping between small gains and losses. The market is taking a pause after nearly erasing the last of the steep losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In each of the last two days, the index made a brief run above its record closing high, which was set in February, only to fade in the afternoon. It's now 0.3 per cent below the record.
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11:05 PMGoogle partners CWC for flood forecasting initiative
Google in association with the Central Water Commission (CWC) has taken flood forecasting initiative over the past several months, and sent numerous public alerts to people in impacted regions across the country.
These alerts provide timely, updated, and critical information that can help users make informed decisions on their safety, and that of their families and friends, Google on Friday said in a statement.
Any user in the affected region having an Android smartphone with location services enabled will receive these alerts, it added.
Various parts of the country, including Assam and Bihar, are grappling with floods.
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10:56 PMAmit Shah says he spoke to Gujarat CM
Union Home Minister Amit Shah says he spoke to Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani and took stock of situation arising out of heavy rains and waterlogging in state
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 "President Ram Nath Kovind")
