Morning Digest: Indian team meets Taliban Deputy PM; Trump to launch new social media platform, and more

A select list of stories to read before you start your day

Members of the delegation from Taliban’s government in Afghanistan in Moscow on October 20, 2021.

Indian team meets Taliban Deputy PM

India joined a 10-nation statement recognising the “new reality” of the Taliban in power in Afghanistan at the Moscow format meeting on Wednesday, as Indian officials reportedly met Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi and offered humanitarian aid to the regime in Kabul.

Fresh SOP requires mandatory COVID-19 negative report for travellers to India

The Government of India (GoI) has revised guidelines for those arriving in India , stating that the revision had been brought in “in view of increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic.’’

Trump to launch new social media platform

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, banned from social media platforms Facebook and Twitter since the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, has announced that he is launching a social media company , TRUTH Social, to “stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech.”

U.S. FDA authorises 'mix and match' COVID-19 vaccine; backs Moderna, J&J boosters

U.S. regulators on October 20 signed off on extending 

COVID-19  boosters to Americans who got the  Moderna  or  Johnson & Johnson vaccine  and said anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they received initially.

‘Maharashtra firm sold rice flagged GM-contaminated’

The Centre has identified a Maharashtra-based exporter as the source of the broken rice flagged in Europe as contaminated with genetic modifications (GM) earlier this year, the Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday. It added that the 500-tonne consignment was given a non-GMO certification by an independent agency before it was shipped to France.

‘Pandemic has fuelled rise in child sexual abuse online’

The Global Threat Assessment report 2021, by WeProtect Global Alliance, launched on Tuesday, said COVID-19 had contributed to a significant spike in child sexual exploitation and abuse online.

Army strengthens firepower along the LAC

The Army has significantly augmented its firepower along the 1300-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Eastern Sector, while also beefing up overall defences in the region, especially in the Tawang sector, by integrating various services in real time through automation.

Anand Sharma-led House panel to study ‘border management’

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma has decided to study “border management”, which will also entail deliberations on the contentious extension of jurisdiction of the Border Security force (BSF) up to 50 km inside the international borders in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.

Harish Rawat wants to be relieved of his Punjab duty

Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Punjab , All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Harish Rawat on Wednesday took to Twitter, asking the party leadership to relieve him from his duties as in charge of the State and allow him to focus on his home StateUttarakhand, where elections are scheduled along with Punjab.

Won’t entertain plea for report on probe into NEET ‘malpractices’: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a petition to call for a report on investigations in the FIRs registered in different States over the alleged malpractices in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) held on September 12.

Interview | Covaxin instilled self-confidence: Balram Bhargava

The development of Covaxin has instilled the confidence that India is now much more than the pharmacy of the world and that it is a vaccine superpower, says Balram Bhargava, Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

India more vulnerable to heat extremities: Lancet report

India has become 15% more vulnerable to extremes of heat than in 1990, according to ‘the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change’, a flagship report of the medical journal The Lancet that provides periodic updates on the scientific literature on the relationship between climate change and public health.

Russia presses Taliban to open up government

Russia increased pressure on the Taliban on Wednesday to create an inclusive government representing a broad spectrum of Afghan society, as it hosted their new administration at a major conference for the first time since they took power.

Alignment of U.S. and Indian interests ‘makes a great difference’, says Biden’s envoy nominee to Beijing

U.S. President Joe Biden’s nominee for the post of Ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, said the alignment of U.S. and Indian interests in the Indo-Pacific “makes a great difference” in terms of the challenges posed by China.

T20 World Cup | Rohit finds his groove as India outplay Australia in final warm-up

India fine-tuned their T20 World Cup preparations with a convincing nine-wicket win over Australia in their final warm-up game here on Wednesday, but the sixth bowler's slot remained a worry as even Virat Kohli rolled his arm over going into the tournament proper.