Amazon, not the first, nor the last to attempt disruption. 5 diagnostics stocks: From downside forecast, to upside as high as 67%
Just a couple of weeks back, there were headlines about rising Covid cases in Southeast Asian countries. And alarm bells started ringing in India. Almost in step with this development, a domestic diagnostic stock again came into the limelight, with some reports mentioning how the company is getting ready for another surge in Covid. Fortunately, there was no surge of cases in India. And there certainly was no panic. So, it is probably good that
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Hindustan Times
13 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
378 healthcare professionals to be deployed for Puri Rath Yatra: Minister
Bhubaneswar, In preparation for the upcoming Rath Yatra, the Odisha government has announced a series of health measures, including the deployment of 378 healthcare professionals and 265 hospital beds to ensure public safety during the annual religious event in Puri. 378 healthcare professionals to be deployed for Puri Rath Yatra: Minister Talking to reporters, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said elaborate arrangements have been made to handle medical emergencies during the festival, which draws lakhs of devotees each year. Mahaling added that in addition to 378 doctors and para-medical staff, 69 first-aid centres and 74 ambulances will be kept ready for any emergencies. Given the recent outbreak of diarrhoea, the government has taken precautions to ensure the availability of safe drinking water and prevent the sale of stale food in the town. The additional 265 hospital beds include 15 ICU beds and 100 beds at the ANM Training Centre, while the Puri District Headquarters Hospital has reserved 68 beds, including general, burn, and ICU facilities. "I hope that the Rath Yatra will be conducted smoothly with the blessings of Lord Jagannath," the minister said. The District Headquarters Hospital has reserved 68 beds, including 50 general beds, 8 burn ward beds, and 10 ICU beds, an official statement of health department said. Additionally, 200 units of blood have been reserved while two minor operation theatres along with specialised dressing rooms have been set up to handle any medical emergencies, it said. For the first time, a team of doctors from AIIMS Bhubaneswar will be stationed at medical centres in Puri to provide additional support. Similarly, a specialised 10-bed air-conditioned heat stroke centre has been established at Talabania to address weather-related health issues. "Rigorous health monitoring and disease prevention measures are in place to maintain public health standards throughout the Ratha Yatra period," the statement further said. To curb outbreak of any water or food-borne disease, a total of eight food safety officers have been assigned. All 108 emergency ambulances will remain on high alert and operate along designated corridors with the support of NGO volunteers. To prevent disease outbreaks, eight food safety officers and three mobile surveillance teams have been deployed. So far, 494 kg of unhygienic food has been destroyed after 249 inspections of food establishments. The administration has also collected 84 food samples, 22 water samples, and conducted 10 stool culture tests and 82 water analyses. An extensive information, education, and communication campaign will be undertaken to promote public health awareness covering food safety, safe drinking water practices, hand washing and hygiene protocols, ORS usage, health programs, COVID-19 prevention measures, and Ayushman Bharat Program awareness, the statement said. A dedicated Ratha Yatra control room will operate round-the-clock throughout the festival period to coordinate all health-related activities and respond to emergencies. The control room can be reached at mobile number 91 6370560247 and landline number 06752-222175 for any medical assistance or information. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Bike-rental services see renewed interest in Bengaluru after bike-taxi ban
Following the recent ban on bike-taxi services in Bengaluru, many city commuters have turned their attention towards bike-rental services, hoping they will help address the persistent issue of last and first-mile connectivity. The bike-taxi services, which once provided a cheap and convenient mode of travel to and from metro and bus stations, had gained popularity for precisely these reasons. With their exit, however, the demand for alternatives has sharply risen, pushing commuters to explore self-driven rental bikes as a solution. 'Bike taxis were affordable and easy to book. Now, I walk at least 1.5 km to the metro station every day. If I can rent a bike for an hour or two, it will solve my problem,' said Murali S., a regular commuter from Rajajinagar. For another commuter, Sahana M., who travels between her home in Jayanagar and workplace in Whitefield, the absence of last-mile options has added stress. 'I used to rely on bike taxis after getting off the metro. Now, I sometimes wait 20 minutes for an auto. If rentals become affordable and easily accessible, I will definitely use them. Earlier when I was in college I used to regularly use the bike rentals, even EV bikes were available,' she said. The bike rental sector, which had seen a major decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now witnessing a cautious revival. Rental companies say the market is slowly warming up, especially among users seeking short-term mobility solutions. Yulu, a Bengaluru-based company offering electric vehicle (EV) rentals, is already observing increased traction. The firm caters to two segments-individual mobility for leisure and commute, and goods mobility for delivery services. Speaking to The Hindu, a Yulu spokesperson said, 'On the individual mobility side, there is strong demand for our services, and Yulu's constant endeavour is to put more vehicles on the road to match that demand.' Bounce Infinity, another prominent player in the space, also confirms a growing interest, albeit with a different focus for now. In an email interaction with The Hindu, Vivekananda Hallekere, CEO and Co-founder of Bounce Infinity, said, 'There is a strong need for mobility solutions that are both affordable and safe. Even when bike taxis were operational, they weren't sufficient. Currently, our rentals primarily cater to business to business use cases and customers opting for long-term rentals, such as weekly or monthly plans. For typical bike taxi use cases, our solutions would have been ride-sharing, which we are not currently operating.' While Bounce Infinity is presently targeting gig workers involved in delivery and quick commerce, the company isn't ruling out consumer-facing mobility in the near future. 'For first and last-mile connectivity, we will think and reintroduce suitable solutions at the right time. In the past, around 40% of our rentals began or ended at metro stations, clearly showing how the service was used alongside public transport,' Mr. Hallekere said. He also emphasised the need for a broader ecosystem of mobility solutions in Indian cities. 'Mobility is a complex challenge and no single solution can solve it all. For cities to thrive, we need a mix of shared mobility, walkable infrastructure, and strong public transport. Shared mobility, whether it's scooters, bike taxis, carpools, or shared autos, needs to be encouraged, especially to bridge the first and last-mile gap and make public transport more usable,' he said.
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Vatican-backed report seeks financial reform to avert decades of lost development
The environment for this jubilee-year campaign could hardly be more different from the last – 25 years ago – that yielded billions in historic debt forgiveness. The Jubilee Commission report is published ahead of the once-a-decade United Nations Financing for Development Conference that takes place in Seville, Spain, later in June. By Libby George LONDON(Reuters) -A commission launched by the late Pope Francis has outlined financial reforms it says could help to avert decades of lost development in poor countries that face onerous repayments as global public debts reach record levels. Mariana Mazzucato, a University College London professor and member of the commission, said today's debt crisis was symptomatic of 'a broken investment model'. 'The solution has to be public investment strategies that build productive capacity, domestic value added and sustainable fiscal space,' she said. The report recommends measures including more debt suspension initiatives and steps to ensure money from institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, does not end up flowing from countries to private creditors. It also urges legal changes in London and New York – the jurisdictions for most bond contracts – to disincentivise creditors from refusing to take part during debt restructurings. After the debt forgiveness that followed the previous jubilee campaign, many developing countries, freed of their existing debt, turned to more expensive private lending, and China's lending ballooned. As a result, countries including Sri Lanka, Zambia and Ghana slid into default. A wave of sovereign defaults unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic – and exacerbated by the pressure of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a global rate-hiking cycle that boosted borrowing costs – largely crested last year. But the commission said dozens of countries are still squeezing spending to repay debt – with long-term implications for development and social cohesion. Average interest costs for developing countries as a share of tax revenues has almost doubled since 2014, while 3.3 billion people – and more than half of Africans – live in countries that spend more on debt service than health. The system, the commission's leaders said, traps countries in a cycle in which private lenders send cash when times are good – but quickly shut off access when global risk re-emerges. When lenders of last resort, such as the IMF, send money, the commission said that money often goes towards repaying creditors to avoid default. Martin Guzman, commission co-chair and Argentina's ex-Economy minister, said that created a problem for both creditors and debtors. 'They don't come to the table with the right conditions for engaging timely and sustainable restructurings, and that aggravates the development crisis,' he said. (Reporting By Libby George; editing by Barbara Lewis) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
