Business
2020.07.14 00:59 GMT+8

Global Business Daily: Google's India expansion, Russia delays $360bn projects spend

Updated 2020.07.14 01:08 GMT+8
Patrick Atack in London

"This is a reflection of our confidence in the future of India and its digital economy." 

So said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet, as he announced a big investment in Indian tech infrastructure over the next five to seven years. 

It's clear India is a huge, growing, and digitally savvy population – so it's not a surprise to see such a move. 

Meanwhile, in Europe it's been revealed that in trying to control the Wirecard scandal, the UK authority in charge of payment firms accidentally stopped funds going to some of the nation's most vulnerable people. 

We're sticking with the UK a little bit today as the head of BT, the biggest telecoms firm in the country, told the national broadcaster it would take a decade to safely remove all Huawei tech from the mobile internet system. 

And in today's chart, we look at the reality of "flattening the curve" – how did the UK's actual coronavirus patient number tally against what the public was told was the "worst-case scenario"? Thanks to my colleague Andy Murray for putting that together. 

Finally, I must point you in the direction of our interview and video, which today both look at the future of the city. Will we be living in a cycling paradise in a few years? Well, maybe not, but it's worth thinking about. 

Happy reading,  

Patrick Atack 
Digital business correspondent  

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Russian leader Vladimir Putin has postponed $360 billion of planned "National Projects" spending, due to the continuing pandemic. The funds are planned to rejuvenate GDP and living standards after several tough years for Russians. 

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, Google's parent company, told an event hosted by the web giant in India it would invest $10 billion in the country's digital future over the next seven years. With at least 500 million people connected to the web, often via mobile devices, it's clear that investment for "social good" could also come with some very good outcomes for Google. 

The UK's financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, caused many of the country's most vulnerable to go without access to money for several days. The FCA blocked Wirecard Card Solutions' activity after its parent firm collapsed, but victims of human trafficking used a government service which was a Wirecard client - and they were left without cash after just a few hours' warning.

BT CEO Philip Jansen told the BBC that if the UK government decided to remove Huawei from the entirety of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's mobile network, it would be "impossible" to do safely in less than a decade. A government statement is expected on Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, Huawei announced a 13 percent revenue increase to $65 billion in the first half of the year. In a statement, Huawei, which has been hit by U.S. sanctions, vowed to "survive, forge ahead and contribute to the global digital economy and technological development, no matter what future challenges the company faces."

At least $6 billion is missing from Lebanon, with rogue bankers to blame, according to Alain Bifani. Bifani was director-general of public finance there until he quit in protest two weeks ago. He alleged that bankers were "smuggling" funds out of the ailing Middle Eastern economy. 

Sudan has begun distributing cash handouts under an internationally backed plan to help millions cope with an economic crisis aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The stimulus is funded from $1.8 billion pledged by 40 countries at a conference last month in Germany.

International drinks supplier and distiller Diageo has announced Johnnie Walker, one of its large whisky brands, will be sold in plastic-free and paper-based "bottles" from early 2021. The food-safety-grade wood pulp will make the bottles fully recyclable, the firm said. 

Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine attempts have received fast-track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It means the process of getting the drugs to the public will be quicker, once the vaccines pass safety tests. 

Food and drinks producer PepsiCo has beaten analysts' expectations for the second quarter. Although net profits fell, its snack business almost made up for the fall in restaurant earnings – sales of tortilla chips rose more than 100 percent

European salmon exports to China are restarting after buyers halted orders when COVID-19 was found on an item related to the fish. But Regin Jacobsen, CEO of Bakkafrost, in the Faroe Islands, said sales are starting to recover outside Beijing.

 

Watch: With global health crises becoming an ever-greater threat, how can we pandemic-proof our buildings amid COVID-19? We asked architect and RSHP partner Ivan Harbour about the future of architecture.

 

Jay Townley is a consultant with Human Powered Solutions in the U.S.. CGTN Europe asked him how cities are adapting to this COVD-linked surge in cycling.

 

Cities are changing in many ways, but mostly what we've seen recently is large cities are providing more space for bicycle riding and more room for walking and riding. Cities such as New York have expanded the width of cycling lanes.

 

What is behind this increase in cycling? Is it commuting or is it something else?

It's a number of things that we haven't seen before. It's a combination of people wanting low-cost transportation or at least a reliable way of getting around, which is a bicycle at low cost, but it's also social distancing. And it's almost like perfect social distancing. 

 

Do you think this is going to be a one-off peak or is this a complete change in our behavior? 

I think it's a going to end up as a partial change. I think we're going to see a net gain. Pollution has gone down in many major cities. Folks can now see the skyline for the first time. It's a wonderful revelation.

 

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