Is India Winning the War Against Rising Non-Communicable Diseases? The latest health statistics paint a concerning picture: diabetes, heart disease, and cancer rates are climbing, impacting millions across the country. From rural healthcare access to the burgeoning urban health crisis, challenges remain significant. This week, we delve into the crucial initiatives underway – government policies, technological advancements in telemedicine, and the rising role of preventative healthcare – that aim to address this national health emergency. Experts weigh in on the effectiveness of current strategies and the critical need for increased public awareness campaigns targeting lifestyle diseases. Are these efforts enough? Explore Abtak.com's in-depth coverage on healthcare in India and discover the vital information you need to protect your well-being and the future of public health. Stay informed; stay healthy.
July 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the sale of Juul's e-cigarette device and refill cartridges in tobacco and menthol flavors, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. The decision follows wide expectation within the industry that the Trump Administration would ease regulatory hurdles for launching new vapes and other smoking alternatives. Some companies have seen FDA applications for new nicotine products languish for years or, like Juul
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries ...Read More >
Iran plans to significantly expand its uranium enrichment capacity, raising proliferation concerns despite claims of peaceful intent Iran has informed the UN nuclear watchdog that it plans to install more than 6,000 extra uranium-enriching centrifuges at its enrichment plants and bring more of those already in place online, a confidential report by the watchdog said on Thursday. The International Atomic Energy Agency report seen by Reuters details what Iran meant when it said it would add thousands of centrifuges in response to a resolution against it that the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Gover ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
DHARAMSHALA, India (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has decided to lift aid cuts for Tibetans in exile and provide $7 million in financing for projects such as those supporting health and education, the leader of the Tibetan government in-exile said on Wednesday. The Trump administration started cutting foreign aid after taking office in January as part of its "America First" policy, which has had an impact on programmes including those aimed at securing food supplies and preventing the spread of HIV in some of the poorest parts of the world. Penpa Tsering, leader of t ...Read More >
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia and Canada on Monday signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that aims to strengthen economic ties between the two G20 members, three years after negotiations began. The agreement will take effect in 2026 and was signed in Jakarta by trade ministers of both countries. Indonesia's trade minister, Budi Santoso, said Indonesia appreciated Canada's support for its plan to prioritise its critical minerals sector, which was vital for its sustainable growth. "Together, we advance sustainable critical mineral management, supporting Indonesia's net ...Read More >
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Import tariffs expected to be implemented by the administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could lower economic growth and inflation in the 20 nations sharing the euro, European Central Bank board member Piero Cipollone said on Tuesday. Most economists agree that the possible tariffs would impact growth, though views diverge on the effect on consumer prices. Some argue the U.S. trade barriers will push up the value of the dollar, making imports of key commodities more expensive, while likely retaliation from Europe will also raise costs. Cipollone, speaking i ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Trade talks between Indian and U.S. officials have been extended into next week as both sides seek consensus on tariff cuts in the farming and auto sectors, aiming to finalise an interim deal before a July 9 deadline, Indian government sources said. A U.S. delegation led by senior officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) held two days of discussions in New Delhi with Indian trade officials headed by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, the sources said. "The two countries are actively engaged in focused discussions to facilitate greater mark ...Read More >
June 30 (Reuters) - Futures tracking the S&P 500 and Nasdaq touched record highs on Monday, as optimism over U.S. trade negotiations with its key partners helped support upward momentum in markets. Shares of technology heavyweights rose premarket after Canada scrapped its digital services tax targeting U.S. tech firms, just hours before it was due to take effect, in a bid to advance stalled trade negotiations with the United States. Shares of Amazon (AMZN.O), opens new tab, Meta Platforms (META ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, July 8 (Reuters) - The United States has restored $6.8 million in funding for Tibetans in South Asia, the U.S. State Department told Reuters on Tuesday, confirming comments by Tibet's government-in-exile. The aid had been cut by President Donald Trump's administration as part of its "America First" policy that hit a number of programmes, including those aimed at securing food and preventing the spread of HIV in some of the world's poorest regions. Last week, the leader of the Tibetan government in-exile in India, Penpa Tsering said Tibetans became "collateral damage" in U.S. forei ...Read More >
Katra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to inaugurate multiple rail projects, including the world's highest Chenab Rail Bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge, and the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link. These railway projects directly connect Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of the country. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is an all-weather railway corridor designed to provide seamless connectivity to the region through the rail network. During his visit, PM Modi reviewed the Chenab bridge, world's highest ra ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force, Central Zone Team, along with Saifabad Police apprehended a 28-year-old man involved in the illegal sale of banned electronic cigarettes and seized 670 e-cigarettes worth Rs 21 lakh from his possession. The police raided a flat located in Prinstancode Apartments, Adarsh Nagar, under the jurisdiction of Saifabad Police Station. During the operation, Akash Sinde was arrested and e-cigarettes of various brands such as Elfbar, Elux, Raya D1, Nasty, and Shisha were seized. According to police, Akash, originally a resident of Mangalhat, was emplo ...Read More >
[BENGALURU] Gold prices fell on Monday (Jun 9) as a stronger-than-expected US jobs report cooled expectations of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, while optimism over easing trade tensions between US-China weighed on the bullion's safe-haven demand. Spot gold fell 0.2 per cent to US$3,303.19 an ounce, as at 0056 GMT. US gold futures fell 0.7 per cent to US$3,323.40. Three of US President Donald Trump's top aides will meet with their Chinese counterparts in London on Monday for talks aimed at resolving the trade dispute between the two largest economies that has kept global markets ...Read More >
MUMBAI (Reuters) -The Indian rupee is expected to open lower on Wednesday, tracking declines in most other Asian currencies and equities amid renewed worries over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. The 1-month non-deliverable forward indicated a open in the 85.62-85.64 range, versus 85.52 on Tuesday. The rupee has been largely range bound in recent sessions, holding between the key support zone at 85.90-86.00 and resistance near 85.30. "Both of these levels are difficult to break," a currency trader at a bank said. "You'll likely have to wait until July 9 for a decisive move, and that's ...Read More >
MUMBAI, July 3 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee touched its strongest level in a month on Thursday, lifted by dollar sales from foreign banks and cutting of bearish bets on the local currency, while optimism surrounding a U.S.-India trade deal also aided sentiment. The rupee rose to a peak of 85.20, its best level since late May, before ending the session at 85.31, up 0.4% on the day. Dollar sales from foreign banks in the latter half of Thursday's session boosted the rupee, with the rise above 85.40 also triggering stop-losses on some wagers against the currency, traders said. Asian currencies ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Signalling the government's intent to move ahead with the impeachment motion of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that main opposition parties have given their in-principle approval to support the motion in the upcoming monsoon session scheduled for July21-August 21. Rijiju said that the government is yet to decide whether the motion would be brought in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. For the Lok Sabha, signatures of a minimum 100 MPs is required. The requirement is the support of at least 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. H ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: India's army deputy chief on Friday claimed that China provided Pakistan "live inputs" on Indian military positions during the deadly conflict in May, urging swift upgrades to India's air defence systems in response to the evolving threat. The nuclear-armed rivals used missiles, drones, and artillery fire during the four-day fighting -- their worst in decades -- triggered by an attack in April on Hindu tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, before agreeing to a ceasefire. Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack. In ...Read More >
MUMBAI - Tesla will open its first India showroom in Mumbai on July 15, having imported US$1 million (S$1.3 million) worth of cars and merchandise, marking its entry into the world's third-largest car market despite CEO Elon Musk's complaints about high import tariffs. Grappling with excess manufacturing capacity at its other factories and falling sales, Tesla has pivoted to selling imported cars in India on which it will need to pay about 70 per cent import duty and other levies. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has for years wooed Tesla, including forming a new policy to at ...Read More >
June 25 (Rtrs) - India would not allow a UN investigator to join a probe of a crashed Air India jet that some safety experts had criticized for delays in analysis of crucial black box data, two senior sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Earlier this week, the United Nations aviation agency took the unusual step of offering India one of its investigators to provide assistance following the Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 787-8 Dreamliner crash killing 260 people in Ahmedabad on June 12. ...Read More >
July 10 (Reuters) - The Indian markets regulator's ban on Wall Street trading giant Jane Street has squeezed volumes in the country's options market, but traders expect activity to snap back as larger investors step in. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on July 4 barred Jane Street from trading and froze $567 million of its funds for manipulation of stock indexes through derivative positions. Jane Street told staff it plans to challenge the order, calling the trades in question "basic index arbitrage." Since the order, index options premium turnover on the NSE and BSE exchang ...Read More >
Mumbai: Finally, Elon Musk's Tesla is opening its first showroom in India on July 15, 2025 at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai. The American Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturer's India foray comes at a time when Tesla demand in European and Chinese markets has plummeted. Citing Reuters and Bloomberg, media reports said Tesla showroom opening on a 4,000 sq ft retail space at Unit G 1B, 2 North Avenue, Maker Maxity, BKC in Mumbai will not only showcase Tesla models but it will also be an "Experience Centre" for the potential buyers. Along with test drive, the Tesla Experience Centre will p ...Read More >
Still, the ongoing U.N. climate talks have thrown a spotlight on their efforts to tackle global warming. While the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, is tasked with agreeing a goal to mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars for climate, leaders of the Group of 20 major economies half a world away in Rio are holding the purse strings. G20 countries account for 85% of the world's economy and are the largest contributors to multilateral development banks helping to steer climate finance. "The spotlight is naturally on the G20. They account for 80 percent of global emissions," U.N. Secretary Ge ...Read More >
European nations are investigating a Chinese cargo ship for underwater sabotage in the Baltic Sea, according to a report. Earlier this month, two undersea fibre-optic data cables were cut in the Baltic Sea. The first cable was damaged between Sweden and Lithuania and the second cable was damaged between Germany and Finland. Shortly after the damage was discovered, Sweden took the lead in investigations and European nations -- all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) -- began pursuing a Chinese cargo ship in the region. The Chinese ship, Yi Peng 3, is currently anchored in ...Read More >
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licence of Kiranakart Technologies Pvt Ltd's Dharavi distribution outlet -- a key supply node for quick-commerce platform Zepto -- after an inspection revealed serious breaches of food safety regulations. The inspection, conducted on Saturday by Food Safety Officer Ram Bodke, was initiated at the directive of Yogesh Kadam, Minister of State for FDA, and supervised by Joint Commissioner Mangesh Mane. The findings have raised pressing concerns about the handling and storage of food products at the facility, which ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, June 5 (Reuters) - Indian and U.S. are holding high-level talks this week, aiming to finalise tariff cuts in sectors such as farm and automobiles as part of an interim deal, two government sources said, with an announcement likely later this month. A U.S. delegation led by senior officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) began closed-door, two-day discussions in New Delhi on Thursday with Indian trade officials headed by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...Read More >
MUMBAI, July 1 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee strengthened on Tuesday, alongside most Asian peers, as worries over U.S. President Donald Trump's fiscal policies and uncertainty around trade deals kept the dollar pinned at a more than three-year low against major peers. The rupee closed at 85.52 per U.S. dollar, up about 0.3% on the day. While the rupee strengthened on the day, it was unable to hold onto gains above the 85.50 mark, with traders pointing to bids from a large state-run bank and a few local private banks. The currency is likely to stay rangebound in the near term unless it convin ...Read More >
(Reuters) -India's benchmark equity indexes are expected to open largely flat on Friday as investors assess the market regulator's move to bar U.S. trading company Jane Street from the local securities market over alleged manipulation. The Gift Nifty futures was down 0.2% at 25,516 points, as of 8:14 a.m. IST, indicating that the Nifty 50 will hover around its previous close of 25,405.3. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has passed an interim order on Jane Street's alleged manipulation through positions taken in equities derivatives. The regulator said in its order that Jane ...Read More >
July 4 (Reuters) - India's benchmark equity indexes are expected to open largely flat on Friday as investors assess the market regulator's move to bar U.S. trading company Jane Street from the local securities market over alleged manipulation. The Gift Nifty futures was down 0.2% at 25,516 points, as of 8:14 a.m. IST, indicating that the Nifty 50 (.NSEI), opens new tab will hover around its previous close of 25,405.3. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has passed an interim order on Jane Street's alleged manipulation through positions taken in equities derivatives. The regula ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh administration has strengthened security arrangements across several districts including Lucknow, Sambhal, and Moradabad to ensure peace and avoid any disruption, as Muharram processions and the Kanwar Yatra are being held at the same time.Large crowds gathered for Muharram processions across different regions, while preparations for the Kanwar Yatra are also underway. Police personnel have been deployed in all sensitive areas, and surveillance is being carried out using drones and CCTV cameras.In SambhalDistrict Magistrate Dr Rajender Pensiya while speaking to ANI ...Read More >
Guwahati: The East Khasi Hills district administration will enforce a new set of parking regulations from August 1 to improve urban mobility across Shillong in Meghalaya. The initiative, which spans seven key traffic zones including Sadar, Madanrting, Laban, Mawlai, Rynjah, Lumdiengjri, and Laitumkhrah, aims to organize parking in critical stretches of the city. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! The Urban Affairs Department has introduced standard hourly parking fees, setting the rate at Rs 20 for two-wheelers and Rs 40 for four-wheelers, with z ...Read More >