Pollution hangs over Indian capital as farm stubble fires rage

New Delhi’s air quality was at its worst this season on Thursday, as winds heavy with toxic smoke from polluting vehicles and smoldering crop waste fires in neighboring states lingered low over the Indian capital. Average air pollution this month hit its worst in two years after farmers made an early start on burning crop stubble left in their fields after harvests. Just over half of Delhi’s 36 monitoring stations had readings above 400 on a scale of 500, indicating “severe” pollution that authorities say can affect healthy people and seriously harm any who are already ill. The index of overall air quality (AQI), measuring the concentration of microscopic particles known as PM2.5, which can be deadly, was at an eight-month high. Deteriorating air quality has already caused a spike in respiratory infections, doctors have said.Delhi’s government is working to clear the toxic air by restricting construction and other dust-raising activities, Environment Minister Gopal Rai has said.

US Presidential Debate: Insults and interruptions mar first Trump-Biden debate

President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden battled fiercely over Trump's record on the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare and the economy in a chaotic and bad-tempered first debate marked by personal insults and Trump's repeated interruptions. Trump bulldozed his way through the 90-minute debate, trying to goad Biden nearly every time he spoke, claiming that Democrats were trying to steal the November presidential election with mail-in ballots and declining to condemn white supremacist groups when asked to do so. Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News never established control of the debate, with Trump repeatedly ignoring his calls to let Biden speak. The two White House contenders talked over each other and lobbed insults in a breathtaking political brawl that made it hard for either to make a point. The stakes were enormous as the two candidates took the stage five weeks before the Nov. 3 Election Day. As of Tuesday evening, more than 1.3 million Americans already had cast early ballots. With time running out to change minds or influence the small sliver of undecided voters.For Trump, 74, Tuesday's debate represented one of the few remaining chances to change the trajectory of a race that most opinion polls show him losing, as the majority of Americans disapprove of his handling of both the pandemic and protests over racial injustice. Biden, 77, has held a consistent lead over Trump in national opinion polls, although surveys in the battleground states that will decide the election show a much closer contest. It was hard to determine whether the debate would move the needle.

Apple is about to open its first floating store that's shaped like a giant sphere

The rumours are indeed true! Apple Marina Bay Sands, the first Apple store in the world that floats on the water, is opening soon in Singapore. This is Singapore’s third Apple Store, with the first one opening on Orchard Road in 2017, followed by a second at Jewel Changi Airport last year. During a visit to Singapore in December 2019, Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly commented on the busyness of the current locations, adding that the city-state `could use a third store.` Apple’s worldwide retail network may be struggling during the coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped the company from indulging in its penchant for pricey-looking, unique, and outlandish exterior design. The iPhone maker’s going to open newest retail location in Singapore on the city-state’s waterfront. It can claim a world’s first title: it’s the only Apple retail shop on the planet that floats on water.The opening comes at a challenging time for the retail sector as lockdowns and other measures linked to the deadly coronavirus prompt more people to shop online. Apple closed all of its stores outside of China in March 2020 and since then has been opening and closing sites according to local conditions regarding the severity of the pandemic. Singapore’s Apple Stores reopened on June 24 with shorter-than-usual operating hours. In a bid to reduce the risk of staff and customers getting infected, Apple Stores are now requiring everyone entering the premises to submit to a touchless temperature check and wear a mask. Additional measures such as limited store occupancy, social distancing, and regular sanitization of surfaces are also in place.

China orders U.S. to close consulate in Chengdu

The ministry also ordered the consulate general to cease operations.

“The current situation between China and the U.S. is something the Chinese side does not want to see,” the foreign ministry said in a Chinese-language statement translated by CNBC.

“The responsibility lies entirely with the U.S. side,” the statement added. “We again urge the U.S. side to immediately revoke its relevant wrong decisions, to create necessary conditions for the two countries’ relationship to return to normal.”

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing declined to comment.

Who is Real Madrid’s Most Important: Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema or Thibaut Courtois?

Who is Real Madrid’s Most Important: Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema or Thibaut Courtois?

Belgium prince Joachim tests positive after lockdown party

Belgian prince Joachim has been diagnosed with coronavirus just days after attending a private party in Spain which breached social distancing rules. He is the nephew of King Philippe of Belgium and ninth in line to the throne, attended the party on Tuesday in a private house in the city of Cordoba. According to Spanish news outlet El Pais, 27 people attended the private party, which is nearly double the number of people (15) currently allowed to congregate under one roof in the Andalusian city. All the guests who attended the party are now in quarantine, while it is not clear whether the prince contracted the virus at the party or whether he already had the virus beforehand.  Prince Laurent of Belgium, another of Joachim's uncles, confirmed the virus has been contracted by at least one member of his family.

How some cities 'flattened the curve' during the 1918 flu pandemic ..Today Coronavirus plays that role

Coronavirus, the first cases of which were discovered in the city of Wuhan in December 2019, continues to spread across the globe. So far more than 7.5 lakh cases of infection and 33 thousand more deaths have been registered. The Corona positive cases and deaths goes up day by day around the world. Especially Europe and United States of America are the great sufferers now. Panicky rumours are circulating on the Internet that over a thousand people are dying in Wuhan. At the Chinese border, Russians are refusing to work with goods from China because they believe they're infected. They are taking precautions at every level, and as a result prices are going up and business is going down. A dictatorship may be perfectly positioned to enforce a quarantine.CORONAVIRUS' epicentre is known to be Wuhan, a Chinese province - but an unearthed report claims the Spanish Flu pandemic may have originated in China more than a century ago, too.The Spanish flu is one of the worst has killed more than 100 million people maximum in 1918. The flu by positing that it developed first in Europe’s trenches. It began in the trenches or ended up there after the arrival of American troops, the virus spread quickly to German soldiers and to neutral Spain. Spain to erroneously think that it was alone in enduring such a brutal outbreak — hence the name `Spanish flu.` Russian POWs returning from Germany spread the disease to the newly created Soviet Union, and by May and June, various countries in Africa, as well as India, China, and Japan, all had outbreaks. In particular, had more brutal effects than typical influenza, not least because it was likelier than the ordinary flu to be joined by bacterial pneumonia. caused most of the deaths in the 1918 flu outbreak.While today countries keep detailed records of testing and diagnosis for new outbreaks (as they’ve been doing during the coronavirus crisis), there was no such record-keeping capacity in the late 1910s.

India beat New Zealand Again in second T-20 by 7 wickets

India beat New Zealand by seven wickets with 15 balls to spare. Both the two young talents from India KLRahul and Shreyas Iyer leads the team in to the consecutive victory in a row. Earlier in the same Eaden ground in Akland the first T-20 match India registers 6 wicket win. The boys Rahul and Shreyas knocked fifties. Shreyas have got player of the match with his brilliant knock. And Todays entire match also went around the two young Indian Batsmen. Man of the match Lokesh Rahul gets tremndous 57* 0ff 50 balls. With his support Shreyas again played a great innings. He gets 44 out off 33 balls. Then He was out trying to hit the ball over the ropes. An excellent catch from Tim Southee. However, this wicket is more of a consolation for Ish Sodhi as India need just 8 runs from 21 deliveries. The run chase did not get off to an ideal start as Rohit Sharma lost his wicket to Tim Southee in the first over. Southee also got the wicket of Virat Kohli(11) in the sixth over of the innings. Rahul brought the run chase back on the track alongside Shreyas Iyer with an 86-run partnership for the third wicket. Rahul scored his second fifty on the trot in the series from 43 deliveries and remained unbeaten for 57. Earlier Black Caps’ skipper Kane Williamson won the toss, elected to bat first. Martin Guptill got the hosts off to a good start but lost his wicket for 33 in the sixth over to Shardul Thakur. Colin Munro failed to make a mark as he got out to Shivam Dube after scoring 26 runs from 25 deliveries. Indian bowlers continued to put pressure on Kiwi batsmen in the middle overs. Kane Williamson struggled to get the ball into gaps and lost his wicket trying to sweep Ravindra Jadeja. He took two wickets for 18 runs.With this victory India move ahead 2-0 lead in the five Matches T-20 series.