Coronavirus | Government speeds up approval for more vaccines
In a major shift in vaccine approval policy, the government has decided to fast track approvals for COVID-19 vaccines that have been developed outside India and have been granted the emergency use authorisation (EUA) by other drug regulatory agencies.
Data | Dissecting India’s second COVID-19 wave
The second wave of COVID-19 in India appears to be ascending faster than the first wave that peaked in mid-September last year. It is crucial to note that the number of COVID-19 tests being conducted daily during the second wave is much higher than the first .
Supreme Court directs States to apprise it of migrant children, their condition
The top court impleaded all the States on March 8 and issued notice on the plea filed by the Child Rights Trust and a Bengaluru resident seeking directions for the protection of the fundamental rights of migrant children amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
West Bengal Assembly Elections | Election Commission issues notice to BJP leader Dilip Ghosh over Sitalkuchi comments
The poll panel said it had received a complaint from All-India Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien about the speech that was “an open threat” to Bengal and its people. Referring to the Central forces firing on a mob on polling day on April 10 in Sitalkuchi, Mr. Ghosh said the incident would be the start.
Congress debates ‘outsourcing’ political work after Prashant Kishor’s chats are leaked
The internal debate is also prompted by the party’s experience in Tamil Nadu, where Mr. Kishor’s organisation, the Indian Political Action Committee or I-PAC, advised the DMK, which heads an alliance in which the Congress is a junior partner. Congress insiders claim they were witnesses to a “sense of disquiet” among senior DMK leaders as “core political activities” were decided by the external agency.
Gyanvapi mosque issue | Sunni Waqf Board moves Allahabad High Court against Varanasi court order
The Sunni Central Waqf Board’s standing counsel Puneet Kumar Gupta argued that the trial court passed the order illegally and without its jurisdiction as the matter is in the High Court and Justice Prakash Pandia reserved its order on March 15.
India’s China policy needs new thinking, say experts
A new paper, authored by a group of former diplomats, economists and scientists and published by the Pune International Centre, outlines the way forward for the relationship , both in the short-term, where India faces a stark asymmetry in power with respect to China, and in the long-term, which will decide the fate of the relationship.
Coronavirus | Equitable access to vaccine critically important to fight COVID-19 pandemic: Jaishankar
In an interactive session at the opening day of the Raisina Dialogue, Mr. Jaishankar also said that India’s ‘vaccine maitri’ approach was trying to ensure no one gets left behind.
Coronavirus | U.S. recommends ‘pause’ for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine over clot reports
In a joint statement on April 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they were investigating clots in six women in the days after vaccination, in combination with reduced platelet counts. More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S.
Coronavirus | U.K. expands COVID-19 vaccine programme to all above 45
The government had set a target to offer a COVID-19 jab to all above 50, the clinically vulnerable and health and social care workers – about 32 million people – by April 15.
Coronavirus | DCGI nod paves way for Sputnik V vaccine import: Dr. Reddy’s
Sputnik V will join Covishield and Covaxin that were approved and used since India launched what arguably is one of the largest inoculation programmes globally in January.
Microsoft buys AI speech firm Nuance for $19.7 billion
The acquisition will combine solutions and expertise to deliver new cloud and AI capabilities across healthcare and other industries, and represent the latest step in Microsoft’s industry-specific cloud strategy, the Redmond-based company noted.
U.S. Senator wants to ban Big Tech from buying anything ever again
Republican Josh Hawley, who accuses the biggest social media companies of stifling conservative voices, also criticised other sectors, like pharmaceuticals, which he said were too concentrated and held too much market power.
IPL 2021 | RCB look to consolidate position as SRH eye first win
Seeking to consolidate their position after a winning start, Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore will have their task cut out as they take on a determined Surnrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League in Chennai on April 14.
