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Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Mumbai Weather & Rains Live: Red alert for parts of Maharashtra; 13 killed in last 3-4 days, says minister

Mumbai weather today, Mumbai rains live news updates: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a ‘red’ alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds and appealed to people to avoid unnecessary travel. The MeT office upgraded the warning from ‘orange’ to ‘red’ alert in the morning after observing changes in weather conditions. It also predicted occasional strong winds gusting up to 70-80 kmph over the region. The neighbouring Palghar district has been placed under an ‘orange’ alert, with a forecast of heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and occasional strong winds of 70-80 kmph. Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan said Mumbai and neighbouring Palghar and Raigad districts have witnessed a record-breaking rainfall, and 13 persons were killed in rain-related incidents in the last three to four days. The rains have also caused widespread waterlogging, rail and road traffic disruption and the uprooting of hundreds of trees. Five flights headed to Mumbai were diverted due to heavy rain and bad weather as relentless rainfall continued to disrupt airport operations and normal life. Heavy rain disrupts Western Railway services, stranding over 20 long-distance trains and affecting 40+ train operations in Mumbai. Heavy rains in Chhattisgarh cause river flooding and disrupt life; IMD warns of continued extreme rainfall. Heavy rain and severe waterlogging paralysed Western Railway operations on Monday, leaving more than 20 long-distance trains stranded across various stations in Mumbai and south Gujarat, as tracks remained submerged. As more than 40 train services were affected by cancellations, diversions, and delays, railway authorities scrambled to assist stranded passengers and worked to restore connectivity on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad trunk route. According to Western Railway officials, train services were severely hampered by waterlogging, particularly between the Vasai Road-Virar and Saphale-Palghar sections. As of 1.50 pm, at least 22 long-distance trains were being regulated at various stations, including Virar, Vangaon, Palghar, Dahanu Road, and Valsad, they said.

Mumbai Weather & Rains Live: Red alert for parts of Maharashtra; 13 killed in last 3-4 days, says minister
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

WhatsApp gets more time to respond to Centre over username feature

Meta-owned WhatsApp has been given three more days to respond to the Centre’s notice over its proposed username feature and has assured the government that it will not roll out the feature in India until consultations are completed. | Photo Credit: Dado Ruvic Meta-owned WhatsApp has been granted more time to submit its response on the contentious ‘username’ feature and assured the government that it will not roll it out in India until discussions are complete, according to sources. The popular messaging platform has been given three more days to file its reply to the government notice on the controversial feature as it sought more time to submit its response, sources told PTI. The username feature essentially allows people on the messaging platform to communicate without sharing their phone numbers. Last Wednesday, the Centre issued a notice to Meta questioning the planned username feature on WhatsApp, flagging concerns that it could materially increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks. It directed the platform to pause the feature until consultations on the issue are completed “to the satisfaction of the Government”. Sources said WhatsApp has been given three more days to submit its reply to the IT Ministry. The original deadline for submission was Friday. According to sources, the platform has also assured the government that it will not roll out the feature till the discussions are complete. A team from Meta met officials in the IT Ministry last Friday, following the notice summoning them. In the notice, the Centre had asked Meta to explain why action shouldn’t be initiated under the IT Act and rules over WhatsApp’s new feature that may increase cybercrimes. The government also reminded Meta that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is bound by due diligence obligations under the IT Act and rules. A WhatsApp spokesperson, last week, said that the ability to use a username is not yet live and will roll out slowly later this year.

WhatsApp gets more time to respond to Centre over username feature
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Vayona Energy begins blade manufacturing operations at its Nellore facility in AP

Vayona Energy commenced blade manufacturing operations at its Nellore facility in Andhra Pradesh. The company is also set to scale-up manufacturing capacity and enhance operational capabilities at the blade facility to support future growth. The Nellore facility is poised to become a key manufacturing hub, supporting Vayona’s growth ambitions, advancing its technology roadmap, and reinforcing its commitment to the ‘Make in India’ mission. “The expansion of the Nellore facility strengthens our manufacturing footprint and demonstrates our long-term commitment to building world-class, locally integrated capabilities in India,’’ Prashant Jain, Executive Vice Chairman, Vayona Energy said in a release on Monday. Pritesh Vinay, Chief Executive Officer, Vayona Energy said: “The Nellore blade plant, together with our Mamandur nacelle facility, is a decisive step in building a fully integrated world class manufacturing base in India, for current as well as next generation of products.’’ Vayona’s manufacturing footprint in India will enable the company to accelerate delivery timelines, strengthen supply chain resilience, and support India’s transition towards sustainable energy solutions, the release added. The upgraded facility will produce blades for Vayona’s 3X platform and future-generation products. Investments will be phased through 2027, covering molds and supporting infrastructure required for blade manufacturing. The plant is expected to create around 1,500 jobs, supporting local economic growth and reinforcing the regional manufacturing ecosystem. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

Vayona Energy begins blade manufacturing operations at its Nellore facility in AP
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Heavy rain disrupts Mumbai flights; five arrivals diverted to other airports

Five flights arriving at Mumbai airport were diverted to other facilities till 3:30pm on Monday due to bad weather in the metropolis, officials said.In a statement, the Mumbai International Airport said IndiGo flights 6E 595 (Raipur - Mumbai) and 6E 1340 (Singapore - Mumbai) were diverted to Hyderabad, while Akasa Air QP 1110 (Delhi - Mumbai) was diverted to Ahmedabad. Air India's AI 2772 ( Kolkata - Mumbai) and Oman Air's WY 203 (Muscat - Mumbai) were diverted to Bengaluru and Vadodara airports, respectively, the private airport operator said in the statement.Mumbai and its adjoining areas have been witnessing very heavy rains since the past few days, throwing normal life out of gear. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

Heavy rain disrupts Mumbai flights; five arrivals diverted to other airports
Europe
BBC Business

Wegovy weight loss pill now available in UK - here's what you need to know

The once-a-day Wegovy weight loss pill is now available to buy privately from High Street and online pharmacies in the UK - but is not yet on the NHS. It contains the same ingredient - semaglutide - as the Wegovy weight loss injections but is still advised to be used alongside a healthy diet and increased physical activity. Aside from the obvious that one is in pill form and one is an injectable, both treatments work well and trials show they are similarly effective. But if you don't like the idea of using something daily or it doesn't suit your lifestyle to fast (not eat) eight hours before taking a pill each day, the injection may be more convenient. You can take the once-weekly jab any time of the day but it does need to be stored in the fridge. It's available to people with a BMI of 30 and above (generally considered obese) or a BMI of 27-30 (overweight) if they also have certain weight-related health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. And like the jab, a consultation - either online or face-to-face - is needed to make sure the pill is right for you. A number of online and high street pharmacies say they will have stocks soon to send out. Image source, Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesThe semaglutide in the jab and pill mimics the actions of a hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like-peptide-1), which is released from the intestine after people eat. It acts on receptors in the brain that control appetite, making people feel fuller, less hungry and crave food less. Very common side effects with both include stomach problems, like feeling sick, being sick (vomiting), constipation and diarrhoea. With the jab, you may get little bit of skin redness, itching or mild swelling where you inject.

Wegovy weight loss pill now available in UK - here's what you need to know
Europe
The Guardian

EasyJet suggests it will agree to £5.5bn takeover by US investment firm

EasyJet had rejected several takeover offers from Castlelake. Photograph: Lisi Niesner/ReutersView image in fullscreenEasyJet had rejected several takeover offers from Castlelake. Photograph: Lisi Niesner/ReuterseasyJetEasyJet suggests it will agree to £5.5bn takeover by US investment firmAgreement in principle with Castlelake follows several rejected offers and means UK’s biggest low-cost carrier will be taken private The airline easyJet has said it intends to accept a £5.5bn takeover offer by the US investment firm Castlelake that would take Britain’s biggest low-cost carrier private. The companies announced an agreement in principle on Sunday evening in a statement, and requested an extension to a deadline to complete the deal formally. The agreement came after weeks of negotiations and several rejected offers. The airline, a member of Britain’s FTSE 250 index of mid-sized companies, said it was minded to accept an offer at £6.90 a share. If the deal completes, it could be worth nearly £800m for easyJet’s founder, Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who still owns more than 15% of the company along with his family. EasyJet had rejected an offer of £6.50 a share 10 days earlier, saying it substantially undervalued the business. The first bid was worth £5.60 a share. The company’s shares were priced at £5.58 when stock markets closed on Friday, giving it a market value of £4.2bn. The last time easyJet’s shares traded above £6.90 was in early 2022, during the coronavirus pandemic, however some easyJet shareholders had told its chair, the former Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Stephen Hester, to push for a price above £7. EasyJet had been deemed vulnerable to a takeover this year because of two profit warnings in the spring, and a difficult macroeconomic backdrop resulting from the fuel price surge caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran. The airline’s chief executive, Kenton Jarvis, in March reported falling bookings because of the war. It also faces stiff competition from the likes of the Irish carrier Ryanair, the biggest airline in Europe, Hungary’s Wizz Air and smaller British rival Jet2, which all operate in the low-cost market. Castlelake, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a US private equity investor founded by the American banker Rory O’Neill. The company specialises in asset-based lending, including leasing planes to airlines. Some analysts have suggested that easyJet’s fleet could work with its leasing business, as well as potentially spinning off easyJet’s holidays arm. Castlelake has also previously had an interest in Scandinavian airline SAS. It is in the process of selling that stake, which it obtained via a debt restructuring, to Europe’s Air France-KLM. EasyJet, headquartered at Luton airport north of London, operates from 164 airports in 38 countries, employing 19,000 people. The companies did not say what plans Castlelake had for its workers.

EasyJet suggests it will agree to £5.5bn takeover by US investment firm
Asia-Pacific
The Straits Times

Singapore retail sales grow for fourth straight month but at slower pace

The estimated total retail sales value in Singapore in May stood at $4.5 billion. SINGAPORE – Consumers continued to spend more in May than they did a year earlier, extending retail sales growth to a fourth straight month, although the pace of growth slowed from April and spending weakened from the previous month. Retail sales rose 3 per cent year on year to an estimated $4.5 billion in May, down from the 5.4 per cent growth recorded in April, according to data released by the Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat) on July 6. The slower pace of growth comes after retail sales accelerated in April, although consumer spending remained supported by Singapore’s resilient labour market, DBS Bank senior economist Chua Han Teng told The Straits Times. “Still-resilient and healthy labour market conditions, as reflected in low unemployment and continued household income growth, supported retail sales despite uncertainty stemming from the Middle East conflict during the second quarter,” he said. Excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories, retail sales grew 3.7 per cent year on year, moderating from the 4.5 per cent increase recorded in April. On a month-on-month basis, retail sales in May were weaker than in April, falling 2.3 per cent after accounting for seasonal factors. Excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories, May sales declined 1.8 per cent from April. Online transactions accounted for 15.1 per cent of total retail sales, up from 14.7 per cent in April. Most retail industries posted year-on-year growth, led by recreational goods, where sales jumped 23.6 per cent. Watch and jewellery sales rose 11.7 per cent, while petrol service stations recorded a 9.5 per cent increase, mainly because of higher petrol prices. Chua said that stronger sales of recreational goods as well as watches and jewellery reflected resilient consumer spending despite broader economic uncertainty during the second quarter. The increase at petrol service stations marked the third consecutive month of growth, although he expects the pace to moderate as oil prices ease following the cooling of US-Iran tensions since mid-June. “Growth should moderate as petrol prices ease following the de-escalation of US-Iran tensions since mid-June,” he said.

Singapore retail sales grow for fourth straight month but at slower pace
Asia-Pacific
The Straits Times

No more US Fed hints: How Warsh could change the way Singapore analysts read markets

Under the leadership of new Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh, the US central bank aims to adopt a less predictable communication style, making it harder for Wall Street to guess future interest rate moves. SINGAPORE – Since the US Federal Reserve shifted to a less transparent policy approach, CMC Markets sales trader Eugene Koh has been paying much closer attention to key macroeconomic indicators, such as non-farm payrolls and inflation, to gauge the direction of monetary policy. “These indicators provide valuable insight into how the Fed may approach monetary policy going forward,” said Koh. One interesting change following the Fed shift is that market reactions have become much more nuanced, he added. For example, a weaker-than-expected non-farm payrolls report – a key measure of US employment growth – would traditionally be viewed as bearish, as it signals a slowing economy. However, in the current environment, traders also consider whether softer economic data could increase the likelihood of future rate cuts, which can support equities and other risk assets, he noted. “As a result, the key question is no longer just whether the data is good or bad, but what it means for the Fed’s next move.” Koh’s comments come after new Fed chairman Kevin Warsh abolished forward guidance. Under his leadership, the US central bank aims to adopt a less predictable communication style, making it harder for Wall Street to guess future interest rate moves. The Fed kept interest rates steady at 3.5 per cent to 3.75 per cent during Warsh’s first policy meeting in June, driven by persistent inflation. Before Warsh assumed the role, the Fed practised “forward guidance”. This meant it communicated its expectations for the economy and the likely path of interest rates. Warsh, however, argues that this excessive communication creates an environment where the market expects too much from the Fed and can lead investors to treat its projections as firm commitments rather than conditional guidance. “Clients are increasingly seeking guidance on how economic releases and Fed expectations could affect their portfolios, so staying on top of these developments helps me better translate market moves into client takeaways, and makes it an even more important part of my day-to-day workflow,” he said. Analysts said the absence of forward guidance will likely put significant additional weight on key economic data in shaping market expectations of Fed policy, especially inflation data.

No more US Fed hints: How Warsh could change the way Singapore analysts read markets
Europe
BBC Business

EasyJet reaches 'agreement in principle' over potential takeover

Image source, Getty ImagesByJemma Crew, Business reporter and Marc Ashdown, Business correspondentPublished5 July 2026EasyJet has reached an agreement in principle with a US investment firm over a potential takeover offer worth around £5.2 billion. The low-cost Luton-based airline had previously rejected four takeover offers from Castlelake, which owns a stake of about 2.14% in EasyJet through the funds it manages. It said those offers had been worth £6.50, £5.60, £6 and £6.25 a share, and has previously accused Castlelake of trying to buy it "on the cheap". On Sunday EasyJet's board of directors and Castlelake said they had reached an agreement in principle on a proposal put forward on 4 July, worth £6.90 per share. This does not mean a deal has been confirmed. Castlelake now needs to get regulatory clearances and the approvals required for the transaction to go ahead. One significant regulatory hurdle is that EasyJet is a European company, so by EU rules it needs to be 51% owned by a European company. Castlelake is a US firm, although it has previously outlined how it would endeavour to comply with this rule. It has until 17:00 BST on 3 August to either announce a firm intention to make an offer or say it does not intend to do so. EasyJet's board on Sunday said the financial terms of the proposed offer "are at a value that the Board would be minded to recommend to easyJet shareholders", should a firm offer be made. EasyJet is one of Europe's largest airlines. It employs more than 19,000 people, and flies around 1,200 routes across 35 European countries. It has previously said its share price had been "temporarily depressed" - partly due to the impact of the US-Israel war with Iran on the travel sector. EasyJet shares closed on Friday at £5.58 each. Before news of the first bid emerged in June, EasyJet's stock had fallen by more than 30% in the past year.

EasyJet reaches 'agreement in principle' over potential takeover