The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=quick+commerce" rel="dofollow">quick commerce</a> firm Blinkit is expanding its services from selling daily essentials, beauty products, and food in India and will now provide ambulances to patients at their doorstep in approximately 10 minutes.
Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa announced in a social media post on X, saying that the initiative will be launched on Thursday with the services to begin in Gurugram.&nbsp;
He added that people would be able to book a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance through the Blinkit App.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/good-luck-finding-virgin-girl-to-marry-x-users-reaction-on-blinkits-sale-of-condoms-sparks-outrage-on-internet-8585820" rel="dofollow">'Good luck finding virgin girl to marry': X user's reaction as Blinkit's sale of condoms sparks outrage on internet</a>
"We are taking our first step towards solving the problem of providing quick and reliable ambulance service in our cities. The first five ambulances will be on the road in Gurugram starting today. As we expand the service to more areas, you will start seeing an option to book a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance through the Blinkit app," the CEO said in the post.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5fi237l-ilahcjiz-o0olt2or">
Ambulance in 10 minutes. We are taking our first step towards solving the problem of providing quick and reliable ambulance service in our cities. The first five ambulances will be on the road in Gurugram starting today. As we expand the service to more areas, you will start&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/N8i9KJfq4z">pic.twitter.com/N8i9KJfq4z</a>
&mdash; Albinder Dhindsa (@albinder) <a href="https://twitter.com/albinder/status/1874785215715152354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Serviced offered in Blinkit ambulances</h2>
CEO Albinder Dhindsa said that all the ambulances will be equipped with essential life-saving equipment, including oxygen cylinders, defibrillators, stretchers, monitors, and essential emergency medicines and injections.
Moreover, the ambulances will also have a trained paramedic and an assistant apart from the driver.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indian-retail-group-seeks-antitrust-investigation-into-quick-commerce-giants-swiggy-blinkit-and-zepto-769417" rel="dofollow">Indian Retail group seeks antitrust investigation into quick commerce giants Swiggy, Blinkit, and Zepto</a>
The Blinkit CEO did not reveal how much the service would cost, however, saying that "profit is not a goal".&nbsp;
He said that the service would be operated at an affordable cost for customers and invest in really solving this critical problem for the long term.&nbsp;
"We are carefully scaling this service up, as it is both important and new to us. Our aim is to expand to all major cities over the next two years,&rdquo; he said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zepto-graptile-ceos-share-views-on-work-life-balance-face-backlash-781499" rel="dofollow">Zepto CEO clarifies stance on work life balance after 'toxic culture' allegations</a>
Blinkit further aims to expand to all major cities over the next two years.
Notably, this is the second new service started by Blinkit this week.&nbsp;
Earlier, the CEO announced a large order fleet, posting, "These are all-electric vehicles designed to handle all large (electronics/party orders) orders. Currently live in Delhi and Gurugram. Will be launching this in other cities very soon."
(With inputs from agencies)

India news , Trending: Blinkit CEO announced in a social media post on X, saying that the initiative will be launched on Thursday with the services to begin in Gurgaon. 

The quick commerce firm Blinkit is expanding its services from selling daily essentials, beauty products, and food in India and will now provide ambulances to patients at their doorstep in approximately 10 minutes. Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa announced in a social media post on X, saying that the initiative will be launched on Thursday with the services to begin in Gurugram. He added that people would be able to book a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance through the Blinkit App. Also read: 'Good luck finding virgin girl to marry': X user's reaction as Blinkit's sale of condoms sparks outrage on internet "We are taking our first step towards solving the problem of providing quick and reliable ambulance service in our cities. The first five ambulances will be on the road in Gurugram starting today. As we expand the service to more areas, you will start seeing an option to book a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance through the Blinkit app," the CEO said in the post. Ambulance in 10 minutes. We are taking our first step towards solving the problem of providing quick and reliable ambulance service in our cities. The first five ambulances will be on the road in Gurugram starting today. As we expand the service to more areas, you will start… pic.twitter.com/N8i9KJfq4z — Albinder Dhindsa (@albinder) January 2, 2025 Serviced offered in Blinkit ambulances CEO Albinder Dhindsa said that all the ambulances will be equipped with essential life-saving equipment, including oxygen cylinders, defibrillators, stretchers, monitors, and essential emergency medicines and injections. Moreover, the ambulances will also have a trained paramedic and an assistant apart from the driver. Also read: Indian Retail group seeks antitrust investigation into quick commerce giants Swiggy, Blinkit, and Zepto The Blinkit CEO did not reveal how much the service would cost, however, saying that "profit is not a goal". He said that the service would be operated at an affordable cost for customers and invest in really solving this critical problem for the long term. "We are carefully scaling this service up, as it is both important and new to us. Our aim is to expand to all major cities over the next two years,” he said. Also read: Zepto CEO clarifies stance on work life balance after 'toxic culture' allegations Blinkit further aims to expand to all major cities over the next two years. Notably, this is the second new service started by Blinkit this week. Earlier, the CEO announced a large order fleet, posting, "These are all-electric vehicles designed to handle all large (electronics/party orders) orders. Currently live in Delhi and Gurugram. Will be launching this in other cities very soon." (With inputs from agencies)

'Ambulance in 10 mins': Blinkit announces new service, to debut in Gurgaon

While India is doubling down on its manufacturing ambitions, it is already facing the services world. Investment banking giant Goldman Sachs says services sector exports will comprise at least 11 per cent of India's GDP by 2030. That's up from less than 10% of the economy right now.

Gravitas | Goldman Sachs: Services sector exports at 11% of GDP by 2030

Optus is scrambling to regain public support after Wednesday’s 14-hour outage by offering “eligible” customers a free data pack, as it faces a Senate inquiry and separate government review.

Optus outage causes chaos in Australia before services restored

Covid-related restrictions seem to have had an adverse impact on China’s manufacturing activity, as the country’s purchasing managers index (PMI) shrank to 49.2 in October, according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday. In September, the PMI was at 50.1

In PMI parlance, a score above 50 means expansion, while a score below 50 denotes contraction.

Apart from that, the non-manufacturing PMI, which is the service sector activity, also fell to 48.7 from 50.6 in September.

Watch | China Covid Chaos: Shanghai government bars people from entering and exiting Disney park

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"The official PMIs point to a further loss of momentum in this month as virus disruptions worsened and export orders remained under pressure," said Zichun Huang, an economist at Capital Economics, in a research note, reports Reuters news agency.

"With the zero-Covid policy here to stay, we think the economy will continue to struggle heading into 2023."

So far, 31 cities have been out under lockdown, affecting around 232 million people, Nomura said in a research note.

Experts believe that China’s draconian zero-Covid policy could further dampen the country’s road to economic recovery, with restrictions expected to remain in place for some more time.

"We don't expect the zero-Covid policy to be abandoned until 2024, which means virus disruptions will keep in-person services activity subdued," said Huang from Capital Economics.

The adverse impact of Covid restriction is already being felt at Apple supplier Foxconn's iPhone manufacturing facility in China's Zhengzhou city.

The company has decided to slash the November iPhone shipments by up to 30 per cent, Reuters news agency reported citing a source.

The plant, which employs about 200,000 workers, has in recent days hit by worker discontent over stringent Covid measures.

Several migrant workers reportedly fled the plant over the weekend for their hometowns, driving cities to hastily draw up plans to accommodate them.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: 

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Covid-related restrictions seem to have had an adverse impact on China’s manufacturing activity, as the country’s purchasing managers index (PMI) shrank to 49.2 in October, according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday.

Covid-related restrictions seem to have had an adverse impact on China’s manufacturing activity, as the country’s purchasing managers index (PMI) shrank to 49.2 in October, according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday. In September, the PMI was at 50.1 In PMI parlance, a score above 50 means expansion, while a score below 50 denotes contraction. Apart from that, the non-manufacturing PMI, which is the service sector activity, also fell to 48.7 from 50.6 in September. Watch | China Covid Chaos: Shanghai government bars people from entering and exiting Disney park × "The official PMIs point to a further loss of momentum in this month as virus disruptions worsened and export orders remained under pressure," said Zichun Huang, an economist at Capital Economics, in a research note, reports Reuters news agency. "With the zero-Covid policy here to stay, we think the economy will continue to struggle heading into 2023." So far, 31 cities have been out under lockdown, affecting around 232 million people, Nomura said in a research note. Experts believe that China’s draconian zero-Covid policy could further dampen the country’s road to economic recovery, with restrictions expected to remain in place for some more time. "We don't expect the zero-Covid policy to be abandoned until 2024, which means virus disruptions will keep in-person services activity subdued," said Huang from Capital Economics. The adverse impact of Covid restriction is already being felt at Apple supplier Foxconn's iPhone manufacturing facility in China's Zhengzhou city. The company has decided to slash the November iPhone shipments by up to 30 per cent, Reuters news agency reported citing a source. The plant, which employs about 200,000 workers, has in recent days hit by worker discontent over stringent Covid measures. Several migrant workers reportedly fled the plant over the weekend for their hometowns, driving cities to hastily draw up plans to accommodate them. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China’s manufacturing, services shrink in October as zero-Covid policy bites

After facing a crackdown from authorities, Xiaomi ends the financial services business in India. Mi Pay allowed users to make UPI transactions.

Xiaomi ends financial services business in India; Mi Pay allowed users to make UPI transactions

UK rail passengers face another day of disruption and only 20% of rail services ran on Thursday. As per reports, train services are paralysed again as cost of living crisis & inflation cause another rail strike.

UK: Railway unions stage fresh strikes; train services paralysed again

The railways has notified the Indian Railway Management System (IRMS) which will unify the eight existing services of the national transporter. A gazette notification for the same was issued by the ministry on February 9.

The reform proposed during the tenure of Piyush Goyal as railway minister created a lot of heartburn among certain sections of officers. The railways had clarified that the seniority of officers will not be affected.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-coast-guard-inducts-made-in-india-choppers-for-maritime-security-of-west-coast-452113">Indian Coast Guard inducts made-in-India choppers for maritime security of west coast</a>

It said that 27 posts of GMs have been upgraded to apex grade. It will be ensured that eligible officers of all the erstwhile services get the apex grade post of GM. In the approved cabinet note, it has been mentioned that only the officers of IRMS will be eligible to become the functional members and chairman/CEO of the railway board.

Watch | India completes world's highest rail bridge arch

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There will likely be an option for employees to opt out of IRMS.

"In pursuance of Cabinet's decision dated 24.12.2019, there shall be creation of a new Group 'A' Central service called Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS)," the notification stated.

The railways has notified the Indian Railway Management System (IRMS) which will unify the eight existing services of the national transporter. A gazette notification for the same was issued by the ministry on February 9.

The railways has notified the Indian Railway Management System (IRMS) which will unify the eight existing services of the national transporter. A gazette notification for the same was issued by the ministry on February 9. The reform proposed during the tenure of Piyush Goyal as railway minister created a lot of heartburn among certain sections of officers. The railways had clarified that the seniority of officers will not be affected. Also read | Indian Coast Guard inducts made-in-India choppers for maritime security of west coast It said that 27 posts of GMs have been upgraded to apex grade. It will be ensured that eligible officers of all the erstwhile services get the apex grade post of GM. In the approved cabinet note, it has been mentioned that only the officers of IRMS will be eligible to become the functional members and chairman/CEO of the railway board. Watch | India completes world's highest rail bridge arch There will likely be an option for employees to opt out of IRMS. "In pursuance of Cabinet's decision dated 24.12.2019, there shall be creation of a new Group 'A' Central service called Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS)," the notification stated.

Indian Railway Ministry announces IRMS, bringing together eight existing services of the railways

Multiple users complained about an outage affecting Alphabet Inc's search engine Google as well as its streaming and email services, according to outage monitoring website Downdetector. 
 
Platforms including Google, YouTube and Gmail were down on Monday evening, with users complaining of difficulty in logging in and accessing the website in parts of North America, according to Downdetector. 
 
More than a thousand users were having difficulties with the search engine at one point, the outage monitoring website showed, and users were also facing issues with YouTube TV and Google Drive. 
 
The issue affecting the platforms was not immediately clear. 
 
Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters; request for comment after business hours. 
 
Downdetector tracks outages by collating status reports from a series of sources, including user-submitted errors on its platform.

Multiple users complained about an outage affecting Alphabet Inc's search engine Google as well as its streaming and email services, according to outage monitoring website Downdetector.

Multiple users complained about an outage affecting Alphabet Inc's search engine Google as well as its streaming and email services, according to outage monitoring website Downdetector. Platforms including Google, YouTube and Gmail were down on Monday evening, with users complaining of difficulty in logging in and accessing the website in parts of North America, according to Downdetector. More than a thousand users were having difficulties with the search engine at one point, the outage monitoring website showed, and users were also facing issues with YouTube TV and Google Drive. The issue affecting the platforms was not immediately clear. Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters; request for comment after business hours. Downdetector tracks outages by collating status reports from a series of sources, including user-submitted errors on its platform.

Google services down for some users: Web tracker

Video conferencing platform Zoom on Monday released a new video Software Development Kit (SDK) to enable developers to leverage the platform's HD video, audio and interactive features to build video-based applications and desktop experiences with native user interfaces.&nbsp;

With the ability to build the reliability and scale-ready performance of Zoom's video-first unified communications platform into their products and applications, developers can leverage the Video SDK to create new and exciting experiences.&nbsp;

Using the Video SDK, developers can drive customer engagement and provide new opportunities for revenue without being tied to the Zoom Meetings user interface, Zoom said.&nbsp;

"Video-based customer experiences will play an increasingly large role in customer engagement as we move into the future," Natalie Mullin, Product Marketing Manager at Zoom, wrote in a blog post.&nbsp;

According to industry analyst Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research, "Video usage is at an all-time high. The next wave of video-based experiences will be driven by embedding video directly into business and consumer applications that seamlessly improve workflows and enhance social interaction."&nbsp;

"Zoom's Video SDKs are easy to work with, and enable nimble development of fully customizable video-based applications."&nbsp;

For example, developers can integrate Zoom's functionality into social media applications to create reliable and engaging communications experiences, such as on-the-go live streaming with interactive chat.&nbsp;

Using Zoom's HD video and audio and interactive features, developers can build desktop gaming apps that offer new opportunities for audience engagement.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Video conferencing platform Zoom on Monday released a new video Software Development Kit (SDK) to enable developers to leverage the platform's HD video, audio and interactive features to build video-based applications and desktop experiences with native user interfaces.

Video conferencing platform Zoom on Monday released a new video Software Development Kit (SDK) to enable developers to leverage the platform's HD video, audio and interactive features to build video-based applications and desktop experiences with native user interfaces. With the ability to build the reliability and scale-ready performance of Zoom's video-first unified communications platform into their products and applications, developers can leverage the Video SDK to create new and exciting experiences. Using the Video SDK, developers can drive customer engagement and provide new opportunities for revenue without being tied to the Zoom Meetings user interface, Zoom said. "Video-based customer experiences will play an increasingly large role in customer engagement as we move into the future," Natalie Mullin, Product Marketing Manager at Zoom, wrote in a blog post. According to industry analyst Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research, "Video usage is at an all-time high. The next wave of video-based experiences will be driven by embedding video directly into business and consumer applications that seamlessly improve workflows and enhance social interaction." "Zoom's Video SDKs are easy to work with, and enable nimble development of fully customizable video-based applications." For example, developers can integrate Zoom's functionality into social media applications to create reliable and engaging communications experiences, such as on-the-go live streaming with interactive chat. Using Zoom's HD video and audio and interactive features, developers can build desktop gaming apps that offer new opportunities for audience engagement. (With inputs from agencies)

Zoom unveils new SDK to help developers leverage video services 

General Bipin Rawat today began his tenure as India's first Chief of Defence Staff began with a farewell guard of honour as the army chief.

The uniform of India's first Chief of Defence Staff draws emblematic elements from all three national services - the army, the navy, and the air force.

The CDS' attire including the peak cap, dress buttons, belt buckle, and the epaulette, which are all engrained with the ethos of the three defence services.

''Feel lighter in the head'', announced the new CDS after taking over the duties.

Rawat now has a host of new responsibilities, and he's primarily expected to bring convergence among the army, the navy, and the air force.

The new CDS will also head the Department of Military Affairs and act as a military advisor to the government.

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The attire of the new CDS | Image source: Indian Army

However, the new CDS will work in tandem with the National Security Advisor, who is an integral part of the Indian security set-up. There is much functional interplay between the roles of CDS and the NSA.

The NSA heads the defence planning committee, which was created in 2018. It has all three service chiefs as members. The main agenda is the implementation of security strategy in the country.

On the other hand, the CDS will head the department of military affairs. One of his tasks includes providing undiluted military advice to the government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/army-chief-general-bipin-rawat-named-as-indias-first-chief-of-defence-staff-271016">Read:&nbsp;Army chief General Bipin Rawat appointed as India's first Chief of Defence Staff</a>

The NSA receives all intelligence reports from the likes of RAW and presents them before the prime minister.

Additionally, the CDS will be the point-person with information from an independent pool of military resources.

Watch:&nbsp;General Bipin Rawat takes charge as first CDS

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The NSA works on inter-ministerial coordination and integration of inputs in forming national security policies.

The CDS will have the authority to direct the three service chiefs and also create a theatre command when needed.

General Bipin Rawat today began his tenure as India's first Chief of Defence Staff began with a farewell guard of honour as the army chief. The uniform of India's first Chief of Defence Staff draws emblematic elements from all three national services - the army, the navy, and the air force.

General Bipin Rawat today began his tenure as India's first Chief of Defence Staff began with a farewell guard of honour as the army chief. The uniform of India's first Chief of Defence Staff draws emblematic elements from all three national services - the army, the navy, and the air force. The CDS' attire including the peak cap, dress buttons, belt buckle, and the epaulette, which are all engrained with the ethos of the three defence services. ''Feel lighter in the head'', announced the new CDS after taking over the duties. Rawat now has a host of new responsibilities, and he's primarily expected to bring convergence among the army, the navy, and the air force. The new CDS will also head the Department of Military Affairs and act as a military advisor to the government. The attire of the new CDS | Image source: Indian Army However, the new CDS will work in tandem with the National Security Advisor, who is an integral part of the Indian security set-up. There is much functional interplay between the roles of CDS and the NSA. The NSA heads the defence planning committee, which was created in 2018. It has all three service chiefs as members. The main agenda is the implementation of security strategy in the country. On the other hand, the CDS will head the department of military affairs. One of his tasks includes providing undiluted military advice to the government. Read: Army chief General Bipin Rawat appointed as India's first Chief of Defence Staff The NSA receives all intelligence reports from the likes of RAW and presents them before the prime minister. Additionally, the CDS will be the point-person with information from an independent pool of military resources. Watch: General Bipin Rawat takes charge as first CDS The NSA works on inter-ministerial coordination and integration of inputs in forming national security policies. The CDS will have the authority to direct the three service chiefs and also create a theatre command when needed.

Bipin Rawat takes over as Chief of Defence Staff, his uniform draws emblematic elements from all defence services

Along with its new iPhones, Apple is stepping up on content and services for its devices for its big media event Tuesday.

Apple was expected to introduce three upgraded iPhones and a successor to its more affordable iPhone XR as it looks to hold its share of the premium smartphone market where prices are hovering around $1,000.

But services, subscriptions and online content will likely share the stage with the company's glitzy hardware as Apple seeks to shift its focus away from a smartphone market which is showing little growth.

"I think it is going to be the first year the event is going to also be about services," Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said.

"We might get to see what Apple looks like as a company when they are talking about services and hardware as one product."

Richard Windsor of research firm Radio Free Mobile said Apple is coasting on the iPhone because of its strong quality but is not likely to see strong growth from either hardware or services.

"There is not much upside because services revenue will take years to reach a scale where it can really move the needle company-wide," Windsor said.

"Unfortunately, the market wants fireworks from Apple on cue every year meaning that no growth will dampen share price performance."

TV+ turned on?

Apple recently released a smartphone-generation credit card in the US and is keen to launch its TV+ streaming service before Disney goes live with a rival service in November.

They unveiled streaming video plans along with news and game subscription offerings as part of an effort to shift its focus to digital content and services to break free of its reliance on iPhone sales.

The company also plans to launch a new game subscription service called Apple Arcade by the end of this year.

Apple managed to grow its overall revenues, albeit by a modest one percent, to $53.8 billion, even as iPhone revenues plunged nearly 12 percent in the April-June period.

The company delivered strong growth from digital content and services that include its Apple Pay and Apple Music, along with wearables and accessories like the Apple Watch and Air Pods.

Some of those accessories could also get upgrades on Tuesday.

China wild card

Analysts warn that Apple still faces challenges as rivals chip away at the smartphone market, in which the iPhone's share is less than 12 percent.

As the iPhone maker refines its handsets, other makers are pushing into new areas such as 5G devices and folding smartphones.

Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors that he expected a "trifecta of iPhone 11s" that will help the company "put a fence around" its user base.

About a third of the 900 million iPhone users around the world are in an upgrade "window," meaning a strong potential for handset sales, according to Ives.

"While China remains a wild card, we are bullish into Apple's future" in the coming year, Ives said.

International Data Corporation (IDC) forecast that this will remain a challenging year for iPhone sales, mostly due to a mature market and lack of handsets tailored for budding 5G telecom networks.

IDC expected Apple to hit the market with 5G iPhones next year, and have an edge due to a better understanding of the market.

China accounts for about 17 percent of Apple sales overall, and has tremendous room for growth, according to Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart.

The trade war between the US and China has complicated Apple's effort to gain ground in that market, where gains by local titan Huawei have come partly at the California-based company's expense.

"Apple needs Chinese consumers to treat the iPhone as a preferred premium brand at a tricky geopolitical moment," Greengart said.

Along with its new iPhones, Apple is stepping up on content and services for its devices for its big media event Tuesday. Apple was expected to introduce three upgraded iPhones and a successor to its more affordable iPhone XR as it looks to hold its share of the premium smartphone market where prices are hovering around $1,000.

Along with its new iPhones, Apple is stepping up on content and services for its devices for its big media event Tuesday. Apple was expected to introduce three upgraded iPhones and a successor to its more affordable iPhone XR as it looks to hold its share of the premium smartphone market where prices are hovering around $1,000. But services, subscriptions and online content will likely share the stage with the company's glitzy hardware as Apple seeks to shift its focus away from a smartphone market which is showing little growth. "I think it is going to be the first year the event is going to also be about services," Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said. "We might get to see what Apple looks like as a company when they are talking about services and hardware as one product." Richard Windsor of research firm Radio Free Mobile said Apple is coasting on the iPhone because of its strong quality but is not likely to see strong growth from either hardware or services. "There is not much upside because services revenue will take years to reach a scale where it can really move the needle company-wide," Windsor said. "Unfortunately, the market wants fireworks from Apple on cue every year meaning that no growth will dampen share price performance." TV+ turned on? Apple recently released a smartphone-generation credit card in the US and is keen to launch its TV+ streaming service before Disney goes live with a rival service in November. They unveiled streaming video plans along with news and game subscription offerings as part of an effort to shift its focus to digital content and services to break free of its reliance on iPhone sales. The company also plans to launch a new game subscription service called Apple Arcade by the end of this year. Apple managed to grow its overall revenues, albeit by a modest one percent, to $53.8 billion, even as iPhone revenues plunged nearly 12 percent in the April-June period. The company delivered strong growth from digital content and services that include its Apple Pay and Apple Music, along with wearables and accessories like the Apple Watch and Air Pods. Some of those accessories could also get upgrades on Tuesday. China wild card Analysts warn that Apple still faces challenges as rivals chip away at the smartphone market, in which the iPhone's share is less than 12 percent. As the iPhone maker refines its handsets, other makers are pushing into new areas such as 5G devices and folding smartphones. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors that he expected a "trifecta of iPhone 11s" that will help the company "put a fence around" its user base. About a third of the 900 million iPhone users around the world are in an upgrade "window," meaning a strong potential for handset sales, according to Ives. "While China remains a wild card, we are bullish into Apple's future" in the coming year, Ives said. International Data Corporation (IDC) forecast that this will remain a challenging year for iPhone sales, mostly due to a mature market and lack of handsets tailored for budding 5G telecom networks. IDC expected Apple to hit the market with 5G iPhones next year, and have an edge due to a better understanding of the market. China accounts for about 17 percent of Apple sales overall, and has tremendous room for growth, according to Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart. The trade war between the US and China has complicated Apple's effort to gain ground in that market, where gains by local titan Huawei have come partly at the California-based company's expense. "Apple needs Chinese consumers to treat the iPhone as a preferred premium brand at a tricky geopolitical moment," Greengart said.

New iPhones to share limelight as Apple revs up services

Being surrounded by books is a matter of routine for civil services aspirants, but Sreenath K, a coolie who cleared the written test of the Kerala Public Service Commission, the preparation is just about his phone and earphones as he goes about his job.

Sreenath has been earning his livelihood carrying heavy luggage at Ernakulam Junction in Kerala for the past five years.

Unlike his colleagues, he deftly balances the luggage on his shoulders and listens to his digital coursework at the same time — his teachers speaking to him through the earphones.

A high school pass-out, he takes advantage of the free WiFi Internet service available at Ernakulam station to learn.

"I have appeared thrice for the exam and this is the first time I used the WiFi at the station. What I do is put on my earphones and listen to the study material as I carry the luggage or solve questionnaires in my mind. This way I can study while I work. I revise all my work at night when I get free time," Sreenath told PTI over phone.

The WiFi service, launched in 2016 as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative, provides free Internet to passengers under Railwire, the retail broadband distribution model of RailTel Corporation of India Limited.

As of May 2018, at least 685 railway stations have been equipped with WiFi technology across the country, with the Indian Railways setting a target of providing this facility at all 8,500 stations by March 2019 at a cost of Rs 700 crore.

Sreenath hails from Munnar, a town in the Western Ghats mountain range. The name Munnar is believed to mean "three rivers", referring to its location at the confluence of Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers.

Ernakulam is the nearest major railway station from Munnar.

He said the free WiFi service at the station opened up opportunities for him he never thought were available in the first place — reams of practice question papers, downloadable at a speed of 20-40 mbps, easy access to online examination forms, and above everything else, he saves money on books.

If he qualifies for KPSC after interview, he is likely to be a village field assistant under the land revenue department.

"I will keep studying. While I work as a coolie because I have the pressure of running my house, I will keep studying and appearing for exams. If I appear for enough exams, I am bound to get a good job," Sreenath said.

He has also applied for exams advertised recently by the railways for 62,000 Group D posts of trackman, cabinman, leverman, pointsman, gangman and others.

"What is my ideal job? A person of some authority to change things in my village maybe," he said.&nbsp

Sreenath K has been lugging heavy luggage at Kerala's Ernakulam Railway Station for the past five years. He listens to lesson on his earphones as he goes about his work

Being surrounded by books is a matter of routine for civil services aspirants, but Sreenath K, a coolie who cleared the written test of the Kerala Public Service Commission, the preparation is just about his phone and earphones as he goes about his job. Sreenath has been earning his livelihood carrying heavy luggage at Ernakulam Junction in Kerala for the past five years. Unlike his colleagues, he deftly balances the luggage on his shoulders and listens to his digital coursework at the same time — his teachers speaking to him through the earphones. A high school pass-out, he takes advantage of the free WiFi Internet service available at Ernakulam station to learn. "I have appeared thrice for the exam and this is the first time I used the WiFi at the station. What I do is put on my earphones and listen to the study material as I carry the luggage or solve questionnaires in my mind. This way I can study while I work. I revise all my work at night when I get free time," Sreenath told PTI over phone. The WiFi service, launched in 2016 as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative, provides free Internet to passengers under Railwire, the retail broadband distribution model of RailTel Corporation of India Limited. As of May 2018, at least 685 railway stations have been equipped with WiFi technology across the country, with the Indian Railways setting a target of providing this facility at all 8,500 stations by March 2019 at a cost of Rs 700 crore. Sreenath hails from Munnar, a town in the Western Ghats mountain range. The name Munnar is believed to mean "three rivers", referring to its location at the confluence of Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers. Ernakulam is the nearest major railway station from Munnar. He said the free WiFi service at the station opened up opportunities for him he never thought were available in the first place — reams of practice question papers, downloadable at a speed of 20-40 mbps, easy access to online examination forms, and above everything else, he saves money on books. If he qualifies for KPSC after interview, he is likely to be a village field assistant under the land revenue department. "I will keep studying. While I work as a coolie because I have the pressure of running my house, I will keep studying and appearing for exams. If I appear for enough exams, I am bound to get a good job," Sreenath said. He has also applied for exams advertised recently by the railways for 62,000 Group D posts of trackman, cabinman, leverman, pointsman, gangman and others. "What is my ideal job? A person of some authority to change things in my village maybe," he said.

Coolie clears Kerala civil service written exam, says used free railway WiFi to study

After being allocated a transponder from the South Asia Satellite, Afghanistan has requested India for another one which it could use for Direct-to-Home television services, an official from the Department of Space has said.

However, unlike the South Asia Satellite or G SAT-9, which was a “gift” from India to its neighbours and one transponder was allocated to the participating SAARC countries for free, Afghanistan may have to pay for the services this time, the official said.

&nbsp“They have asked for another transponder and we are looking into it. Unlike in the case of the South Asia Satellite, Afghanistan may be charged for the second transponder. However, no decision has been made in this regard,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

The second transponder may not be from the South Asia Satellite.

In 2014, Afghanistan had launched its satellite AFGHANSAT-1 for wide-ranging services including DTH, broadcasting and internet services. The satellite was launched by a French company. But as demand increases, it looks to augment its supply side.

A transponder is a device that receives and transmits signals. It is essential for Direct-To-Home (DTH) services.

India and Afghanistan share a robust space cooperation. Last year, after a meeting between External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, it was decided that New Delhi will extend assistance to Kabul in the area of remote sensing.

During the 2014 SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced India would be launching a satellite as a gift to its SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) neighbours.

Pakistan did not join the project, stating it was working on its own satellite. It offered monetary and technical support though for the project, which was rejected by India.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the South Asia Satellite in 2017. The 2,230-kg communication spacecraft, with a mission life of 12 years, will support effective communication, broadcasting and internet services in a region that is geographically challenging, economically lagging and has limited technological resources.

The satellite provides the significant capability to each of the participating countries in terms of DTH (direct-to-home) services, besides linking the countries for disaster information transfer.

The satellite has 12 Ku band transponders which the six nations -- Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan -- can utilise to enhance communications. Each South Asian country will get access to one transponder through which it will be able to beam its own programming.

As a part of its commitment, India also assisted several countries to build ground stations and other infrastructure-related work to receive signals sent from transponders.

In countries like Bhutan, the project is running well, the official said.

The official added that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will also do a review of how the project is progressing.

In 2014, Afghanistan had launched its satellite AFGHANSAT-1 for wide-ranging services including DTH, broadcasting and internet services. The satellite was launched by a French company. But as demand increases, it looks to augment its supply side.

After being allocated a transponder from the South Asia Satellite, Afghanistan has requested India for another one which it could use for Direct-to-Home television services, an official from the Department of Space has said. However, unlike the South Asia Satellite or G SAT-9, which was a “gift” from India to its neighbours and one transponder was allocated to the participating SAARC countries for free, Afghanistan may have to pay for the services this time, the official said. “They have asked for another transponder and we are looking into it. Unlike in the case of the South Asia Satellite, Afghanistan may be charged for the second transponder. However, no decision has been made in this regard,” the official said, requesting anonymity. The second transponder may not be from the South Asia Satellite. In 2014, Afghanistan had launched its satellite AFGHANSAT-1 for wide-ranging services including DTH, broadcasting and internet services. The satellite was launched by a French company. But as demand increases, it looks to augment its supply side. A transponder is a device that receives and transmits signals. It is essential for Direct-To-Home (DTH) services. India and Afghanistan share a robust space cooperation. Last year, after a meeting between External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, it was decided that New Delhi will extend assistance to Kabul in the area of remote sensing. During the 2014 SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced India would be launching a satellite as a gift to its SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) neighbours. Pakistan did not join the project, stating it was working on its own satellite. It offered monetary and technical support though for the project, which was rejected by India. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the South Asia Satellite in 2017. The 2,230-kg communication spacecraft, with a mission life of 12 years, will support effective communication, broadcasting and internet services in a region that is geographically challenging, economically lagging and has limited technological resources. The satellite provides the significant capability to each of the participating countries in terms of DTH (direct-to-home) services, besides linking the countries for disaster information transfer. The satellite has 12 Ku band transponders which the six nations -- Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan -- can utilise to enhance communications. Each South Asian country will get access to one transponder through which it will be able to beam its own programming. As a part of its commitment, India also assisted several countries to build ground stations and other infrastructure-related work to receive signals sent from transponders. In countries like Bhutan, the project is running well, the official said. The official added that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will also do a review of how the project is progressing.

Afghanistan requests India for transponder for DTH services

<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/what-is-aadhaar-card-and-where-is-it-mandatory-4587547/">Aadhaar</a>-issuing authority UIDAI on Saturday clarified that no essential service or benefit like medical facility, hospitalisation, school admission or ration through PDS can be denied for the want of the biometric national ID. Significantly, the latest development comes a day after a&nbsp;pregnant woman was denied admission in a hospital in Gurgaon for not furnishing her Aadhaar card.

UIDAI has taken a serious note of some of the cases reported in media recently in which it is claimed that the want of Aadhaar has resulted in the denial of essential services like hospitalisation or medical help by some lower level staffs causing grave inconvenience to people. While real facts behind such claims of denial are being investigated by the concerned agencies and strict action will be taken in case denial has occurred.&nbsp;

UIDAI said in a statement here today that the Government is sensitive to the fact that NO emergency services such as hospitalisation, etc., be denied for the want of any document whatsoever including Aadhaar. Aadhaar is meant to bring transparency and accountability in public service deliveries through effective use of technology and it should not be misused and made an excuse to any denial in the services.

The Cabinet Secretariat has issued instructions&nbsp;dated 19th December&nbsp;2017 to ensure that bonafide beneficiaries are not deprived of their due benefits as alternative provisions have been made in the Aadhaar Act, 2016.

Recent cases of denial of services like hospitalisation by the medical staff due to the lack of Aadhaar card has become a major concern for the UIDAI department.

UIDAI further explained that there are detailed guidelines issued for exception handling mechanism for extending benefits to beneficiaries who do not possess Aadhaar or in cases where Aadhaar authentication is not successful due to any reason. UIDAI is again writing a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all the States/UTs to ensure that Section 7 of Aadhaar Act, 2016 is implemented in its true letter and spirit for all the schemes at the ground level in service deliveries to beneficiaries so that no denial happens due to want of Aadhaar.

&quot;Aadhaar enables people to establish their identity so that they receive their entitlements and exercise their rights without any fear of being excluded.&nbsp;However, there have been some media reports that some service providers are denying essential and other services for want of Aadhaar. Such violations are punishable under respective laws of the land. Under no circumstance, anyone can be denied a service just because he/she doesn&#39;t have an Aadhaar,&quot; the statement said.&nbsp;

If one does not have Aadhaar or if Aadhaar online verification is not successful due to some reason, the agency or department has to provide the service using alternate means of identification and recording them in exception registers, which should be audited periodically by the higher authorities&nbsp;

&quot;If any official of a department denies a service for the lack of Aadhaar or lack of successful verification due to technical or any such reasons, a complaint should be lodged with the higher authorities of those departments for such unlawful denials,&quot; it added.&nbsp;

On Friday, an incident was reported from Gurgaon&rsquo;s Civil Hospital where a pregnant woman was denied admission and she gave birth outside the doors of the hospital. The Hospital has suspended a doctor and a nurse for the alleged lapse and ordered an enquiry into the incident.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The UIDAI statement asked government departments/ministries and State/UT governments to ensure that no essential service or benefit shall be denied to a genuine beneficiary for the want of Aadhaar card

Aadhaar-issuing authority UIDAI on Saturday clarified that no essential service or benefit like medical facility, hospitalisation, school admission or ration through PDS can be denied for the want of the biometric national ID. Significantly, the latest development comes a day after a pregnant woman was denied admission in a hospital in Gurgaon for not furnishing her Aadhaar card. UIDAI has taken a serious note of some of the cases reported in media recently in which it is claimed that the want of Aadhaar has resulted in the denial of essential services like hospitalisation or medical help by some lower level staffs causing grave inconvenience to people. While real facts behind such claims of denial are being investigated by the concerned agencies and strict action will be taken in case denial has occurred. UIDAI said in a statement here today that the Government is sensitive to the fact that NO emergency services such as hospitalisation, etc., be denied for the want of any document whatsoever including Aadhaar. Aadhaar is meant to bring transparency and accountability in public service deliveries through effective use of technology and it should not be misused and made an excuse to any denial in the services. The Cabinet Secretariat has issued instructions dated 19th December 2017 to ensure that bonafide beneficiaries are not deprived of their due benefits as alternative provisions have been made in the Aadhaar Act, 2016. Recent cases of denial of services like hospitalisation by the medical staff due to the lack of Aadhaar card has become a major concern for the UIDAI department. UIDAI further explained that there are detailed guidelines issued for exception handling mechanism for extending benefits to beneficiaries who do not possess Aadhaar or in cases where Aadhaar authentication is not successful due to any reason. UIDAI is again writing a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all the States/UTs to ensure that Section 7 of Aadhaar Act, 2016 is implemented in its true letter and spirit for all the schemes at the ground level in service deliveries to beneficiaries so that no denial happens due to want of Aadhaar. "Aadhaar enables people to establish their identity so that they receive their entitlements and exercise their rights without any fear of being excluded. However, there have been some media reports that some service providers are denying essential and other services for want of Aadhaar. Such violations are punishable under respective laws of the land. Under no circumstance, anyone can be denied a service just because he/she doesn't have an Aadhaar," the statement said. If one does not have Aadhaar or if Aadhaar online verification is not successful due to some reason, the agency or department has to provide the service using alternate means of identification and recording them in exception registers, which should be audited periodically by the higher authorities "If any official of a department denies a service for the lack of Aadhaar or lack of successful verification due to technical or any such reasons, a complaint should be lodged with the higher authorities of those departments for such unlawful denials," it added. On Friday, an incident was reported from Gurgaon’s Civil Hospital where a pregnant woman was denied admission and she gave birth outside the doors of the hospital. The Hospital has suspended a doctor and a nurse for the alleged lapse and ordered an enquiry into the incident.

No essential service can be denied for want of Aadhaar: UIDAI

Iran&#39;s new communications minister said&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;that negotiations were underway <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspended-377000-accounts-last-year-for-trying-to-promote-extremism-13642">with microblogging site Twitter to unblock the service</a>, which has been banned for years despite being used even by the country&#39;s supreme leader.

&quot;(Twitter) has announced that it is prepared to negotiate to resolve problems,&quot; Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi told the Iran daily newspaper.

&quot;Considering the current situation there are grounds for such negotiation and interaction. Twitter is not an immoral environment needing to be blocked,&quot; he added.

The 36-year-old Jahromi became Iran&#39;s youngest-ever minister this week, and the first to be born after the 1979 Islamic revolution.

His selection has been criticised by rights groups over his involvement in surveillance during and after the mass anti-regime protests of 2009.

But Jahromi is also seen as a critic of online censorship in Iran, where sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter remain banned even if millions use them daily through easily available privacy software.

There was no immediate response from Twitter to his comments.

He said officials were also looking at ways to unblock YouTube while still censoring &quot;immoral content&quot; on the site, and that a pilot project was being run, allowing universities to access the site.

Jahromi added that the final decision on unblocking Twitter did not lie with his ministry, but with the Supreme Council for Cyberspace, which includes members of the hardline judiciary.

Twitter was banned at the time of mass anti-regime protests in 2009, that followed allegations of massive rigging in the re-election of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

But despite the ban, the US messaging service is widely used by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has official accounts in several languages, as well as President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Even Ahmadinejad joined the service this year.

Separately, Jahromi rejected allegations he was involved in interrogations during the 2009 protests.

&quot;I wasn&#39;t responsible for surveillance, I was in charge of the technical infrastructure for the surveillance industry, and I consider it an honour,&quot; he said in a meeting with lawmakers this week, according to the Shahrvand newspaper.

Iran's new communications minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi said

Iran's new communications minister said Tuesday that negotiations were underway with microblogging site Twitter to unblock the service, which has been banned for years despite being used even by the country's supreme leader. "(Twitter) has announced that it is prepared to negotiate to resolve problems," Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi told the Iran daily newspaper. "Considering the current situation there are grounds for such negotiation and interaction. Twitter is not an immoral environment needing to be blocked," he added. The 36-year-old Jahromi became Iran's youngest-ever minister this week, and the first to be born after the 1979 Islamic revolution. His selection has been criticised by rights groups over his involvement in surveillance during and after the mass anti-regime protests of 2009. But Jahromi is also seen as a critic of online censorship in Iran, where sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter remain banned even if millions use them daily through easily available privacy software. There was no immediate response from Twitter to his comments. He said officials were also looking at ways to unblock YouTube while still censoring "immoral content" on the site, and that a pilot project was being run, allowing universities to access the site. Jahromi added that the final decision on unblocking Twitter did not lie with his ministry, but with the Supreme Council for Cyberspace, which includes members of the hardline judiciary. Twitter was banned at the time of mass anti-regime protests in 2009, that followed allegations of massive rigging in the re-election of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But despite the ban, the US messaging service is widely used by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has official accounts in several languages, as well as President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Even Ahmadinejad joined the service this year. Separately, Jahromi rejected allegations he was involved in interrogations during the 2009 protests. "I wasn't responsible for surveillance, I was in charge of the technical infrastructure for the surveillance industry, and I consider it an honour," he said in a meeting with lawmakers this week, according to the Shahrvand newspaper.

Twitter is not an immoral environment needing to be blocked, says Iran's communications minister

Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group Holding Ltd&#39;s affiliate Ant Financial has bought a fifth of financial data provider Shanghai Suntime Information Technology for around $35 million, a source with direct knowledge of the deal said. 
 
&quot;The acquisition will provide Ant Financial with good financial products so that it can attract more clients,&quot; the source told Reuters on Friday. 
 
Ant Financial Services Group, valued at close to $60 billion, offers services like online payment, wealth management products and insurance. Its core Alipay online payment business was founded in 2004. 
 
The Alibaba affiliate closed a $4.5 billion funding round in April. 
 
Ant Financial and Shanghai Suntime, which was founded in 2003, were not immediately available for comment on Friday, a public holiday in China. The source was not authorized to speak to media and therefore declined to be identified.

Ant Financial Services Group, valued at close to $60 billion, offers services like online payment, wealth management products and insurance

Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's affiliate Ant Financial has bought a fifth of financial data provider Shanghai Suntime Information Technology for around $35 million, a source with direct knowledge of the deal said. "The acquisition will provide Ant Financial with good financial products so that it can attract more clients," the source told Reuters on Friday. Ant Financial Services Group, valued at close to $60 billion, offers services like online payment, wealth management products and insurance. Its core Alipay online payment business was founded in 2004. The Alibaba affiliate closed a $4.5 billion funding round in April. Ant Financial and Shanghai Suntime, which was founded in 2003, were not immediately available for comment on Friday, a public holiday in China. The source was not authorized to speak to media and therefore declined to be identified.

Alibaba's Ant Financial buys 20 percent of data firm for $35 million - source

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