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Fri, 18 June 2021
Delta variant becoming dominant: WHO official
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23:40 Delta variant becoming dominant: WHO official
The COVID-19 Delta variant, which was first identified in India, is becoming the dominant variant globally because of its significantly increased transmissibility, World Health Organisation chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Friday.
According to the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update issued by the WHO on June 15, the Delta variant is now being reported in about 80 countries around the world.
Another 12 countries and areas are reporting the detection of B.1.617 without further specification of lineage at this time.
The B.1.617.2 Delta variant was first detected in India around October 2020.
The whole situation is so dynamic because of the variants that are now circulating and...the Delta variant is well on its way to becoming the dominant variant globally because of its significantly increased transmissibility, Swaminathan said responding to a question at a press briefing in Geneva on Friday.
Her remarks came hours after Public Health England (PHE) said that the number of Delta variant infections has jumped by 33,630 in a week to hit a total of 75,953 in the UK, with the highly transmissible variant now making up 99 per cent of all COVID-19 cases in the country.
In Washington, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said she expects the Delta variant will become the dominant coronavirus strain in the United States.
As worrisome as this delta strain is with regard to its hyper transmissibility, our vaccines work, Walensky told ABC News on Friday.
In Geneva, Swaminathan said there is a need for more data from well-designed studies on the efficacy of the different vaccines that are in use in different countries against the different variants.
Swaminathan added that there has to be in place a study that uses a good design, or a randomised trial or studies during the rollout of a vaccine in a country to see what happens when people have one dose of the vaccine or two doses of the vaccine and see how many are getting infected and are ending up hospitalised and getting seriously ill.
This is something that we are watching very carefully and documenting and we now have a special expert group that's been set up to exactly track the performance of vaccines and their effectiveness when used at the population level in relation to the variants.
"This also means that countries need to do sequencing, side by side with documenting vaccine effectiveness. We need to expand sequencing, she said, adding that through this information, experts can start getting some solid and robust evidence on vaccine performance. -- PTI
23:16 Mother of jailed scribe Siddique Kappan dead
Jailed Malayali journalist Siddique Kappan's ailing mother Khadeejakutty, 91, died at her residence near Vengara on Friday, his colleagues said.
Kappan was arrested in October last year while he was on his way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh where a young Dalit woman had died after being allegedly gang-raped.
He had visited his ailing mother in February after the Supreme Court granted him five-day bail.
Kappan was arrested on October 5, 2020 while he was on his way to Hathras, home to the 19-year-old Dalit woman who died after being allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men on September 14.
Her cremation at night by the authorities, allegedly without the parents' consent, had triggered widespread outrage.
The police had said it has arrested four people having alleged links with the PFI (Popular Front of India) in Mathura and identified the arrested as Siddique from Malappuram, Atiq-ur Rehman from Muzaffarnagar, Masood Ahmed from Bahraich and Alam from Rampur. -- PTI
Kappan was arrested in October last year while he was on his way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh where a young Dalit woman had died after being allegedly gang-raped.
He had visited his ailing mother in February after the Supreme Court granted him five-day bail.
Kappan was arrested on October 5, 2020 while he was on his way to Hathras, home to the 19-year-old Dalit woman who died after being allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men on September 14.
Her cremation at night by the authorities, allegedly without the parents' consent, had triggered widespread outrage.
The police had said it has arrested four people having alleged links with the PFI (Popular Front of India) in Mathura and identified the arrested as Siddique from Malappuram, Atiq-ur Rehman from Muzaffarnagar, Masood Ahmed from Bahraich and Alam from Rampur. -- PTI
22:40 Zydus Cadila to seek EUA for its DNA vaccine
Indian pharmaceutical major Zydus Cadila is likely to apply to the central drugs regulator seeking emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D next week, official sources said on Friday.
If approved, it will be the world's first DNA vaccine against coronavirus and the fourth to become available in the country.
"The analysis of the phase-three trial data is almost ready and the company has informed the government that it could apply for emergency use licensure for its COVID-19 vaccine next week," an official source told PTI.
Also, the jab is being tested on children belonging to the age group of 12 to 18 years, apart from adults.
"So, when the Ahmedabad-based Zydus-Cadila comes for licensure, hopefully in the next week, maybe we have enough data to take a view on whether the vaccine can be given in children also," the source said.
DNA-Plasmid based ZyCoV-D will be a three-dose vaccine and is to be administered intradermally.
It can be stored at two to four degrees Celsius and does not require cold chains, making transportation to the remotest parts of the country easy.
The vaccine candidate has been supported by the National Biopharma Mission (NBM) under the aegis of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a PSU under the Department of Biotechnology. -- Payal Banerjee/PTI
21:51 Govt may hold talks with J-K parties this month
The central government is likely to hold discussions with all regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir before the end of this month as part of its initiatives to bolster political processes, including holding assembly elections, in the union territory, officials said in New Delhi on Friday.
The central leadership may even invite National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah, People's Democratic Party chairperson Mehbooba Mufti, Altaf Bukhari of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP), People's Conference head Sajjad Lone for discussion, the officials said.
Both Abdullah and Mehbooba had served as chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting is likely to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central leaders.
Asked about the prospect of talks with the Centre, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader and spokesperson of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) M Y Tarigami said there has been no word from New Delhi, but added that if it happens, it would be welcomed.
"We have never closed our doors for meaningful engagement with the Centre. Though I have no information about any dialogue, if it happens, it will be welcomed," Tarigami told PTI from Srinagar.
PAGD is an alliance of some parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including the NC and the PDP, that was formed in the aftermath of the abrogation of its special status and its bifurcation into union territories.
JKAP president Bukhari said, "I welcome, if and when, the talks take place. This vindicates our position of March 2020 when we had made it clear that dialogue is the only mechanism to restore democracy and statehood for Jammu and Kashmir."
"Better late than never as the solution to all our problems lies with New Delhi and nowhere else," he added.
The Jammu and Kashmir units of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress are also likely to be part of these discussions, which are being seen as part of efforts to strengthen normal political processes in the union territory.
The officials said the delimitation commission under the leadership of Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai, which was set up immediately after the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in Parliament, is likely to expedite its work and submit its report.
The commission was set up in February 2020 and has been given an extension of one year in March this year.
Barring Bukhari, other leaders have served a spell of detention following the August 2019 decision of the Centre to abrogate special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the erstwhile state into union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
In the District development Council election last year, the PAGD surged way ahead of the BJP and its allies, including the JKAP, by bagging 110 seats out of 280 with the National Conference emerging stronger with 67 seats within the alliance.
The BJP was the single largest party with 75 seats.
The political mainstream of the union territory, especially those having a strong base in Kashmir Valley, have been critical of successive administrations of the union territory for neglecting the demands of the people and raising questions on the development slogan raised post August 2019. -- PTI
21:31 Amit Shah reviews J-K's developmental projects
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reviewed the ongoing developmental projects in Jammu and Kashmir and directed the authorities to make sure that refugees from Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and West Pakistan get the benefits of the refugee package as soon as possible.
"Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed developmental works in Jammu and Kashmir. In the meet, Shah asked the authorities to ensure refugees from Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and West Pakistan get benefits of refugee package as soon as possible," said an official release from the Ministry.
"The Minister also stressed on the expeditious completion of flagship and iconic projects and industrial development projects," it added.
During the meeting, the Minister also congratulated Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for completing 76 per cent of Covid-19 vaccination target in the region and 100 per cent in four districts of the UT.
He said that all-round development and welfare of Jammu and Kashmir are the top priorities of the central government.
Furthermore, Amit Shah also directed the authorities to strengthen the Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies Institutions by ensuring proper seating arrangement, equipment and other necessary resources for the training of their members and for their smooth functioning.
Addressing the issues of the farmers, he directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure that all farmers get the advantage of the schemes being run for the farmers, such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana, under which Rs 6000 is deposited annually in the account of farmers and under Kisan Credit Card.
The Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and other senior officers of the central government and from the government of Jammu and Kashmir were also present in the meeting. -- ANI
Image only for representation. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
20:22 UP ATS arrests 4 Rohingyas for human trafficking
The Uttar Pradesh police on Friday arrested four Rohingyas, saying they were living illegally in India and part of an organised gang involved in human trafficking.
The gang members were arrested from Meerut, Aligarh and Bulandshahr districts, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh Police said in a statement.
According to the police, the gang was involved in preparing forged voter cards, Aadhaar cards and passports besides human trafficking.
The accused have been identified as Hafiz Shafiq alias Shabiullah, Azizur Rahman alias Aziz, Mufizur Rahman alias Mufiz and Mohammad Ismail, police said.
The police recovered United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards, mobile phones, an identity card of Burma, a forged Aadhaar card, two photocopies of a passport, laptop and foreign currency, from their possession.
The accused will be produced in the court and will be taken on custody remand to gather information about their other associates in India, the police statement said.
The gang was also involved in exchange of money at the international-level through hawala and also helped some people get work in companies and industries on the basis of fake Indian identity, the statement said.
In return, the accused used to take commission from the salaries.
People from other countries were brought to India illegally and their forged documents were prepared, it added. -- PTI
19:56 Which airline carried the most passengers in May?
Check out the infographic alongside to know the answer.
Representational image
19:50 Drunk man climbs atop cell phone tower in Delhi
A drunk man climbed atop a mobile tower in south Delhi's Pushp Vihar area on Friday, the police said.
The man, who has been identified as Satish Kumar (20), a resident of the national capital's Anupam Garden locality, did not heed his parents' requests to come down. He came down after about an hour, they said. It is not yet known why he climbed the tower, the police said.
At 11.23 am, a PCR call was received at Saket police station that one person has climbed atop a mobile tower in Asian Market, Sector-3, Pushp Vihar.
"When the police reached the spot, it was found that a person aged around 20 had climbed up the tower and was not coming down despite several requests. An ambulance and a fire brigade were called in but he did not come down," Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur said.
His parents also requested him to come down but in vain. He came down after about an hour and seemed to be under the influence of alcohol, the police said.
Kumar's father told police that he left home around 5 pm on Thursday and did not return. He works as a labourer and is a habitual drinker.
Kumar has been sent for a medical examination.
Representative image
19:45 Study finds Covid traces in Sabarmati, 2 lakes
A recent study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar has established the presence of coronavirus in water samples from the Sabarmati river and two lakes in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat.
While the study, funded by the UNICEF, did not reveal if the genes of coronavirus found in the water samples were dead or alive, Professor Manish Kumar, who led the research, has emphasised the need for further probe on the subject to avert any future tragedy.
Following the revelation, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has decided to send samples from these water bodies to the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC).
"The GBRC is the authorised agency of the AMC for water analysis. We have been sending samples to them since the last one year and they submit their report to the state government. We have no idea about the IITs research.
"However, we will now send samples of these water bodies to the GBRC for a similar analysis," said Harpalsinh Zala, the AMC's city engineer for Water Resources.
The study was conducted between September and December 2020 and water samples were collected from the Sabarmati river, Chandola and Kankaria lakes of the city.
"Our aim was to detect the presence of N, S and ORF lab genes of SARS-CoV-2, also called as coronavirus, through RNA isolation. We found N-gene copies in the waters of the Sabarmati river, Chandola and Kankaria lakes. The ORF lab-gene was not found in Chandola, while S-gene copies were present in all the three water bodies," said Kumar, who teaches in the IIT's Earth Sciences department.
"Although genes of coronavirus were detected, our methodology does not tell us if they were alive or dead. However, we can't just presume that they all were dead. Although virus transmission through water is not proven yet, institutions need to come together and conduct further research on this. Monitoring is needed," the professor said.
He further claimed that if coronavirus genes reached the surface water through urine or excreta of COVID-19 patients, then the genes would have been dead.
However, the genes might have been alive if they came from the mouth of a COVID-19 patient, such as through gargled water, he said.
"We do not know if genes found by us were alive or not. Further research is needed to understand the implications of our findings. Governments should also focus on better solid waste management," said Kumar, adding that the report has been submitted to the UNICEF. -- PTI
19:22 New Parl necessity, no MP objected to it: Speaker
Not a single MP in either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha had objected to the construction of a new parliament building when a request for it was made by both the Houses to the Centre, Speaker of the lower house Om Birla said on Friday.
Describing the new Parliament building as a 'necessity', he said though the construction is running 16 days behind schedule, it will be completed by October 2022.
"We were (initially) 27 days ahead of schedule. But after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (second wave), the construction is now 16 days behind schedule," Birla said.
To questions on construction of a new parliament house at a press conference in New Delhi, the Lok Sabha speaker said the existing building cannot be expanded and does not cater to the needs of changing times.
"The existing building is a historical one. Many historic decisions were taken in this building. But it cannot be expanded further and therefore a new building is a necessity," he said.
About MPs from opposition parties opposing the project, Birla said it was both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha which had requested the central government for a new parliament building.
"When the request for a new parliament building was made by both the houses, no MP had objected to it. No one has approached me opposing it," Birla said.
Opposition parties and the BJP are engaged in a political slugfest over the construction of the new building.
The opposition parties say the project should be stopped to save funds for management of the COVID-19 pandemic. -- PTI
19:17 Guterres re-elected as UN secretary general
The UN General Assembly on Friday appointed Antonio Guterres as the UN Secretary General for a second term beginning January 1, 2022, days after the powerful Security Council had unanimously recommended his name to the 193-member body for re-election.
President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir announced that Guterres has been appointed by acclamation Secretary General of the United Nations for the second term of office beginning on January 1, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2026.
Bozkir then administered the oath of office to 72-year-old Guterres at the podium of the UN General Assembly hall.
On June 8, the 15-nation Council had held a closed meeting where it adopted by acclamation the resolution that recommended Guterres's name to the General Assembly for a second five-year term as Secretary General from January 1, 2022-December 31, 2026.
18:58 The number of daily active Covid cases in India
Check out how the number of active Covid cases has risen and fallen in India.
Image only for representation. Photograph: PTI Photo
18:51 Madhya Pradesh IAS officer seeks police cover
A Madhya Pradesh IAS officer who has been issued a show-cause notice for uploading an audio clip of his conversation with a senior colleague sought police protection on Friday, claiming that an unidentified caller threatened him.
Lokesh Kumar Jangid, a 2014 batch officer, in an email to the state Director General of Police said someone called him before Thursday midnight and told him that he had put his life in danger by taking on very powerful people.
The caller also said that unbeknownst to the IAS officer, some 'Pakistanis' were using him, and he should go on leave for six months and stop talking to the media if he valued his and his son's life, said the email which was leaked to the media.
Jangid was issued a show-cause notice two days ago for allegedly uploading an audio clip of his conversation with a senior colleague about his transfer on May 31 from the post of additional collector of Bharwani to the Bhopal-based Rajya Shiksha Kendra as its director.
According to Jangid, it was his ninth transfer in 54 months.
When contacted, the IAS officer confirmed to PTI that he has complained to the DGP about a call from an encrypted number.
"I have now received a call from an official of the cyber crime wing of police seeking more information," he said.
Jangid, 35, said he had shared with four IAS colleagues a 30-second clip of his conversation with General Administration Department principal secretary Deepti Gaur Mukherjee and he had expressed displeasure about his transfer in his chats with his colleagues.
On June 11 he asked for a transfer for three years to Maharashtra, his home state, as his 87-year-old grandfather is suffering from Parkinson's disease and he also wanted to take care of his mother who is a widow, he said. -- PTI
18:32 Kanta Prasad of 'Baba ka Dhaba' attempts suicide
The owner of south Delhi's 'Baba ka Dhaba', Kanta Prasad, allegedly attempted suicide and has been admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital, police said on Friday.
Prasad, 81, attempted suicide on Thursday. The reason behind his extreme step is not yet known, they said.
"On Thursday at 11.15 pm, information was received from the Safdarjung Hospital that Prasad was admitted there. Police reached the hospital and collected the MLC (medico-legal case), which states the intake of alcohol and sleeping pills as the cause of unconsciousness," Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur said.
The statement of Prasad's son Karan was recorded.
He said his father consumed alcohol with sleeping pills, the police said, adding that further inquiry is underway.
Speaking to reporters, Prasad's wife said she has 'no idea' about what her husband consumed.
"I am clueless about what happened to him. I was at the 'dhaba'. He fainted and we took him to the hospital around 4 pm (on Thursday). No one has told us anything about his condition," she said.
Prasad shot into the limelight last year when a video of him tearfully talking about the lack of customers at his eatery and his financial woes went viral, triggering an outpouring of support in cash and kind from all over the country.
The video was shot and uploaded by YouTuber Gaurav Wasan.
Later, the octogenarian filed a complaint against Wasan for alleged misappropriation of funds raised through donations.
Prasad went on to open a restaurant.
However, he faced losses and had to shut it.
Recently, Prasad returned to his 'dhaba' and apologised to Wasan.
The YouTuber visited Prasad and accepted his apology. -- PTI
17:43 Patient with Black Fungus flees from hospital
A patient suspected of having contracted mucormycosis, commonly known as Black Fungus infection allegedly ran away from Siliguri's North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH), where she was admitted in the ENT ward, hospital authorities said.
However, the authorities at the NBMCH, which has been designated as the regional hub for the treatment of the Black Fungus cases, said that they had informed the police to trace the woman who had fled the facility on Thursday evening.
The woman hails from Murshidabad district of the state.
Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh at the MHA
17:26 HM helms meet with J-K DGP, Doval, IB & RAW chiefs
Is something afoot in J-K?
Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh reaches Union Home Ministry in New Delhi to meet Amit Shah. At the meeting are also NSA Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar, R&AW chief Samant Kumar Goel, CRPF Director General Kuldiep Singh.
Earlier today, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The agenda of the meeting was developmental issues and the current situation of the Union Territory, said official sources.
Endoscopy sinus surgery on a Black Fungus patient
17:21 Active black fungus cases at 27,142
India has 27,142 active cases of Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, and if the number rises, the country is prepared to increase the availability of Amphotericin B and other drugs used in the treatment of the disease, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday.
"On June 16, 2021, active cases of Mucormycosis were 27,142. Even in the future, if cases of Black fungus increases , India is prepared to have more than sufficient availability of Amphotericin B and other drugs which are required to treat patients of Mucormycosis," Mandaviya said in a tweet. The Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers noted that domestic production of Amphotericin B has already gone up five folds so far.
"Domestic production of Liposomal Amphotericin B was just 62,000 vials in April, 2021 and now it is expected to cross 3.75 lakh vials in June, 2021," Mandaviya said.
While increasing the domestic production, the government has also placed an order to import 9,05,000 Liposomal Amphotericin B vials, he added. "India is leaving no stone unturned to boost the availability of Amphotericin B drugs in the country," Mandaviya noted.
17:14 5000 kids in Meghalaya test positive for Covid
Just in: Over 5,000 children in the age group of 0-14 have tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya since last year, of them 17 succumbed to disease: Health Minister A L Hek said.
This news comes even as Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, said today that it may not be true that children will be disproportionately affected in the third wave as the serosurvey shows seropositivity was almost equal in all age groups. "But the government is not leaving any stone unturned in terms of preparations," he said.
17:02 Virus changing, wear clean mask, cautions AIIMS doc
Cautioning people about the looming danger, Dr Naveet Wig, Head of the Medicine Department, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) on Friday said the coronavirus disease has not been eradicated yet and it will keep on "changing its colours".
"Virus has not been eradicated, it keeps on changing its colours. Wear a clean mask and do not use an unhygienic mask at all," said Dr Wig.
Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog added that studies show that chances of hospitalization are 75-80% less in vaccinated individuals. The possibility of such individuals needing oxygen support is around 8% and the risk of ICU admission is only 6% in vaccinated persons.
16:43 Twitter India reps depose before Parl panel
Twitter India representatives depose before parliamentary panel over issues of social media platform misuse, protection of citizen rights.
16:36 After falling for 3 days, Adani stocks rise
Equity benchmark indices swung between gains and losses to close at flat levels on Friday with energy stocks taking a beating.
At the closing bell, the BSE S&P Sensex was up by 21 points or 0.04 per cent at 52,344 while the Nifty 50 cracked by 8 points or 0.05 per cent to 15,683. Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were mixed with Nifty PSU bank down by 1.7 per cent, metal by 0.9 per cent each, auto by 0.7 per cent and IT by 0.5 per cent.
Among stocks, ONGC shed 3.5 per cent to close at Rs 120.75 per share. Coal India was down by 3.4 per cent, JSW Steel by 3.3 per cent and NTPC by 3.3 per cent.
The other laggards were UPL, Mahindra & Mahindra, Nestle India, Power Grid Corporation and Tata Motors.However, Adani Group companies gained after four days of downfall.
Adani Enterprises was up by 8.7 per cent and closed at Rs 1,487.85 per share. Adani Ports surged by 7.1 per cent to close at Rs 693.15 per unit.
Reports earlier this week said that National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) has frozen the accounts of three foreign funds which together own over Rs 43,500 crore worth of shares in four Adani Group companies. The Group denied reports.
The other gainers were Bajaj Auto, Hindustan Lever, Bharti Airtel, IndusInd Bank and HDFC Bank.
16:19 Milkha Singh develops fever, O2 levels drop
Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh has developed a fever and his oxygen saturation level has also dropped as he battles to regain his health, after a bout with COVID-19, in the Intensive Care Unit of the PGIMER hospital here on Friday.
The 91-year-old, who tested negative for COVID-19 on Wednesday and was shifted to the general ICU, is being closely monitored by a team of doctors.
"He suddenly developed a fever Thursday night and his oxygen saturation levels dipped. A team of doctors is monitoring him," PGIMER sources said on Friday. Milkha had been "stable before this. "It's been a slightly rough day for Milkha Ji. But he is battling away," read a statement from his family.
He had contracted COVID-19 last month and his 85-year-old wife Nirmal Kaur, who had also been infected by the virus, passed away at a private hospital in Mohali on Sunday.
16:08 Covid outbreak in US embassy in Kabul leaves 114 sick, 1 dead
The US embassy in Kabul has been forced into immediate lockdown due to a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in Afghanistan.The rising infection has also prompted US officials to build temporary, on-site COVID-19 wards to care for oxygen-dependent patients, USA Today reported citing an internal memo.
"COVID-19 is surging in the Mission. 114 of our colleagues now have COVID and are in isolation; one has died, and several have been medevaced," reads the notice from Shane Pierce, an employee in the embassy's health unit.
According to this internal memo, the intensive care units at a US military hospital are swarmed and temporary on-site units have been set up for staff who need oxygen.
The latest virus outbreak has led the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), to call on US President Joe Biden to require all government employees overseas to be vaccinated along with some exceptions.
"Our understanding is that there is enough vaccine at every embassy and consulate in the world for anyone, who wants to get it," Eric Rubin, who heads the AFSA told NPR. -- ANI
16:08 Trees company
The man in faux fatigues and orange sneakers planting a sapling is Abhishek Bachchan. The BMC has requested celebrities to plant and adopt a tree after Mumbai lost around 2363 trees due to Cyclone Tauktae last month. The BMC is replanting and adopt trees that were uprooted. "Very happy to adopt a tree," tweets Abhishek.
15:57 Pragya Thakur to address MPs on yoga
BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur will deliver lecture online to fellow parliamentarians at event organised by Lok Sabha Secretariat to mark International Yoga Day on June 21.
15:54 'Pfizer, Moderna Covid vax don't lower sperm count'
COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna do not harm male fertility, suggests a study which found the levels of sperm in participants remained at healthy levels after they got two doses of the mRNA preventive.
The study, published on Thursday in the journal JAMA, recruited 45 healthy male volunteers aged 18 to 50 years scheduled for mRNA COVID-19 vaccination by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
The participants were pre-screened to ensure they had no underlying fertility issues. Those with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result within 90 days were excluded.
The men provided a semen sample after two to seven days of abstinence, prior to receiving the first vaccine dose and approximately 70 days after the second shot. Semen analyses were performed by trained andrologists as per World Health Organization guidelines and included semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, and total motile sperm count (TMSC).
"One of the reasons for vaccine hesitancy is the potential negative effect on fertility," the authors of the study from the University of Miami in the US noted.
"Because reproductive toxicity was not evaluated in the clinical trials and SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with decreases in sperm parameters, we assessed sperm parameters before and after mRNA vaccine administration, they said. -- PTI
15:44 Salman walks down memory lane
Salman Khan on 22 years of the iconic film with Aishwarya Rai. "Baees saal ho Gaye #HumDilDeChukeSanam ko'.. @AjayDevgn #SanjayLeelaBhansali @bhansali_produc."
One name is conspicuous by its absence.
15:33 TMC flags 'BJP judge' hearing Nandigram case
TMC's Mahua Moitra and Derek O'Brien flag the selection of the judge hearing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's petition challenging the election of Leader Of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram.
Derek O'Brien had tweeted this picture of the Justice Kaushik Chandra writing, "Matters where Justice Kaushik Chanda has appeared for the Bharatiya Janata Party before the Calcutta High Court. And now he has been assigned to hear the Nandigram election case. One big coincidence?"
TMC MP Mahua Moitra tweeted the same picture adding, "MiLord- get a conscience or at least a better veil! Mamatadi's Nandigaram petition listed before Justice Kaushik Chandra, member of BJP's legal cell & BJP lawyer in numerous appearances Save our judiciary!"
15:26 Shabana Azmi tags PM for this road in Varanasi
National Award winning actress Shabana Azmi shares this picture of a road in Varanasi, PM Narendra Modi's constituency, and writes, "Varanasi mein Bharat Ratna #Bismillah Khan Marg ! #CMUP @narendramodi ek nazar yahan bhi."
Expectedly, the 'patriots' following her on Twitter asked her to be civil while referring to the PM and not view things from behind the veil of religion.
Bismallah Khan is India's best known shehnai player, who passed away in 2006 and embodies the Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb, India's syncretic relationship with religion.
PM Modi and the BJP has maintained that the ghats and the roads of the world's most ancient habitable city are clean.
15:05 It's a thrust and parry for this woman
That's a picture of a woman getting herself inoculated against Covid-19, except that it's a little more than that.
The woman getting the vaccine in the picture is CA Bhavani Devi, the first Indian to qualify for the Olympics in fencing.
She got her 2nd vaccine dose today.
14:58 India denies attack claim on SL fishermen by navy
India on Friday rejected as "blatantly false" the local media reports about the Indian Navy's alleged assault on a group of Sri Lankan fishermen, saying no such incident has taken place.
A group of 13 local fishermen claimed that they had ventured into the sea on May 7 onboard trawlers 'Thushan 1' and 'Thushan II' and were physically assaulted by the Indian Navy in the international waters around Diego Garcia on June 4.
"They demanded drugs from us even after we told them that we were only fishermen," two fishermen told the local Hiru TV on Thursday. Responding to their claims, the Indian High Commission here denied that the fishermen had been assaulted by the Indian Navy.
"Media reports on June 17 stating that a group of Sri Lankan fishermen was attacked physically by the Indian Navy are blatantly false. We deny any such incident having taken place," the High Commission said.
"The Indian Navy is a highly disciplined and professional force which discharges its responsibilities in an impeccable manner, it said in a statement. India is firmly committed to addressing all fishermen-related issues between India and Sri Lanka in a humanitarian manner through established bilateral mechanisms and understandings, it added.
After the media reports, Secretary to the Fisheries Ministry Indu Rathnayake told the local media here that a discussion will be held with India after the report is investigated. Indian fishermen have also alleged in the past that the Sri Lanka Navy attacked them.
In October last year, a leader of the fishermen claimed that groups of Indian fishermen were attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel using bottles and stones while fishing near Dhanushkodi, resulting in injuries to some and damage to their gear. -- PTI
14:56 Delhi CM, LG discuss tackling Covid 3rd wave
Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting on Friday to discuss the roadmap and an action plan to tackle a possible third wave of COVID-19 infection in the national capital.
A state-level task force, more healthcare staff and a special task force for treatment or children are part of the Delhi government's action plan to deal with the third wave, the chief minister's office tweeted.
During the meeting, the L-G and the chief minister also discussed bed and oxygen management, availability of drugs and COVID-19 vaccination, the CMO said. PTI
Baba ka Dhaba owner Kanta Prasad
14:14 'Baba ka Dhaba' owner attempts suicide
JUST IN: Kanta Prasad (80), who runs the famous Baba Ka Dhaba in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar area, tried to commit suicide on Thursday night after consuming sleeping pills. He was taken to Safdarjung hospital where he has been admitted in ICU, the Indian Express reports.
The cops added that they received a PCR call that a man, who attempted suicide, has arrived at the hospital. Police rushed to the spot and found that he is Kanta Prasad. He is currently undergoing treatment. His wife informed the police that he had been depressed for the last few days, a senior police officer informed.
His wife has also said that Prasad had to close the restaurant he opened in December last year and was back to his old roadside stall as the cost of running the new establishment was around Rs 1 lakh while his income was only about Rs 30,000.
Prasad had shot to fame after a video of him tearfully recounting the desperation of the months since the lockdown was shared widely across social media platforms recently.
13:50 'The hope left for justice for my father gets crushed'
As we celebrate bail to the three student activists held in the Delhi riots case, Jyoti Punwani writing for Rediff.com tells the story of one more prisoner who ended up being deprived of a proper hearing thanks to the pandemic and lockdown that has been in force intermittently since March 2020.
The fourth application for suspension of the life sentence awarded in 2017 to former journalist and activist Prashant Rahi was adjourned by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court on Thursday, this time by four weeks.
More about that case here.
13:43 SC: Bail to 3 students shouldn't be a precedent
The Supreme Court bench led by Justice Hemant Gupta orders that the Delhi High Court order granting bail to Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal in the Delhi Riots case to be not treated as a precedent. The accused will remain on bail at this stage.
The Supreme Court's two-judge vacation bench was hearing the appeal filed by the Delhi Police challenging the Delhi High Court's order granting bail to the three activists in the Northeast Delhi riots case.
The SC said reading down the anti-terror law UAPA is an important issue and can have pan-India ramifications. The Delhi HC verdicts granting bail to the three student activists will not be used by others in securing same relief as precedent and that the release of the activists on bail by the HC is not interfered with at this stage.
13:27 Why the Wuhan lab-leak theory doesn't hold up
Blaming humans for disease is as old as time itself. It's inherently hard to trace outbreaks that take tangled paths from their origin point to where they're first detected. Without firm answers, humankind loves to invent stories, from the Black Death of the 14th century to the 2009 H1N1 outbreak. In the absence of certainty, both sets of theories -- natural or man-made -- seem plausible: like Schrdinger's cat, for virology.
Read the report here
13:08 Priyanka gets ghar ka khana and some
What do celebs who've made the US of A their second home, or may be only home, do when they get cravings for desi home-cooked khana?
A certain powerhouse director (Bend it like Beckham, Bhaji on the Beach, Bride and Prejudice) apparently is an awesome cook as well. And so, Priyanka Chopra who is stuck in the US since the pandemic, winged itover to the Chadha house and gorged on Bharta Dal Keema, we hear.
Priyanka, who will be modelling for lingerie line Victoria's Secret, left her diet at home and the two ladies polished off eight rotis between them.
That's the loved up picture Chadha shared on Twitter.
12:49 Has the blackbox of UAPA finally been opened?
The orders passed by Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup J Bhambhani, granting bail to Asif Tanha, Devangana Kalita, and Natasha Narwal, have opened up the black box of the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) jurisprudence.
The UAPA had become the black box of Indian jurisprudence for a number of reasons. First, as the orders note, the definition of "terrorism' in Section 15 of the UAPA is vague, and has been used as a licence to classify all kinds of infractions as terrorist. This order will put more spotlight on how individuals are charged under the provisions of the UAPA.
Read the column by Pratap Bhanu Mehta for the Indian Express here.
Image: Student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal outside Tihar Jail after their bail yesterday in the Delhi riots case. Pic: ANI
12:34 Nationwide IMA protests today
This is what India's frontline workers also seek, which most governments have not addressed. Training is important, but protecting doctors, nurses, hospital staff, from attacks by irate patients, is equally important. And yes, against the quackery of self-ordained seers.
The Indian Medical Association staff and doctors are protesting at the IMA office in Hyderabad. The Association is conducting a nationwide protest today, demanding a central law to protect doctors against violence.
12:22 PM launches course to upskill 1L Covid warriors
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a customised crash course programme that aims to skill and upskill over one lakh "Covid warriors" across the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi urged the people to remain cautious, stressing that the virus is "still amongst us" and the possibility of it mutating is also there.
He also said the central government is committed to provide Covid vaccination free to everyone, starting June 21.
"In the second wave of coronavirus, we saw what kind of challenges the ever-changing form of this virus can bring before us," Modi said.
"We have to further enhance the preparedness of the country to meet the challenges ahead," Modi asserted.
With this goal in mind, a massive campaign to prepare about 1 lakh frontline "Corona warriors" is being started in the country, he said. Modi also said work is underway on war footing to ready over 1,500 oxygen plants and efforts are on to reach every district.
The 'Customised Crash Course programme for COVID-19 Frontline workers' aims to skill and upskill over one lakh "Covid warriors" across the country, according to the PMO.
The training will be imparted to them in six customised job roles namely home care support, basic care support, advanced care support, emergency care support, sample collection support, and medical equipment support.
The course has been designed as a special programme under the central component of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0, with total financial outlay of Rs. 276 crore, the PMO said.
The programme will create skilled non-medical healthcare workers to fill the present and future needs of manpower in the health sector, it said. PTI
12:05 Will hasten 3rd Covid wave: HC on violations
The Delhi High Court Friday took cognisance of the violation of COVID-19 protocols in various markets in the national capital and observed that such breaches will only hasten the third wave which cannot be permitted at all. The high court asked the Centre and Delhi government to take strict measures, sensitise shopkeepers and hold meetings with markets and vendors associations in this regard.
A vacation bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Asha Menon took note of certain photographs sent to one of the judges of the high court by an AIIMS doctor showing scant regard for COVID-19 protocols by street vendors in markets.
"We have paid a huge price in the second wave. We don't know if there is any household which has not suffered in the second wave, closely or remotely," the bench observed. PTI
11:43 Stalin meets Sonia, Rahul on day 2 of Delhi visit
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin met Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi today.
This is Stalin's first visit to Delhi after taking oath as Tamil Nadu chief minister last month. He has been raising various issues related to the state in communications with PM Modi.
Stalin is in Delhi today on a two-day visit. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday.
11:38 Rajnath Singh visits Kamakhya Temple in Assam
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday visited the famed Kamakhya Temple atop the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati to offer his prayers. The temple is currently closed due to the COVID restrictions and Singh offered his prayers from outside the main door that leads to the sanctum sanctorum.
Singh, accompanied by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, also circumambulated the temple and offered his obeisance to the goddess. The minister arrived here on Thursday evening after dedicating 12 strategic roads, constructed by the Border Roads Organisation, at Kimin in Arunachal Pradesh.
11:11 A bloody mess
"The greatest products of architecture are not individual but social creations, the offspring of nations in labour, wrote Victor Hugo. Like childbirth, construction is hard work, replete with blood, sweat and tears. And from that bloody mess, something beautiful emerges. There is consensus, celebration and excitement that only something new can give rise to.
"This is how it should have been with the rebuilding of the Central Vista in New Delhi. Reconstruction of a capital city is the apogee of architectural achievement -- the construction perceived as a microcosm of national identity set in stone. Lutyens' Delhi, for all its unquestioned grandeur, was the colonial architect's vision for India -- a proud British government discharging its civilizing mission by towering over an ancient people," writes Arghya Sengupta. Read the column here
11:05 Assam Cong MLA resigns
Update: Assam Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi has now tendered his resignation as a Member of the State Legislative Assembly, to Speaker Biswajit Daimary.
Assam Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi
11:02 Party won't move ahead with Rahul: Assam Cong MLA
A warning for the Congress top leadership, essentially the Gandhis.
Assam Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi says Congress isn't listening to its young leaders.
"That's why its situation is worsening in all states. I'll meet Assembly Speaker and tender my resignation. Rahul Gandhi is unable to shoulder leadership, if he's at the helm, party won't move forward. I'm leaving Congress as High Command in Delhi and Guwahati leaders give priority to elderly leaders only. We'd told them Congress has good chance of coming to power this time and we shouldn't forge alliance with AIUDF as it would be a mistake. It indeed was."
Three lessons for the Congress from what this MLA says: 1. Listen to the local leadership, they know best what is happening in the state, not Delhi. 2. Begin a dialogue with young Congress leaders, most of who complain they do not have access to the Gandhis.
3. Rethink Rahul Gandhi helming the party.
A scientist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology
10:36 The Chinese defector who gave info on Covid lab leak
Chinese vice-minister of State Security, Dong Jingwei, reportedly defected to the United States and gave the information about the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is at the center of coronavirus lab-leak hypothesis.
According to a report in SpyTalk, Chinese-language anti-communist media and Twitter are abuzz with rumours that Dong fled to the US via Hong Kong with his daughter, Dong Yang mid-February. SpyTalk is a newsletter covering US intelligence, defense, and foreign policy, on the Substack platform.
Dong supposedly gave Washington information about the Wuhan Institute of Virology that changed the stance of the Biden Administration concerning the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Spy Talk, if rumours are true, it would be the highest level-defection in the history of the People's Republic of China.
Dong is, or was, a longtime official in China's Ministry of State Security (MSS), also known as the Guoanbu.
His publicly available background indicates that he was responsible for the Ministry's counterintelligence efforts in China, i.e., spy-catching, since being promoted to vice minister in April 2018.
The issue of Dong's defection was raised by Chinese officials at the Sino-American summit in Alaska, according to Han Lianchao, a former Chinese foreign ministry official who defected after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Han, citing an unnamed source, alleged that China's foreign minister Wang Yi and Communist Party foreign affairs boss Yang Jiechi demanded that the Americans return Dong, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken refused.
However, several experts have said that unconfirmed reports of defections surface regularly.
10:36 So, should you watch Sherni?
Sherni is a triumph -- a sublime outcome of purpose and storytelling falling in place, applauds Sukanya Verma. Read the Rediff.com review here.
Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek
10:24 Man who slapped Abhishek Banerjee dies under mysterious circumstances
Devasish Acharya, the man who slapped TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in 2015, has died under mysterious circumstances in West Bengal. He was dropped at a hospital by some unidentified men on Thursday and was declared dead soon after. Read the report here.
Crystal ball gazing of choppy markets continue
10:18 Sensex rises over 200 pts in early trade
Equity benchmark Sensex jumped over 200 points in early trade on Friday, tracking gains in index-heavyweights Infosys, HDFC twins and ICICI Bank amid a largely positive trend in global equities.
The 30-share BSE index was trading 220.53 points or 0.42 per cent higher at 52,543.86 in initial deals.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 53.70 points or 0.34 per cent to 15,745.10. ONGC was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 2 per cent, followed by PowerGrid, M&M, Maruti, L&T, NTPC and Titan. On the other hand, Bajaj Finserv, Sun Pharma, HCL Tech, Infosys and Dr Reddy's were among the gainers.
In the previous session, Sensex ended 178.65 points or 0.34 per cent lower at 52,323.33. The broader NSE Nifty declined 76.15 points or 0.48 per cent to 15,691.40.
A Black Fungus patient being operated upon
10:02 3.83L people have died of Covid in India
India reports 62,480 new COVID-19 cases, 88,977 discharges and 1,587 deaths in last 24 hours, as per Health Ministry.
Total cases: 2,97,62,793
Total discharges: 2,85,80,647
Death toll: 3,83,490
Active cases: 7,98,656 (below 8 lakh after 73 days)
Vaccination: 26,89,60,399
09:28 Cong asks MP govt to correct Covid death numbers
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Madhya Pradesh government of under-reporting COVID-related deaths in the state, Congress working president of MP unit Jitu Patwari on Thursday demanded state government "to correct the number of deaths due to COVID-19".
Patwari, during a press conference in Bhopal, said, "A new report shows that over two lakh people have lost their lives to the COVID-19 in the state. We want the correct figures to come out to ensure delivery of government schemes."
"Congress demands Shivraj Singh to correct the data of the COVID-related deaths in state so that the beneficiaries for the government scheme can be benefitted by it," Patwari said.
Earlier, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Congress leader Kamal Nath accused the state government of under-reporting COVID-related deaths and claimed that over one lakh people had died from the infection in March and April across the state.
Furthermore, an FIR was also registered against Kamal Nath for allegedly creating panic by his remarks about the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the official data, there are 3,273 active cases of COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh while the death toll due to the infection stands at 8,649. -- ANI
09:04 BJP to hold demonstrations against TMC's 'political violence' next week
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday decided to hold demonstrations across West Bengal next week in protest against the ruling "Trinamool Congress' violence" faced by its activists since assembly poll results were out on May 2, party sources said.
Protest demonstrations will be held in Kolkata on June 23 and in the districts on June 25.
Party sources said that the decision was made at a high-level meeting attended by central BJP leaders Shiv Prakash, Arvind Menon and Amit Malviya apart from state unit chief Dilip Ghosh.
Violence is being carried out against party supporters and their families forcing them to flee their homes and the administration is doing nothing to stop this, the BJP alleged.
"Thousands of our workers are still out of their homes. They are having a difficult time in the rains. The meeting took stock of the situation," Ghosh told reporters.
The MPs and MLAs of the party were asked to stay in their constituencies and take an active role in bringing back home BJP members and supporters who had fled.
The meeting also decided to observe International Yoga Day on June 21 at the state and district level following Covid-19 protocols and involve important personalities from different walks of life in the programmes, the sources said.
The meeting also dissected the reasons for the poll reverses by the party. -- PTI
08:12 Ghaziabad case: Twitter India head gets legal notice
The Ghaziabad Police has sent a legal notice to Twitter India's Managing Editor for "provoking communal unrest" in connection with social media posts about an attack on an elderly Muslim man in Ghaziabad on June 5
The MD has been asked to come to the Loni Border police station and record the statement within seven days.
In a video uploaded on social media, the elderly Muslim man had accused four people of beating him up, chopping his beard and asking him to chant "Jai Shri Ram" in the Loni area of Ghaziabad.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has filed the FIR against Twitter Inc, Twitter Communications India, news portal The Wire, scribes Mohammed Zubair and Rana Ayyub, and senior journalist and author Saba Naqvi, besides Congress leaders Salman Nizami, Masqoor Usmani and Sama Mohammad for sharing the video clip on the social media.
MRCC president Bhai Jagtap
01:20 Maha Cong MLA complains against MRCC chief
Congress's youngest legislator in the state, Zeeshan Siddique on Thursday dashed off letters to the party's top leadership -- Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi-- complaining against Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) president Bhai Jagtap.
He has accused the senior leader of obstructing work in the Bandra East constituency and encouraging leaders, who were suspended for working against him in the 2019 elections.
Zeeshan Siddiqui, MLA from Bandra East, in his letter has complained that Bhai Jagtap is trying to sideline him to make another Youth Congress leader Suraj Singh Thakur as Mumbai Youth Congress chief.
Zeeshan has also made allegations that Bhai Jagtap and Mumbai Congress have not followed party protocol and not invited him in a programme of Congress in his constituency's BKC Area.
Bhai Jagtap has also responded to Zeeshan Siddiqui's allegations.Speaking to ANI Jagtap said, "Zeeshan is just 27 years old and he himself has given 40 years of his life to the Congress party so Zeeshan must not teach him about party protocol. There are many instances when Zeeshan has intentionally violated party protocol. As far as supporting Suraj Singh Thakur is concerned, I will keep supporting him as he is a key worker of Congress and works on the ground. I will try to solve the matter of the party in the party forum only." -- ANI
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