What it is, benefits, how to eat it

What it is, benefits, how to eat it

 

Mangosteen is a compact purple fruit that grows in Southeast Asia. In latest decades, news stories and net influencers have claimed the fruit has a variety of health and fitness positive aspects. It now has a name as a “superfood.”

This short article will define what a mangosteen is, seem at the science guiding the overall health profit statements, and reveal how to try to eat mangosteen, Alternative Medicine.

 

Mangosteen is a small, purple fruit from Southeast Asia. It has a tough outer skin and sweet, white, juicy flesh. People have explained its flavor as a mix of lychee, peach, strawberry, and pineapple.

Farmers are likely to improve mangosteen in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Thailand. In these countries, persons consume it as:

  • fruit
  • juice
  • common medication

Fresh new mangosteen is hard to obtain in the United States for two good reasons.

To start with, mangosteen trees will need a totally tropical weather and a lot of time to expand. Little farms in Hawaii and Puerto Rico, started in the 1990s, are only now starting up to bear fruit.

Next, refreshing mangosteen can harbor quarantine pests or non-U.S. native bugs that could threaten the ecosystem. It indicates mangosteen importers should sterilize the fruit prior to it enters the country. This occasionally has an effect on the excellent, flavor, or shelf lifetime.

 

 

Mangosteen has lots of gains. It incorporates a selection of compounds and substances that are good for human health and fitness.

The positive aspects of mangosteen involve:

Highly wholesome

In accordance to the U.S. Section of Agriculture, all fruits present vitamins and minerals that are crucial for fantastic health and fitness.

Just one cup of drained, canned mangosteen incorporates:

Most fruits, like mangosteen, are small in body fat, sodium, and calories, assisting men and women retain a average body weight. They are also cost-free from cholesterol, which can lead to chronic circumstances such as heart ailment and sort 2 diabetes.

Fruit is also a very good source of vitamins and minerals that people in the U.S. usually absence, these as:

  • potassium, a mineral essential to enable preserve healthful blood strain
  • dietary fiber, which helps people manage a healthier gut
  • vitamin C, which helps the overall body to heal cuts and wounds and to maintain tooth and gums healthful

Is made up of antioxidants

Anti-oxidants fight no cost radicals or harmful substances that can develop up inside the human body. Cost-free radicals can lead to wellness troubles together with:

Scientific studies have advised that mangosteen includes anti-oxidants. A person research from 2015 asked 30 persons to consume a mangosteen-based beverage each working day for 30 times. Scientists compared their blood to that of 30 men and women who experienced consumed a non-mangosteen-primarily based consume or placebo.

At the conclusion of the 30 times, the mangosteen group experienced 15{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} far more anti-oxidants in their bloodstream than the placebo team.

Anti-inflammatory

Swelling is a ordinary element of the immune technique. It is the body’s way of eradicating overseas substances, like germs, viruses, or chemical compounds.

Occasionally, irritation transpires unnecessarily. Other occasions, it carries on immediately after the human body has eliminated the menace. Physicians get in touch with this persistent inflammation. It can add to well being issues which includes:

In the 2015 examine outlined earlier mentioned, researchers located that mangosteen may also act as an anti-inflammatory. They concluded this by measuring the C-reactive protein, a compound that indicators swelling amounts. Above the 30 days of the study, ranges of this protein in the mangosteen group minimized by an ordinary of 46{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

Medicinal properties

Some medications contain mangosteen as an ingredient, which includes:

 

It is crucial to note that scientific studies on the health and fitness advantages of mangosteen have been smaller so far. Researchers need to have a lot more analysis just before they can be absolutely sure.

The National Library of Medication claims that there is not sufficient proof to say that mangosteen can enable with:

It also advises from making use of mangosteen medicines in the next situations:

  • when pregnant or breastfeeding, as there is not sufficient proof to say it is secure
  • if the particular person has a bleeding problem, as mangosteen may perhaps slow blood clotting
  • for two months in advance of surgical procedures, as it may perhaps enhance the possibility of bleeding through or soon after an procedure

Mangosteen and other organic supplements could also interact with some medicines, this sort of as liraglutide (Saxenda).

 

 

Individuals can peel the outer pores and skin of the mangosteen and eat the wedges of fruit within raw.

On the other hand, fresh new mangosteen is tough to find in the U.S. A lot of mangosteen-based merchandise, including supplements and juices, are available for people today who would like to achieve the wellness gains of mangosteen but have difficulty discovering fresh new fruit.

Things to bear in head with these products and solutions include things like the subsequent:

  • Some mangosteen juices consist of only small amounts of fruit.
  • Fruit juices do not include the exact same dietary fiber as contemporary fruits.
  • Mangosteen may possibly drop some of the substances that give it opportunity wellness rewards when makers make the fruit into juices or dietary supplements.

 

Mangosteen is a modest purple fruit that grows in Southeast Asia. It is difficult to grow and import into the U.S.

Research have prompt that the fruit has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. Nonetheless, there is not but more than enough proof to conclusively prove this.

Some medications include things like mangosteen as an component. These contain medicine for being overweight and gum disease. People today who are pregnant, nursing, have a blood disorder, or are about to have an procedure ought to keep away from mangosteen-based medicines.

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Top Stock Market News For Today December 17

Stock Market Futures Extend Losses As Central Bank Tightens Monetary Policies

Stock market futures appear to be dipping further after yesterday’s sell-off of growth names. The current activity is likely a continuation of investors’ reaction to the Fed’s policy announcement this week. In brief, the Federal Reserve is pulling back on its pandemic-era easy-money policies. This involves tapering its bond purchasing program and a possible interest rate hike down the line. As a result, investors appear to be rotating out of high-growth names. Among the main sectors affected by this would be tech stocks. This is evident as the tech-heavy Nasdaq was down by as much as 2.5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} during intraday trading yesterday.

Weighing in on all of this is FS Investments chief market strategist Troy Gayeski. He said, “The thing investors have to understand is, we’re going through a major transition in monetary policy”. Gayeski went on to elaborate, “The Fed has been running emergency policies arguably far longer than they should have been, and as that money supply growth slows down as they ease off the balance sheet expansion and ultimately hike next year, one would at least expect more volatility in markets. And that’s really what we’ve been seeing the last month.

If all that wasn’t enough, investors have no shortage of exciting stock market news to consider today as well. As of 7:38 a.m. ET, the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures are trading lower by 0.25{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, 0.47{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, and 0.94{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} respectively.

Rivian Shares Fall On Wide Earnings Miss

Among the companies turning heads at the tail-end of this earnings season is electric vehicle (EV) industry newcomer Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN). This would be the case given the company’s explosive initial public offering (IPO) back in early November. However, the company’s first quarterly earnings since going public fell short on several fronts.

RIVN stock

Namely, Rivian posted a loss per share of $12.21 on revenue of about $1 million from its first customer deliveries of 11 R1T EVs. On one hand, the company missed consensus earnings estimates by $5.53 and revenue projections by $0.03 million. As a result, the company’s shares are sliding by over 9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in pre-market trading, placing RIVN stock below the $100 mark.

By and large, the numbers may not seem all that inviting at face value. However, a loss is expected given the company’s current focus on expanding its operations. After all, it is looking to compete with major names in the industry that already have substantial head-starts. In fact, Rivian also revealed plans to build its second U.S. production plant. The company is looking to begin construction by the summer of 2022. By Rivian’s estimates, it will have an annual production capacity of about 400,000 units. On top of that, the company also notes that it currently has over 71 thousand pre-orders for its EVs. Regardless of where you stand on Rivian’s prospects, RIVN stock will likely be in focus in the stock market today.

[Read More] Best Lithium Battery Stocks To Buy Now? 4 To Know

FedEx Back On Track To Deliver On Original Fiscal Year 2022 Profit Goals

In other earnings-related news, FedEx (NYSE: FDX) posted solid figures in its latest quarterly earnings release after yesterday’s closing bell. In detail, the company reported an earnings per share of $4.83 on revenue of $23.5 billion for the quarter. For comparison, this is versus estimates of $4.28 and $22.4 billion respectively.

FDX stock

Providing an overview of the quarter is executive VP and CFO Michael Lenz. Lenz said, “FedEx operating income grew in our second quarter, driven by strong revenue growth and effective management of our cost and expected labor availability challenges.” While the company’s earnings per share were unchanged year-over-year, he also notes that FedEx paid “significantly higher” taxes this year.

Notably, a key highlight of the company’s earnings call would be the update to its fiscal 2022 profit outlook. Thanks to the current momentum in its business, FedEx is reinstating its initial estimates after lowering them in September. For the fiscal year, the company is now expecting an annual earnings per share between $20.50 to $21.50. At the same time, FedEx also announced a $5 billion share repurchase program as well. With FedEx seemingly kicking into high gear across the board, I could see investors watching FDX stock now.

[Read More] Best Copper Mining Stocks To Buy In 2021? 4 To Watch This Week

Goldman Sachs Sees ‘Solid Demand’ For Apple’s iPhones In China

Elsewhere, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) received a positive update from analysts over at Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS). In essence, the firm recently highlighted Apple’s improving iPhone supply in general. According to analyst Rod Hall, this is evident from better lead times for iPhones across “all major geographies”. He added that 13 weeks since launching, lead times for the iPhone 13 Pro models are down by 6 to 7 days in the U.K. In China, lead times also improved by 8 days. Not to mention, Hall also highlights that there is “solid demand” in China while Europe is seeing “slightly weaker” demand.

best tech stocks (AAPL stock)

That’s not all, the analyst also pointed out that there is a notable increase in Macbook orders in China, the U.S., and part of Europe. Hall argued that this could be “suggesting supply is not keeping up with the demand”.

Across the board, it seems that Apple’s vast array of cutting-edge tech remains in demand this holiday season. With consumers looking to spend their saved-up discretionary funds, this comes as no surprise. As such, AAPL stock could be a top stock to watch for some investors now, even as it trades around record levels.

Churchill SPAC Looking To Bring India’s Byju Via $48 Billion Deal

Churchill Capital VII (NYSE: CVII), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), is making waves in the stock market as well. Accordingly, this would be thanks to news about its plans to take Indian online education company Byju public. According to Bloomberg, should things go as planned, the company would have a valuation of about $48 billion. Given the sheer scale of the deal, it is no wonder that some consider Byju among India’s most valuable startups.

Overall, the report suggests that among all the SPAC partners Byju has talked to, Churchill Capital has “made the most progress” yet. In terms of the timeline, a deal could potentially be set as soon as next month. For the uninitiated, Churchill Capital brought EV firm Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) public earlier this year. Given the generally positive reception to LCID stock, investors could be keeping CVII stock in view now.


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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

LIBRARY NEWS: Hot Chocolate, Public Health Session Today

The hot chocolate is ready, so we hope you’ll come to your library today, Thursday, December 16, from 4-6pm to celebrate winter with us. While you sip, join in the fun with seasonal crafts.

And earlier today, from noon-1pm, is the next free public health session with representatives from San Juan Basin Public Health at the library discussing the dangers of radon gas in your home and distributing free radon test kits. The geology of Southwest Colorado leads to an increased risk of radon gas in our community so this is an important topic for us to understand. In fact, radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer, even in people who have never smoked. Take advantage of the expertise of the staff at SJBPH to attend this latest event in their public health series at your library.

Holiday closures
Your library will be closed beginning at noon on December 24 and also on Christmas Day, December 25.

Library hours
Most of our programs are happening in person. Also, our hours have returned to pre-COVID levels – and even more on weekdays:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday open 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturdays open 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
For those uncomfortable coming into the building, curbside service continues. Phone 264-2209 when you are in the parking lot so staff can bring the items out for you. If you put a hold on something, please wait for your usual alert (email, phone call or text) before coming to pick it up.

Family storytimes
Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. join us for free in-person children’s stories, games and plenty of reasons to get up and move. Saturday’s all-ages Discovery Times continue on Facebook at 2:30 p.m. with games, art ideas, science experiments, history and more.

Dungeons & Dragons
Join us Tuesday, December 21 from 4-6 p.m. for our ongoing Dungeons & Dragons game free for teens and young adults on Google Meet every other Tuesday.  Contact claire@pagosalibrary.org to learn how to join. If you don’t have internet access, contact us anyway – we may be able to accommodate you in the library.

Writing challenge
A new all-ages writing challenge will be posted December 20 on the library’s Facebook page. We hope you will challenge your creativity by participating in this free all-ages activity.

Adult education
Our free PALS (Pagosa Adult Learning Services) session take place on Thursdays from 5:30-8 p.m. when Mark helps with high school equivalency, GED, college prep, financial aid, tutoring and more.

Books on CD

“The Becoming” by Nora Roberts is a new epic of love and war among gods and humans. “Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone” by Diana Gabaldon is the latest in the epic Outlander historical fantasy series. “Flying Angels” by Danielle Steel features six young flight nurses after Pearl Harbor. “The Wolf” by J.R. Ward is a Black Dagger Brotherhood paranormal romance. “Never” by Ken Follett is an international political drama.

Mysteries, suspense and thrillers
“Fear No Evil” by James Patterson is an Alex Cross thriller. “Autopsy” by Patricia Cornwall is a Dr. Kay Scarpetta mystery. “The Left-Handed Twin” by Thomas Perry is a Jane Whitefield mystery. “A Christmas Legacy” by Anne Perry centers on an elderly grandmother who the family thinks isn’t dying fast enough.

Other novels
“Well Matched” by Jen DeLuca is a Renaissance Faire rom-com. “Tales from the Café” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi follows four customers who hope to time travel from a Japanese café. “Just Haven’t Met You Yet” by Sophie Cousens begins when a reporter on a business trip picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport. “Fight Night” by Miriam Toews is a darkly humorous story about three generations of women via letters that will never be sent. “Lesser Evil” by Timothy Zahn is the conclusion of the Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendacy trilogy.

Library story collection
“Libraryland,” edited by Ben Bizzle and Sue Considine, is a collection of inspiring first-hand stories spotlighting the countless ways library staff make a difference for their communities.

Biographies and memoirs
“I’m Possible” by Richard Antoine White is the memoir of a musician successfully navigating racial and socioeconomic disparities. “The Correspondents” by Judith Mackrell documents the lives of six remarkable female journalists. “Medicine Woman” by Lynn V. Andrews is an autobiographical account of a woman’s search for identity in a Native American culture. “The Jesus I Know” by Kathy Lee Gifford shares the stories of people in various stages of knowing and experiencing Jesus in their spiritual journeys. “The Young H.G. Wells” by Claire Tomalin shows how his first 40 years shaped the life of the father of science fiction.

Other nonfiction
“They Knew” by James Gustave Speth outlines what the author believes to be the U.S. Federal Government’s 50-year role in causing the climate crisis. “Republican Rescue” by Chris Christie explains how he believes the Republican Party can recapture glory and win elections. “Killers on the Mountain” by Wayne Smart is a first-aid guide by this EMT on handling snake bites, avalanches, altitude illness, hypothermia and more. “SDA: Board Member Manual” is a reference guide for special districts. “Justice on the Brink” by Pulitzer Prize-winner Linda Greenhouse offers insight into the Supreme Court over the past 12 months.

Downloadable e-books and audiobooks
We have a wide variety of downloadable e-books and audio books for all ages – children, tweens, teens and adults – in cloudLibrary.  The items in cloudLibrary are purchased separately from physical items, so the books available are different – and it continues to use the consortium’s contributions as well as those that we bought.  Select AspenCat Union Catalog when setting up cloudLibrary for use. Email or phone us at 970-264-2209 if you need our help setting up this service on your device.

Donations
Many thanks to Mary Perouty and Susan Mercer for their generous monetary donations and to Jill Porterfield and our anonymous donors for their materials donations.  Please put your materials donations into the dropbox at the library – not at City Market, which is reserved for returns.

Library foundation
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library Foundation to support and enhance your library by raising funds for information resources, programs, services and facilities.  Mail checks to P.O. Box 2045, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 or call Cindi Galabota at 970-264-2209.

Quotable Quote
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” Confucius, Chinese philosopher.

Website

For more information on library books, services and programs – and to reserve books, e-books, books on CD and DVDs from the comfort of your home – please visit our website at https://pagosalibrary.org.

Carole Howard & Library Staff

Carole Howard & Library Staff

The Ruby Sisson Memorial Library has been located at 811 San Juan Street (corner of S. 8th and Hwy 160) since 1989. The library is overseen by the Upper San Juan Library District, a tax-funded special district in Archuleta County.

Live: Police hold briefing after teen shot and killed following basketball game at Menchville High in Newport News

Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew is addressing the media and sharing updates in the case. Watch the news conference live in the player above.


NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A teenage boy was shot and killed Tuesday night after a basketball game at Menchville High School.

This is the city’s 27th homicide of the year.

Newport News Police were called to the 200 block of Menchville Road in Newport News around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday night. In a news release, police said there was “some type of altercation” outside in the school parking lot after the basketball game.

Shots were fired, and a teenage boy was struck.

Police officers gave first aid and CPR to the boy, but he died at the scene.

The circumstances of the shooting are still under investigation. Police have not released any suspect information, but the police chief told 10 On Your Side they were looking into several leads.

Orlando Vincent was at the game in which the Menchville varsity basketball team fell to crosstown rival Woodside.

Vincent said when he and his family were walking out he heard the “pop” sound of a gun, but didn’t see anyone screaming or running.

“It was moments later we saw the large police response,” Vincent said. “It’s sad you can’t even go to a basketball game.”

Many people remained at the scene late Tuesday night, hugging each other, visibly upset.

Woodside High School and Menchville High School will be closed Wednesday. The other schools in Newport News have a regularly scheduled half day dismissal for students Wednesday.

On Wednesday, while schools are closed, there will be a support hotline that students can call from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for student support at 757-283-7868. After that, they will re-evaluate the plan for Thursday.

Around the same time as the shooting outside Menchville High School, 10 On Your Side started receiving reports from viewers about shots fired near Bethel High School in Hampton. Wednesday morning, Sgt. R.C. Williams confirmed there was evidence of shots fired, but said there is no indication the shots were made towards the school. There were no reports of injury or property damage. A basketball game was also underway at Bethel High School. Sgt. Williams said additional officers responded to assist with the dismissal of the game.

Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew is scheduled to address the media and share updates at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Those with information can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.

Download the WAVY News App to keep up with the latest news, weather and sports from WAVY-TV 10. Available in both the Apple and Google Play stores.

Coronavirus News Updates: 77 countries have now reported cases of Omicron, says WHO Director-General

!1 New UpdateClick here for latest updates

Wrap Up: All you need to know

  • 8 new cases of Omicron found in Maharashtra; none had history of overseas travel
  • Schools for classes 1 to 7 to reopen in Mumbai on Dec 15, in Pune on Dec 16
  • Kolkata book fair from Jan 31 amid strict COVID measures
  • Assam reports 141 new COVID-19 cases, two more deaths
  • 20 fresh COVID-19 cases, one more death in Punjab
  • Gujarat reports 55 COVID-19 cases, 1 death
  • 13 Pakistani migrants granted Indian citizenship in Jaipur
  • Nashik sees 52 COVID-19 cases, 1 death, 28 recoveries

Enforcement Directorate, probing alleged 100-crore extortion case against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, has now summoned IPS officer G Shreedhar in connection to the case on Dec 17. Shreedhar is presently posted as superintendent of police, Akola

– ED

Kerala reports 3,377 new COVID19 cases, 4073 recoveries and 28 deaths in the last 24 hours

We need to remember that strength we have today (of vaccine development & production) won’t fulfill our needs just for today. If some other pandemic, zoonotic disease, infection comes next, I’ve appealed to them that we need all these platforms strong & resilient..

– Dr VK Paul

The current strategy and effective strategy is to ensure that the adult population of India is covered with the two vaccines that are in our program-Covishield & Covaxin, & now a DNA vaccine may also be added to an extent

– Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog, in Bhubaneswar(Odisha)

Congress issues whip to its Rajya Sabha members to be present in the House tomorrow

We won 11 seats, we’ve asked for recounting in Mysuru. We had expected to win 13-14 seats. We’ll discuss the results in our party meet. We’re happy with results. We had 6 seats last time, compared to that, we got 5 more seats this time

– Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on MLC results

Evidence suggests small decline in vaccine efficacy – WHO

Haryana logs 23 COVID-19 cases, 2 more deaths

WHO is concerned that such programmes will repeat the COVID19 vaccine hoarding we saw this year, & exacerbate inequity. It’s clear that as we move forward, boosters could play an important role, esp for those at highest risk of severe disease death

– Tedros A Ghebreyesus, DG, WHO

77 countries have now reported cases of Omicron & the reality is that Omicron is probably in most countries, even if it hasn’t been detected yet. Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant

– Tedros A Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO

Farmer organisations had sought an appointment for a meeting. So, 20th December has been fixed for this purpose. We will have a meeting with the farmer organisations on the 20th, regarding farm loans and other issues. A decision will be taken

– Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi

Punjab Government has taken a major decision. A General Caste Commission is being set up in the state. The decision will be passed by the State Cabinet day after tomorrow

– Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi

JPMorgan tells unvaccinated Manhattan staff to work from home

JPMorgan Chase & Co on Tuesday instructed unvaccinated staff in Manhattan to work from home, a further sign that banks and other financial firms are tightening protocols as COVID-19 infections rise and the Omicron coronavirus variant spreads. The U.S. bank, one of the most aggressive in bringing employees back to the office, had previously allowed unvaccinated staff to work in its Manhattan offices provided they were tested twice a week.

Limited Iran access giving ‘blurred image,’ says UN nuclear chief

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview to The Associated Press, Rafael Mariano Grossi said he wanted to tell Iran that there was “no way around” his inspectors at the International Atomic Energy Agency if the Islamic Republic wanted to be “a respected country in the community of nations.”

PM asks BJP CMs to carve a niche for their govts in some or other sector of governance, seeks top priority for ‘ease of living’: Statement

At meeting of BJP CMs, PM Narendra Modi calls for governance to be data driven to ensure last mile delivery, speed and transparency

Tamil Nadu reports 649 new COVID19 cases, 695 recoveries and 09 deaths in the last 24 hours

Delhi reports 45 fresh coronavirus cases, zero deaths

Delhi | The Omicron patient discharged today came from Zimbabwe on Dec 2 & had a slight throat discomfort & weakness initially, but returned completely healthy after 10 days

Omicron patients have mild symptoms, stable oxygen rates, & no need for ICU: LNJP-MD, Dr. Suresh Kumar

Amazon tells India antitrust body revoking 2019 Future Group deal would send negative message to foreign investors

Amazon tells India regulator — Future deal with Reliance “will further restrict competition in the Indian retail market”

Reports Reuters

State Cabinet has decided to provide 25,000 newly constructed houses in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mohali, to Economically Weaker Section (EWS)

– Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi, in Chandigarh

Three fresh COVID-19 cases in Nagaland, 1 more fatality

Punjab Lok Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh today warned Punjab Police officials against intimidating his party workers at behest of some local Congress leaders, saying he’d take all necessary measures to come down heavily on such hooligans in uniforms

– Amarinder Singh’s office

Rajasthan Government announces an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore for the family of Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh

He lost his life in the Tamil Nadu Chopper Crash on December 8th.

Over 6 crore people inoculated with both doses of COVID-19 vaccine in UP

Reports PTI

Our main agenda was Opposition unity in a state-wise manner. This was the first meeting, we’ll meet again tomorrow, Sharad Pawar will be there

– Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, after meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi

Maharashtra reports eight new Omicron cases

Pfizer says that clinical trials confirmed its anti-Covid pill reduced hospitalisations and deaths among at-risk people by almost 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} when it was taken in the first few days after symptoms appear

In the context of emerging pandemics, our platforms have to be resilient and quick to be able to respond to new types of requirements of vaccines

– Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog, at CII Partnership Summit

Lok Sabha adjourned till tomorrow, 15th December

November trade deficit at $22.91 bn

China detects 2nd case of omicron variant

International travel is completely dependent on the spread of the Omicron variant. Prior to covid, our highest capacity was close to 4.2 lakh passengers daily, now we are ranging between 3.7 lakh to 3.95 lakh

– Jyotiraditya Scindia, Civil Aviation Minister

Nov exports up 27.64{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} on yr, imports rise 57.17{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}

During the visit, the President will also hold a delegation-level meeting with Bangladesh President. PM Sheikh Hasina will call on President Kovind. Bangladesh Foreign Min Dr AK Abdul Momen will also call on the President

– Foreign Secy HV Shringla on President’s Bangladesh visit

Beginning tomorrow, President Kovind will be paying a state visit to Bangladesh. Visit will be from 15-17 Dec. This visit is in context of 50th Victory Day celebrations in Dhaka at which Bangladesh Pres has invited Pres Kovind to represent India as guest of honour

– Foreign Secy

Axis Bank names Ashish Kotecha Additional Non-Executive Director

Reports ET Now

No matter how much BJP tries, they are going to get a big zero in the Punjab elections. Congress is going to fail in Punjab, he (Charanjit Singh Channi) is more of a ‘drama minister’ than the Chief Minister

– Harshimrar Kaur Badal, MP Shiromani Akali Dal

COVID-19 pandemic combined with short-sighted policy decisions of this govt has ushered in period of uncertainty for economic revival of country

– Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in Lok Sabha

Serum Institute working to develop COVID vaccine booster shot which is more effective against Omicron

– Adar Poonawala

UK PM Johnson warns ministers of ‘huge spike’ in Omicron COVID cases

4th EU-India Competition Week

4th EU-India Competition Week took place online on 13-14 Dec. This annual discussion showcased the commitment of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition & Competition Commission of India to step up their cooperation and technical exchanges on competition policy and law: EU

Tamil Nadu Chopper Crash : Group Captain Varun Singh’s medical condition continues to be critical but he is stable

He is on life support system in Bengaluru Command Hospital: IAF officials

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao meets Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin at the latter’s residence in Chennai.

CBI apprehends Deputy Chief Electrical Engineer of Northeast Frontier Rly Ranjeet Kumar Borah in Rs 15-lakh alleged bribery case: Officials

Compulsory pre-booking of RT-PCR

Starting Dec 20th, all international travelers from ‘at-risk’ countries, arriving at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad will have to compulsorily prebook an RT-PCR test.

Zero budget natural farming should become mass movement and people should be made aware of its benefits: PM Narendra Modi

There has been an 83{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} surge in new cases on the continent this week compared to the previous week. This is the fastest surge recorded since May last year.

– Dr Moeti Tshidi

Fourth Wave in Africa

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested an Afghan National from Delhi in connection with the seizure of 3,000 kg of heroin from Gujarat’s Mundra Port. The Afghan National was arrested on December 12: NIA

Parliament passes bill to extend up to five years tenure of Enforcement Directorate chief

Everyone knows that Congress & BJP have an internal understanding to finish the JDS party. They’ve somewhat succeeded in coordinating with each other in all of the 6 constituencies we had contested in.

– Former Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy, on Karnataka MLC election results

PM will address farmers during valedictory session of National Summit on Agro & Food Processing on De 16 in Anand, Gujarat via video conferencing. Summit brings in focus on natural farming. Farmers will be provided all requisite info detailing the benefits of natural farming methods

Fake news reports allegedly quoting an audio message in the name of Controller of Exam, CBSE are being circulated claiming that due to an error in class 12 Accountancy Term 1 paper, “upto 6 grace marks” will be given. Contents in news reports published are baseless & false: CBSE

Number of tourists to Varanasi in 2019-20 doubled compared to 2014-15: PM Narendra Modi as he highlights development works in the city

The search action has resulted in seizure of unaccounted cash of more than Rs 4 crores. Further investigations are in progress: CBDT

UK High Court begins hearing fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi’s appeal against extradition to India

Kashi’s energy is intact and it also keeps expanding. Yesterday, Kashi dedicated the grand Vishwanath Dham to Mahadev.

– PM Narendra Modi addresses the 98th anniversary celebrations of Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan, in Umraha

Business News for Dec. 9, 2021

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers of both parties came out swinging in a hearing on Wednesday with Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, expressing deep skepticism and anger toward the company for not doing enough to protect young users.

In a hearing held by a Senate subcommittee on consumer protection, lawmakers grilled Mr. Mosseri on internal research leaked by a whistle-blower that showed Instagram had a toxic effect on some teenagers. They pressed him to commit to share data with researchers on algorithmic ranking systems and to support legislation for stronger privacy and security protections for children online.

Even Instagram’s announcements this week on new safety tools for children were too little and too late, they said.

“Facebook’s own researchers have been warning management, including yourself, Mr. Mosseri, for years,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut and chairman of the subcommittee. “Parents are asking, what is Congress doing to protect our kids and the resounding bipartisan message from this committee is that legislation is coming. We can’t rely on self-policing.”

The hearing is part of a growing effort in Washington to rein in the power of Silicon Valley’s biggest companies. Antitrust regulators are seeking to break up Google and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and lawmakers have introduced dozens of data privacy, speech and competition bills.

Calls for legislative changes have intensified in recent weeks, after a whistle-blower at Facebook leaked internal research that said Instagram led one out of three teenagers to feel worse about their body image and for as many as 16 percent of some teenagers in Britain to have thoughts of suicide. The documents obtained by the whistle-blower, Frances Haugen, often contradicted public statements made by Meta officials, who have long underplayed or rebutted criticism that Instagram harms the mental and emotional well-being of younger users.

“You better tell the truth,” Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat of Minnesota, told Mr. Mosseri. “You’re under oath.”

Mr. Mosseri, 38, was appearing before Congress for the first time. He is a longtime executive at Facebook and is considered a close lieutenant of the company’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg. He joined the company in 2008 as a designer and gradually rose in the ranks to run the News Feed, a central feature of the Facebook app. In October 2018, he was named head of Instagram, weeks after the sudden resignations of the app’s founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger.

He told lawmakers that Instagram often had a positive role in the lives of teenagers, such as by helping them establish connections during difficult times. He tried to direct attention at rivals, noting that more teenagers use TikTok and YouTube. He also acknowledged the skepticism among members of Congress toward Meta.

“I recognize that many in this room have deep reservations about our company,” Mr. Mosseri said. “But I want to assure you that we do have the same goal. We all want teens to be safe online.”

On Tuesday, Instagram announced new safety features for children. Mr. Mosseri mentioned those changes in the hearing, which include tools like a “take a break” function that is meant to help limit time spent online. (TikTok has a similar function that appears when users are spending too much time on the app.)

But Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, the ranking Republican member of the subcommittee, said even the basic promises of privacy and security from the company had failed users.

This week, her staff set up an experimental account for a fictional 15-year-old and were surprised to find the profile automatically set to public exposure. Instagram says teenage accounts automatically default to the private setting.

Mr. Mosseri acknowledged the error and said Ms. Blackburn’s office exposed a flaw in Instagram’s controls that sets teenage accounts that were created on a web browser — and not on a mobile app — to public. “We will correct that,” Mr. Mosseri said.

Mr. Blumenthal’s office has received hundreds of calls and emails from parents about their negative experiences with Instagram, he has said. One parent recounted how her daughter’s interest in fitness on Instagram led the app to recommend accounts on extreme dieting, eating disorders and self-harm.

Mr. Blumenthal has homed in on the algorithms, which he called “800-pound gorillas in black boxes,” that push such recommendations.

Lawmakers, including Mr. Blumenthal and Ms. Blackburn, have proposed stronger data privacy rules aimed at protecting children and greater enforcement of age restrictions. They have also called for young users to be able to delete information online. Lawmakers have pursued similar legislation before, with little success. Though lawmakers often show bipartisan unity in the hearings, dozens of data privacy bills have been stymied by intense industry lobbying and partisan disagreement over how stringent laws should be.

Senator John Thune, a Republican of South Dakota, has introduced a bill that would force companies to reveal more about their algorithmic ranking system. He asked if Instagram would allow users to rank their content chronologically, instead of through opaque decisions based purely on engagement.

Mr. Mosseri said the company was working on the feature, which could be available next year.

Though Mr. Mosseri repeated his support for regulations, he demurred when asked about specific proposals. He said he hadn’t read a bill introduced by Mr. Blumenthal and other lawmakers that could hold Meta liable for hosting harmful content. He wouldn’t commit to give up completely on the idea of building a version of the Instagram app for users under the age of 13. And he didn’t directly answer questions as to whether victims should be able to sue Meta for hosting sex-trafficking content.

Child advocacy groups said Mr. Mosseri failed to provide any greater assurances that Instagram would prioritize child safety.

“Today’s hearing was just more of the same: evasions, empty promises, and too-little, too-late gestures aimed at forestalling congressional action instead of meaningfully addressing Instagram’s harmful business model and design choices,” said Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay.

Leaders of the subcommittee said they would hold additional hearings, which may include more executives of Meta. Mr. Blumenthal said Mr. Mosseri’s vague commitment for “directional” support on laws “doesn’t cut it.”

“This industry has said it is in favor of government regulation but they have opposed specific measures with armies of lawyers and lobbyists and tons of money,” Mr. Blumenthal said.