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Archives for July 2021

COVID-19 India Update: India records 43,393 new cases 911 fresh fatalities take death toll to 4,05,939

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NEW DELHI: India logged 43,393 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,07,52,950, while the active cases have declined to 4,58,727, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The active cases comprise 1.49 per cent of the total infections and the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.19 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

A decrease of 1,977 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

As many as 17,90,708 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 42,70,16,605, while the daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.42 per cent.

It has been less than three per cent for 18 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has declined to 2.36 per cent, according to the health ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,98,88,284, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.32 per cent, the data stated.

Cumulative vaccine doses administered so far has reached 36.89 crore under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

PM Narendra Modi reviews progress of oxygen supply availability across country

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NEW DELHI: More than 1,500 PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen plants are coming up across the country, the government said on Friday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the progress of augmentation and availability of the life-saving gas.

PSA oxygen plants contributed by the PM CARES fund are coming up in all states and districts of the country, and Modi was told that they will support more than 4 lakh oxygenated beds once functional, the PMO said.

“PM asked officials to ensure there is adequate training of hospital staff on operation and maintenance of oxygen plants. He also directed officials to ensure that each district has trained personnel available,” it said.

The prime minister was informed by officials that a training module prepared by experts is in place, and they are targeting training of around 8,000 people across the country. Modi also asked them to deploy advanced technology like IoT to track the performance and functioning of these oxygen plants at the local and national level.

The PMO said that he was informed by officials that a pilot exercise is being done using IoT for monitoring the performance of the oxygen plants. “Officials also informed the prime minister that they are in regular touch with officers from state governments regarding fast-tracking the oxygen plants,” it said.

With many places complaining of oxygen shortage in hospitals during the peak of the second COVID-19 wave in April-May, the Union government has been taking measures in coordination with states to boost the production and supply of the life-saving gas.

Modi has been holding a number of meetings in this regard amid apprehensions of a third wave of the pandemic.

Karntaka 2nd PUC students can check and verify their SSLC, PUC 1 marks by July 10

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BENGALURU: The department of Pre University Education has given second PUC students an opportunity to view their first PUC and SSLC marks (or class 10 marks) on the Student Tracking System (STS) portal. 

In case of any discrepancies, the students must inform their college principals by July 12 and get it rectified.

The marks documented by the principal will be considered as final.

Students can view their marks by registering on the portal with their SATS (Students Achievement Tracking System) number or their student number or enrollment number.

Students can find their SATS number on the SSLC marks card or their transfer certificate.

Jyotiraditya Scindia takes charge as Civil Aviation Minister

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NEW DELHI: Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday took charge of the Civil Aviation Ministry.

He joined BJP in March 2020 and is a Rajya Sabha member.

General V K Singh also took charge as the Minister of State for Civil Aviation.

Scindia has taken over the charge of the ministry at a time when the civil aviation sector is facing strong headwinds due to the coronavirus pandemic which has impacted overall demand and has also resulted in financial woes for the industry players.

The government is also moving ahead with the disinvestment process for the national carrier Air India.

Scindia has served as a Minister of State for Communications, Commerce and Industry and power during the Congress-led UPA government.

The scion of the former royal family of Gwalior was inducted into the UPA government in 2007 and remained a part of the Union Cabinet till 2014.

He resigned from Congress and joined BJP in March 2020.

His move triggered a chain of events that finally culminated in the collapse of the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh and paved the way for the saffron party to assume power which it lost towards the end of 2018.

Born on January 1, 1971, and educated in Harvard and Stanford institutions, Scindia has traversed a long way after contesting his maiden election as a Congress candidate in 2002, a bypoll in the Guna Lok Sabha constituency, which was held because of the sudden death of his father, Madhavrao Scindia, in a plane crash.

Pfizer says it is time for booster dose against Covid, US govt officials say not so fast

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WASHINGTON: US drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech have announced that they will seek regulatory authorisation for a third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine.

The companies said they believe a third dose of the mRNA vaccine has the potential to preserve the highest levels of protective efficacy against all currently known variants including Delta.

But US top federal agencies said Americans don’t need boosters yet and said it was not up to companies alone to decide when they might be needed.

The joint statement issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), saying Americans do not need booster shots yet. This joint statement released after Pfizer issued its statement.

“Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time,” they said

The US government officials have stressed that fully vaccinated people have a low risk of infection, even from the Delta or B.1.617.2 variant, which is more transmissible than earlier lineages of the virus.

In a joint statement, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said the evidence they have evidence of showing antibody levels five to ten times higher than the original coronavirus and the Beta variant first found in South Africa.

“Pfizer and BioNTech have seen encouraging data in the ongoing booster trial of a third dose of the current BNT162b2 vaccine. Initial data from the study demonstrate that a booster dose given 6 months after the second dose has a consistent tolerability profile while eliciting high neutralization titers against the wild type and the Beta variant, which are 5 to 10 times higher than after two primary doses,” read the statement.

“The companies expect to publish more definitive data soon as well as in a peer-reviewed journal and plan to submit the data to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), EMA (European Medicines Agency) and other regulatory authorities in the coming weeks,” the statement said.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said evidence was building that people’s immunity starts to wane after they have been vaccinated.

“As seen in real-world data released from the Israel Ministry of Health, vaccine efficacy in preventing both infection and symptomatic disease has declined six months post-vaccination, although efficacy in preventing serious illnesses remains high,” Pfizer said.

Clinical studies could begin as early as August, subject to regulatory approvals, the companies said.

Anurag Thakur takes charges as I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw as Minister of Railways

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NEW DELHI: Anurag Thakur and Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday took charge as the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Minister of Railways respectively.

Thakur said he would like to reach out to people through the ministry.

“I will make every possible effort to carry out the responsibility bestowed upon me by the prime minister,” he said.

A former IAS officer of the 1994-batch, Ashwini Vaishnaw has handled important responsibilities for over 15 years and was particularly known for his contribution to the public-private partnership (PPP) framework in infrastructure, something that will help him in the rail sector.

He has also held leadership roles across major global companies such as General Electric and Siemens.

Vaishnaw has done his MBA from the Wharton School, Pennsylvania University, and M.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur.

He will also hold two other important portfolios of Communications and Electronics and Information Technology.

“Excellent work has been done in the Railways over the past 67 years. I am here to take the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi forward,” Vaishnaw said while taking the charge.

The newly appointed minister later took to Twitter to express his gratitude to the PM.

“Took charge as Cabinet Minister of Railways today. Once again from the core of my heart, I extend my gratitude to Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji for entrusting me this responsibility,” he said.

COVID-19 India Update:India add new 45,892 new COVID-19 cases, 817 deaths

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New Delhi: India recorded a single-day rise of 45,892 new COVID-19 cases, taking its infection tally to 3,07,09,557, while the count of active cases increased slightly to 4,60,704 after being on a consistent downward trend for nearly 55 days, according to the Union Health Ministry on Thursday.

The death toll has climbed to 4,05,028 with 817 new fatalities being reported.

The number of active cases comprises 1.50 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.18 per cent, data updated by the ministry at 8 am showed.

An increase of 784 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, it showed.

Also, 18,93,800 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the country on Wednesday, taking the total number of such examinations so far to 42,52,25,897, while the daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.42 per cent. It has been less than three per cent for 17 consecutive days, the ministry said.

The weekly positivity rate has declined to 2.37 per cent, according to the health ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,98,43,825, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.32 per cent, the data stated.

The total number of vaccine doses administered so far has reached 36.48 crore under the nationwide vaccination drive.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5, 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and one crore on December 19.

India crossed the grim milestone of two crore infections on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

The 817 new fatalities include 326 from Maharashtra, 148 from Kerala and 75 from Karnataka.

A total of 4,05,028 deaths have been reported so far in the country. This includes 1,23,857 from Maharashtra, 35,601 from Karnataka, 33,196 from Tamil Nadu, 25,005 from Delhi, 22,666 from Uttar Pradesh, 17,850 from West Bengal and 16,141 from Punjab.

The Health Ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

36 US states file lawsuit against Google

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Washington: As many as 36 US states and Washington DC have filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the search engine giant’s control over its Android app store violates antitrust laws.

The lawsuit alleges that through a series of exclusionary contracts and other anticompetitive conduct in the Google Play Store, Google has deprived Android device users of robust competition that could lead to greater choice and innovation, as well as significantly lower prices for mobile apps.

New York Attorney General James and the coalition co-led by the attorneys general of Utah, North Carolina, and Tennessee also accuse Google of requiring app developers selling in-app digital content through apps purchased via Google’s Play Store to use Google Billing as a middleman, forcing app consumers to pay Google’s commission up to 30 per cent indefinitely.

Google has served as the gatekeeper of the internet for many years, but, more recently, it has also become the gatekeeper of our digital devices resulting in all of us paying more for the software we use every day, James alleged.

Once again, we are seeing Google use its dominance to illegally quash competition and profit to the tune of billions. Through its illegal conduct, the company has ensured that hundreds of millions of Android users turn to Google, and only Google, for the millions of applications they may choose to download to their phones and tablets, she said.

Worse yet, Google is squeezing the lifeblood out of millions of small businesses that are only seeking to compete. We are filing this lawsuit to end Google’s illegal monopoly power and finally give voice to millions of consumers and business owners, James said.

The lawsuit alleges that Google imposes technical barriers that strongly discourage or completely prevent third-party app developers from distributing apps outside the Google Play Store.

Specifically, Google builds into Android a series of misleading security warnings and other barriers that discourage users from downloading apps from any source outside Google’s Play Store, effectively foreclosing app developers and app stores from direct distribution to consumers, it alleges.

Google has not allowed Android to serve as an open source for many years, effectively cutting off potential competition.

Google forces OEMs that wish to design their devices to use Android to enter into agreements called Android Compatibility Commitments or ACCs. Under these take it or leave it agreements, OEMs must promise not to create or implement any variants or versions of Android that deviate from the Google-certified version of Android, the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit alleges that Google buys off its potential competition in the market for app distribution.

Google forces app developers and app users alike to use Google’s payment processing service Google Play Billing to process any payments for purchases of digital content made in apps obtained through the Google Play Store, it said.

Thus, Google is unlawfully tying the use of Google’s payment processor which is a separate service within a separate market for payment processing within apps to distribution through the Google Play Store. By forcing this tie, Google is able to extract an exorbitant processing fee for each transaction, as high as 30 per cent, and many times higher than payment processing fees charged in competitive markets, it alleged.

Explosion on at major global port in Dubai causes huge fire

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Explosion on at major global port in Dubai causes huge fire

Dubai An explosion inside a container on a ship docked at the Dubai port caused a massive fire on the vessel and shook the gleaming commercial hub of the UAE, authorities said on Thursday.

The blast occurred in the container aboard the vessel, preparing to dock away from the Jebel Ali Port’s main shipping line at around midnight on Wednesday.

There were no reported deaths or injuries and the fire is under control, authorities said.

There were 14 sailors aboard the ship, who were evacuated safely.

“A fire has been reported to have broken out in a container within a ship anchored in Jebel Ali Port. A Dubai Civil Defence team is working to put out the blaze,” Dubai Media Office said in a tweet on their official account.

Director-General of Dubai Civil Defence Major General Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi said the Jebel Ali Port fire has been brought fully under control and the cooling process is underway.

Teams took 40 minutes to control the blaze.

The blaze sent up giant orange flames on the vessel at the Jebel Ali Port, the ninth-largest port in the world and the biggest in the region.

The blast was heard across parts of Dubai, with residents hearing a loud explosion, according to witnesses. Panicked residents filmed from their high-rises as a fiery ball illuminated the night sky.

Residents from Marina, JVC, and Emirates Hills said that they heard a loud explosion that shook their doors and windows.

The Dubai Media Office posted a video of firefighters putting out the blaze at the port.

Lt General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-In-Chief at Dubai Police went to the fire site and said the fire occurred on a cargo ship at dockside 14, Gulf News reported.

The ship was carrying 130 containers. Three containers contained flammable materials. There were no explosives inside it or radioactive materials Lt Gen Al Marri said.

An investigation is ongoing to determine the reason behind the fire.

Jebel Ali Port Authorities said they took all necessary measures to ensure the normal movement of ships in the port.

Operated by the Dubai-based DP World, the port can berth some of the world’s largest ships.

The port is not only a critical global cargo hub but a lifeline for Dubai and surrounding emirates.

DP World describes Jebel Ali Port as a gateway hub and a vital link in the global trade network that connects eastern and western markets. The company did not immediately issue any public statement on the blast.

Port Jebel Ali was constructed in the late 1970s to supplement the facilities at Port Rashid.

Dubai is the region’s trade, business and tourism hub. The city is also one of the safest cities in the world.

Four MPs from Karnataka find place in Union Cabinet

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Four MPs from Karnataka find place in Union Cabinet

Bengaluru: Tech entrepreneur Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Dalit leader A Narayanaswamy and Shobha Karandlaje,

Bidar MP Bhagwanth Khuba, all from Karnataka, Wednesday found place in the Union ministry.

RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR: Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a tech entrepreneur and a BJP Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, has worked on areas such as urban governance and armed forces issues.

Serving his third term in the Upper House, the 57-year-old son of a former Air Force officer, entered politics in 2006. In the previous two terms, he was an independent.

Chandrasekhar founded BPL Mobile in 1994. He, however, exited the cellular sector in 2005, with BPL valuing at USD 1.1 billion at the time. In 2005, he founded Jupiter Capital, an investment and financial services firm.

Jupiter Capital, which was established with an initial investment of USD100 million, today has investments and managed assets of over USD one billion ranging from technology to transportation, logistical services to hospitality and entertainment, sources close to him said.

Chandrasekhar served as the youngest President of industry chamber FICCI in 2008-09.

Born on May 31, 1964, he holds Bachelors in electrical engineering, and Masters in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Chicago. On completing Masters in 1986, he worked at Intel as Senior Design Engineer and a CPU architect on the “80486 and Pentium Microprocessors” till 1991.

Also a philanthropist, his “Flags of Honour Foundation” looks after the families of Armed Forces martyrs, and the “Namma Bengaluru Foundation” partners with city residents and works at grass-roots to highlight and improve the civic and administrative conditions of Bengaluru, according to sources.

Chandrasekhar had also approached the courts to intervene on behalf of citizens in the case of Sec 66A, Aadhaar privacy issues and voting rights for Armed Forces, they said.

A NARAYANASWAMY: A Narayanaswamy, a first time MP who was denied entry into a village in his constituency nearly two years ago as he was a Dalit, on Wednesday found a berth in the Union cabinet.

A Lok Sabha member from Chitradurga (SC) constituency, he belongs to the Madiga sect of Dalit community, and has served as MLA from Anekal segment for four times- 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2008.

Narayanaswamy had also served as the Chief Whip of the BJP Legislative Party in the Karnataka assembly in 1998 -1999, and was minister in the BJP government from 2010 to 2013.

As an MP, he is currently serving as a Member of the Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Standing Committee on Water Resources, and Consultative Committee, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

Narayanaswamy is considered close to BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santosh, and his induction is seen in some political quarters as part of the party’s strategy to further consolidate its “Dalit Left vote base”.

Born on 16 May, 1957 in Anekal, he is a BA graduate from Government Arts College, Bengaluru.

In a shocking incident of untouchability, he was prevented from entering Pemmanahalli village, a Gollarahatti (settlement of Golla/Yadavs), in Tumakuru district, which falls under his Lok Sabha constituency, in September 17, 2019 when he had gone there for some development-related work.

SHOBHA KARANDLAJE: An outspoken politician who does not mince words on issues she strongly feels about, Shobha Karandlaje, once considered as a close confidant of state BJP strongman and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, was a surprise pick in the Union cabinet expansion Wednesday.

A two-time Lok Sabha member from Udupi-Chikmagalur, she is also the state BJP vice president. With an RSS background, she has grown through the ranks.

Incidentally, Karandlaje is from the politically-influential Vokkaliga community in southern Karnataka, to which Sadananda Gowda who resigned from the union cabinet today, also belongs to.

As someone who had wielded a considerable amount of influence during the previous BJP rule under Yediyurappa, 54-year-old Karandlaje has by and large remained in her constituency in recent times, and there was an element of surprise in her induction.

Born on October 23, 1966 at Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district, her educational qualification includes M.A. (Sociology) and Master of Social Work. She is unmarried.

Karandlaje was MLC from 2004 – 2008, MLA from 2008 – 2013, and served as Minister for Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Power, and Food and Civil Supplies during the previous BJP government.

Under attack from dissident MLAs then, led by the mining baron Reddy brothers, for her being accorded “prominence” by chief minister Yediyurappa and her “interfering” with the functioning of other ministries, Karandlaje was forced to resign as minister in November 2009, as the dissidence threatened the stability of the then BJP government.

She was, however, inducted back into the cabinet by Yediyurappa in September, 2010.

Karandlaje followed her mentor when Yediyurappa quit the BJP and floated the KJP in 2012 and was appointed its working president. She had unsuccessfully contested the 2013 assembly election from Rajajinagar.

However, she along with Yediyurappa returned to BJP fold, and contested the 2014 parliamentary election from Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency as the party’s candidate and won.

Interestingly, unlike last time around, Karandlaje is not seen among the inner circles of Yediyurappa in the present government, amid reports about soured relationship between the two, and the chief minister’s younger son B Y Vijayendra’s growing influence.

She was quite vocal on issues such as religious extremism, ‘love jihad’, and alleged killing of Hindu activists.

Bidar MP Bhagwanth Khuba: Bhagwanth Khuba, a two time Lok Sabha member, hails from the politically dominant Lingayat community which the BJP considers as its key vote base in north Karnataka.

His induction into the Union ministry on Wednesday is being seen as a move to fill up Lingayat representation in the cabinet that had fallen vacant following the death of Suresh Angadi, due to COVID-19 in September last year, who was serving as Minister of State for Railways.

An engineering graduate, Khuba (54), was involved in a family business and had never fought an election before he entered the Lok Sabha in 2014, by defeating political giant from the region, Congress veteran and former Chief Minister late N Dharam Singh in Bidar segment.

He again won the seat in 2019, by defeating another Congress heavyweight in the region Eshwar B Khandre. The fight against the two Lingayat leaders in the community’s bastion was keenly watched.

Born on June 1, 1967 at Aurad in Bidar, he obtained B.E. (Mech.) from Sree Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumakuru.

He is currently a member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, and Consultative Committee, Ministry of Railways.

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