India's competition watchdog directed WhatsApp to refrain from sharing user data for advertising purposes with other applications owned by Meta for a period of five years and fined the U.S. tech giant $25.

India's competition watchdog imposed a monetary penalty of 2.14 billion rupees ($25.4 million) on Meta on Monday over antitrust violations related to WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy.

Toxic smog engulfed much of northern India on Monday and pollution readings in New Delhi hit their highest of this pre-winter season.

By Tanvi Mehta NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Toxic smog engulfed much of northern India on Monday and pollution readings in New Delhi hit their highest of this pre-winter season, after dense fog overnight. Visibility dropped to 100 metres in the capital and at least eleven flights were diverted.

The smog, a toxic blend of smoke and fog, happens each year in winter as cold air traps dust, emissions, and smoke from illegal farm fires in some surrounding states. Visibility dropped to 100 m (109 yards) in Delhi and Chandigarh,