India News Roundup| 1st Indian to host Emmy Awards, iPhone 16 pre-orders start from tomorrow & more

Vir Das becomes the first Indian to host the International Emmy Awards, iPhone 16 series pre-orders begin tomorrow with sales starting from September 20, the Digi Yatra facility is launched in 9 more cities, and more. Catch up with the latest updates from the country in this India News Roundup.

Indian actor-comedian Vir Das has been selected as the host of the upcoming International Emmy Awards, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first Indian to host the prestigious event.

Expressing his excitement, Das shared a picture of himself with a news article, saying, "Thanks to your support, an Indian Emmy host! Can't wait to host the @iemmys this year! Crazy. Tremendously honoured and excited!" The 2024 International Emmy Awards are scheduled to take place in New York City on the 25th of November.

Apple's highly anticipated iPhone 16 series, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, is set to begin pre-orders in India on the 13th of September at 5:30 PM IST.

The series starts at Rs 79,900, with official sales starting from the 20th of September. Customers will be able to purchase the latest models across major e-commerce platforms, Apple's website, and retail stores like Apple Saket and Apple BKC.

In a significant move to support senior citizens, the Union Government has approved health coverage under Ayushman Bharat for everyone aged 70 and above.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister, announced that the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) will now cover 4.5 crore families, benefiting around six crore senior citizens. The scheme provides a free health cover worth ₹5 lakh on a family basis, ensuring critical healthcare support for older adults across the country.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation launched the ‘Digi Yatra’ services at 9 new cities across the country. This biometric-based system uses facial recognition technology to simplify the passenger experience by streamlining terminal entry and security clearance.

The airports where Digi Yatra has been introduced include Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Dabolim, Indore, Bagdogra, Ranchi, Patna, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam.

Karnataka is preparing for an extraordinary celebration of International Democracy Day on the 15th of September, with a large-scale event involving civil society organisations.

The highlight of the day will be the creation of a 2,500 km human chain stretching from Bidar in the north to Chamarajanagar in the south, covering all 31 districts of the state. The event is expected to involve 25 lakh participants and is being seen as a powerful expression of democratic spirit.

The Union Cabinet has greenlit the launch of “Mission Mausam,” a Rs 2,000 crore initiative aimed at improving India’s capacity to predict extreme weather events and mitigate the effects of climate change.

With a two-year implementation timeline, the project will be spearheaded by three key institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting.