LIVE: Apple looks to boost production outside China, says report

India and Vietnam, which are already sites of Apple production, are among the countries short-listed by the company as alternatives, Wall Street Journal reported

2:21 PM

Global lawmakers warn of 'sham' Xinjiang probe ahead of UN visit

A group of global parliamentarians has warned that the Chinese government is likely to use its restrictive COVID-19 measures to prevent the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet from making a meaningful investigation into the alleged human rights abuses against Uyghurs during her visit to the Xinjiang next week.

This concern was raised by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), an international cross-party group of legislators pushing for democratic countries to take a tougher stance on China.

In a statement signed by over 40 legislators across 18 countries, the parliamentarians accused the Chinese government of organizing a 'Potemkin-style tour', risking lasting damage to the credibility of Michelle Bachelet's office.

2:04 PM

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka lifts state of emergency

The Sri Lankan government lifted the state of emergency from Saturday, nearly two weeks after it was imposed across the island nation as it faced unprecedented economic and anti-government protests.

Embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had declared a state of emergency with effect from May 6 midnight, the second time in just over a month amidst growing countrywide anti-government protests over the economic crisis.

The Presidential Secretariat stated that the state of emergency has been lifted with effect from Friday midnight, Hiru News reported.

The step was taken with the improvement of the law and order situation in the island nation.

1:56 PM

Lanka crisis: India, Japan to provide relief supplies worth millions as threat of severe food shortage looms

India and Japan will provide food relief supplies worth millions of dollars to Sri Lanka which is grappling with its worst economic crisis, leading to nationwide protests over the government's mismanagement.

 

The Indian High Commission said here on Friday that an Indian ship laden with urgent relief supplies like rice, medicines and milk powder for the people of crisis-hit Sri Lanka is scheduled to reach Colombo on Sunday.

 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin flagged off the ship laden with relief supplies, the first to be dispatched to Sri Lanka, from Chennai on Wednesday.

 

The first consignment comprises 9,000 metric tonne (MT) of rice, 200 MT milk powder and 24 MT life-saving medicines with a combined value of Rs 45 crore.

 

"People of #India, standing by their brethren in #SriLanka. Rice, milk powder and medicines worth more than SLR 2 billion (USD 5.6 million) is scheduled to reach #Colombo on Sunday," the Indian mission tweeted.

 

Chief Minister Stalin flagged off the cargo carrying the relief, from the Chennai Port, in the presence of his cabinet colleagues and senior officials.

 

Japan has also announced to provide USD 1.5 million through a World Food Programme (WFP) programme for essential food rations and school meal programme.

 

1:42 PM

Chhattisgarh govt asks PFRDA to return Rs 17,240 crore for old pension scheme rollout

The Chhattisgarh government has written a letter to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) asking it to refund the money deposited towards the National Pension System (NPS) since November 2004 along with accruals, officials said on Saturday.

 

In a letter to the Chairman of PFRDA, New Delhi on Friday, state's Finance Secretary Alarmelmangai D said the Chhattisgarh government has decided to reinstate the old pension scheme (OPS) and therefore, the demand is being made to implement the decision.

 

After the state cabinet approved the decision to restore the OPS that was effective before November 1, 2004, a gazette notification was published in this regard. The monthly contribution of employer and employee to the NPS accounts of employees has also been stopped with effect from April 1 this year, the letter stated.

 

1:34 PM

US, South Korea to consider expanded military drills vs North Korea

U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol said after meeting Saturday that they will consider expanded military exercises to deter the nuclear threat from North Korea at a time when there's little hope of real diplomacy on the matter.

 

Yoon affirmed in remarks at a news conference that their shared goal is the complete denuclearisation of North Korea.

 

The U.S. and South Korea issued a joint statement that said they were committed to a rules-based international order following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

 

The statement likely sets the stage for how the U.S. and its allies will address any challenges with North Korea.

1:25 PM

Talks between debt ridden-Sri Lanka, IMF to to conclude on May 24

The ongoing discussion between International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Sri Lanka, to help mitigate the economic situation will conclude on May 24, local media reported on Saturday.

Speaking at a virtual IMF briefing on Thursday, IMF Spokesman Gerry Rice said the technical discussions between Sri Lanka and the IMF on a potential loan programme will come to a close on May 24.

He said that the agency is closely monitoring the events that are unfolding in the crisis-hit island nation.

The IMF spokesperson stressed that the IMF remains committed to helping Sri Lanka and that it would help resolve the current economic crisis.

1:08 PM

Google to warn users against phishing attacks on Chat

Google has announced to display warning notifications in its Chat application to protect users from hackers and phishing attacks.

"In Google Chat, you'll see banners warning against potential phishing and malware messages coming from users with personal Google Accounts," the company said in a statement.

"These warning banners, which are already available in Gmail and Google Drive, help protect users against malicious actors, keeping data safe," it added.

Google Chat recently replaced Hangouts.

In Gmail, warning banners are displayed when responding to emails sent from outside of your organisation.

12:56 PM

Microsoft tests new Windows 11 feature drop for Insiders

Tech giant Microsoft has rolled out a new Windows 11 preview build for Insiders in the Release Preview channel, which brings a couple of new features that were previously in testing in the Developer and Beta channels.

According to Windows Central, the build in question is 22000.706, and features the new Windows Spotlight wallpaper switcher, and improvements to Family Safety integration.

Windows Spotlight is a feature that Microsoft has been working on that will automatically pull in a "wallpaper of the day" when you boot your PC every morning. Users can choose between several wallpapers that Microsoft provides on a daily basis, similar to the Bing daily image.

12:46 PM

Finland loses main gas supply after refusing payment in rubles

Russia has cut Finland off from its natural gas supplies as relations between the two neighbors sour over the Nordic nation’s decision to join defense alliance NATO.

 

Finland is the third European country to lose gas from Russia after refusing to pay for the fuel in rubles. Flows on a main pipeline from the region’s top supplier were halted in the early hours of Saturday, according to a filing by Finnish importer Gasum Oy. Poland and Bulgaria had their taps turned off last month for the same reason.

 

“Most in the market expect Finland to be the only buyer to have deliveries cut at this time,” but “the risk remains that buyers elsewhere could also suffer the same fate,” said Tom Marzec-Manser, head of gas analytics at ICIS in London, citing a recent poll of traders by the company. 

12:34 PM

CNG price increased by Rs 2 per kg in Delhi-NCR

The Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), on Saturday, increased the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Rs 2 per kg. With this CNG will cost Rs 75.61 per kg with effect from today.

CNG will cost Rs 78.17 per Kg in Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad. It will cost Rs 83.94 per Kg in Gurugram.

With the latest hike, CNG is now available at Rs 86.07 per kg in Rewari and Rs 84.27 per kg in Karnal and Kaithal in Haryana.

Meanwhile in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Shamli, it will be available at Rs 82.84 per kg and will cost Rs 85.88 per kg in Ajmer, Pali, and Rajsamand of Rajasthan.

CNG in Kanpur, Hamirpur, and Fatehpur of UP will cost Rs 87.40 per kg.

12:09 PM

'More monkeypox cases likely': WHO confirms 80 cases in 11 countries

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 80 cases of monkeypox in 11 countries and said they are working to better understand the extent and cause of the outbreak.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the WHO said the virus is endemic in some animal populations in a number of countries, leading to occasional outbreaks among local people and travelers.

"WHO and partners are working to better understand the extent and cause of an outbreak of monkeypox. The virus is endemic in some animal populations in a number of countries, leading to occasional outbreaks among local people and travelers. The recent outbreaks reported across 11 countries so far are atypical, as they are occurring in non-endemic countries," the WHO said in a statement.

"There are about 80 confirmed cases so far, and 50 pending investigations. More cases are likely to be reported as surveillance expands," it added.

11:50 AM

Germany allows further tax relief to cushion Covid impact

The German government has passed a bundle of tax relief measures to help citizens and companies cope with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Individuals and companies are still carrying a heavy burden as a result of the pandemic, the government said.

Aside from social cohesion, the aim of the measures is to "protect the health of citizens while safeguarding jobs and supporting the economy", Xinhua news agency reported citing the government as saying.

11:44 AM

North Korea reports nearly 220,000 new suspected Covid cases

North Korea on Saturday announced it has confirmed around 220,000 new cases of fever and another death, nine days after publicly admitting a Covid-19 outbreak.

Leader Kim Jong-un also had a ruling Workers' Party politburo meeting to discuss strategies in the "anti-epidemic war", according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

He stressed the need to "optimise" the virus prevention policy and take "all possible steps for revitalizing the overall economy" at the same time, Yonhap News Agency quoted the KCNA as saying.

11:19 AM

Diversity never caused any conflict in India, says Rajnath Singh

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that India is the only country in the world where people of different faiths live in harmony and further asserted that diversity has never been a cause for conflict.

"India is a country where diversity has never been a cause for conflict. India is a country which also worships the 'Maryada Purushottam Ram' and also worships Krishna, who goes beyond the established limits. We celebrate occasions of Purnima and Amavasya also," Singh said while addressing 'Sanskar Abhuday Shivir' at Vadodara on Friday.

"India is the only country in the world where people of all religions live in harmony. 72 firkas (sections) of Muslim society are found in this country. India's oldest church (St Thomas Church in Kerala) dates back ages ago. When the people from the Parsis community faced persecution in their homeland, they first took refuge in this country and this region," he added.

11:10 AM

Indian democracy global public good, planet's central anchor: Rahul Gandhi

Democracy in India is a global public good and a central anchor for the planet and if that cracks, it is going to cause a problem for the planet, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has warned as he attacked the NDA government, asserting that there are two different designs of governance at play in India, one that stifles voices and the other that listens.

The Opposition leader, who is on a tour of the UK, had an interaction session at the 'Ideas for India' conference organised by non-profit think-tank Bridge India on Friday during which he articulated his party's vision for mass action that would result in something beautiful for the country.

He attacked the deep state that is causing damage and declared that the Congress ideology is geared up to fight it.

Please realise, what the BJP does is shout and stifle voices. What we do is listen. They are two different things, they are two different designs, said Gandhi.