India has moved down 10 places to rank 68th on an annual global competitiveness index, largely due to improvements witnessed by several other economies, while Singapore has replaced the U.S. as the world’s most competitive economy.

India, which was ranked 58th in the annual Global Competitiveness Index compiled by Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF), is among the worst-performing BRICS nations along with Brazil (ranked even lower than India at 71st this year).

Announcing its latest index, the WEF said on October 9 India ranks high in terms of macroeconomic stability and market size, while its financial sector is relatively deep and stable despite the high delinquency rate, which contributes to weakening the soundness of its banking system.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences in collaboration with the Union Health Ministry on Monday launched the first-ever website and mobile application on oral health awareness.

The digital platform, ‘e-DantSeva’, contains information about the National Oral Health Programme, a detailed list of all the dental facility and colleges, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material and a unique feature called the ‘Symptom Checker’.

The website also provides GPRS route and satellite images of the facility for easier access to the people.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the digital platform will provide oral health information gathered from authentic scientific resources and connect the people to timely advise for managing any dental emergency or oral health problem.

The ‘eDantSeva’ website and mobile application will reach out to more than one billion people with just one click, Vardhan said.

Vardhan also released a Braille booklet and voice-over on oral health education for visually impaired.

“Oral health is indispensable for the wellbeing and good quality of life. Poor oral health affects growth negatively in all aspects of human development,” he said.

US gymnastics star Simone Biles clinched a record-extending 15th world championship gold medal on Tuesday as the Americans won the women’s team title in Stuttgart.

Biles, 22, collected her 21st medal at the championships to become the most decorated women’s gymnast, taking her one clear of Russia’s Svetlana Khorkina.

She also moved to within two medals of the all-time record held by Vitaly Scherbo of Belarus, a men’s gymnastics star in the 1990s.

It was a fourth team title for Biles in an event the Americans have dominated for the last eight years.

They claimed gold with a tally of 172.330, well ahead of the Russians, who took silver with 166.529, while bronze went to Italy on 164.796.

Biles played a key role in a commanding performance by the USA, earning the most points in three of the four disciplines -- the vault, balance beam and floor.

She earned a loud cheer for landing the “Biles II” skill -- a triple-twisting double back on the floor -- keeping her pre-championship promise to perform it in “every competition” in Stuttgart.

Her huge tally of 15.333 led a US clean sweep in the floor exercises alongside team-mates Jade Carey and Sunisa Lee, to hand the Americans gold.

Biles is expected to add more medals to her dazzling tally as the favourite in the women’s all-around final on Thursday and this weekend’s apparatus finals.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday officially received the first Rafale fighter jet made for India by the French company Dassault. The minister, who is on a three-day visit to France, attended the handover ceremony along with his French counterpart Florence Parly at aircraft maker Dassault Aviation facility in Merignac, southwestern France.

Rajnath Singh performed a Shastra Puja on the new aircraft as he emblazoned it with an 'Om' tilak and laid flowers and coconut, just before he was to take off in it for a sortie in the newly-acquired two-seater jet.

India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore in September 2016.

Christine Wolf, who grew up in an Austrian mountain area of Tirol, stood atop the peak as she rid herself of the nightmare of 2018, when she stumbled with the Hero Women’s Indian Open (HWIO) Trophy almost in her grasp.

A year after finishing tied for second in the HWIO, Wolf finished ahead of the pack by turning in a bogey-free final round to claim her first Ladies European Tour title. The 30-year-old Austrian, who saw her chances wrecked by a quadruple bogey on 18th on the third day and by a double on the same hole on final day, made no mistakes this time and took care of unfinished business.

The Japanese world number four came through 3-6 6-3 6-2 to win her second title in a row, having also triumphed at the Pan Pacific Open in September.

She has won 10 straight matches since losing in the last 16 of the US Open.

"In this tournament I was not calm as I normally am. I threw my racquet at least once every match," said Osaka. "I felt like I had something to prove."

This title ranks as one of the biggest of 21-year-old two-time Grand Slam champion Osaka's career, because it is only her second premier WTA title - the top level of tournaments on the women's tour after the majors.

The 31-year-old won 6-3 6-2 in the final in Tokyo to claim a fourth title of the year and a 76th of his career.

It was the Serb's first tournament since he withdrew from the US Open in September with a shoulder injury.

Djokovic needed just 70 minutes to see off 30-year-old Australian world number 80 Millman and did not drop a set throughout the tournament.

"I didn't drop a set, so I played a fantastic tournament," said Djokovic, who now travels to China for the Shanghai Masters, which starts on Monday.

"Everything is positive in my experience on and off the court, the way I feel and motivated for Shanghai.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will inaugurate National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) for better taxpayer service and promotion of ease of doing business in New Delhi today. Income Tax Department's NeAC, will avoid face-to-face interaction between taxpayers and tax officials. The finance ministry said in a statement that setting up of NeAC is a step to reduce taxpayer grievances in line with the prime minister's vision of 'Digital India'.

It said that the new initiative shall impart greater efficiency, transparency and accountability in the assessment process. Under the new system, taxpayers have received notices on their registered e-mails as well as on registered accounts on the web portal <www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in>> with real-time by way of SMS. The notice specifies the issues for which their cases have been selected for scrutiny. Replies to the notices can be prepared at ease by tax payers and sent by email to the NeAC by uploading the same on the designated web portal.

Surender Singh of India created three world records at the ongoing World Powerlifting Championship in Berlin, Germany. Surender bagged gold medal in 110 kg category, Classic Raw and the Best Lifter Award in Classic Raw and Single Ply. Three-time World Champion Mukesh Singh went on to add another feather to his cap by winning yet another gold only to be known as 4-time World Champion.

On the first day of the championship yesterday, Indian contingent bagged a total of 4 gold and 1 silver medal. 

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have joined hands to set up the country’s first e-waste clinic here, that would enable segregation, processing and disposal of waste from both household and commercial units.

After inspecting the garbage and plastic recovery centres in Bhanpur here, CPCB officials discussed the clinic with BMC officials. A three-month pilot project, the clinic, if successful, would be replicated elsewhere in the country.

“Electronic waste will be collected door-to-door or could be deposited directly at the clinic in exchange for a fee. The CPCB will provide technical support at the unit,” BMC Additional Commissioner Rajesh Rathore told The Hindu.