No Nod for Covaxin Yet as WHO Seeks More Data, Final Assessment Likely on November 3
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday once again postponed granting approval to India’s indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, seeking more technical details to conduct a final ‘risk-benefit assessment’. The global body — which was reviewing data on India’s Covaxin shot against Covid-19 to grant Emergency Use Listing (EUL) — has sought additional information from Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech to conduct a final “risk-benefit assessment” for approving the vaccine for global use. The organisation expects to receive the information by the “end of this week” and plans to conduct the final assessment on November 3.
EXCLUSIVE | Govt May Get Floor Space Like 2 Rashtrapati Bhavans in Ongoing Office Clean-up
Nearly double the floor area of the Rashtrapati Bhavan could be freed up in terms of space in central government offices by the end of this month as part of the big October clean-up ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, details learnt by News18 show. As of date, nearly 3.18 lakh square feet of space has been freed in government offices by weeding out about 7.3 lakh files in a mega drive that started on October 2. The floor area of the Rashtrapati Bhavan is about 2 lakh square feet. “A total of 9,31,442 government files have been identified for weeding out by the end of this month. 78% of the job is done. Work is on a war-scale,” a senior official in the government told News18.
With Growing National Ambitions, TMC and AAP are Taking Different Routes to the Same Goal
In any game or contest, perception plays a very important role. Particularly in a political matchup, perception builds up public support. Therefore, perception is very important for political parties everywhere. India has a multi-party system and there are numerous outfits, but only a few have national status. Two parties apart from the Congress have been fast gaining momentum in recent days to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre. These two outfits are the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC). AAP emerged out of the anti-corruption movement led by activist Anna Hazare in 2012 with the stated aim of cleaning up society.
BCCI Comes Out in Full Support of Mohammed Shami: ‘Proud, Strong, Upwards & Onwards’
The BCCI has come out in support of India pacer Mohammed Shami who has been targeted by social media trolls since the day India lost to Pakistan by ten wickets in T20 World Cup 2021 Group 1 match on Sunday. Shami bore the brunt of Pak batting, giving away 43 runs in 3.5 overs on the field. Of it, he was taken to task by troll accounts on twitter who held him responsible for India’s loss. Some even questioned his loyalty to the nation. Following the hullabaloo, a lot of cricketers like Virender Sehwag, Aakash Chopra came out with their support for the cricketer.
Centre Flags Kolkata As ‘District of Concern’ Amid Covid Spike Post Durga Puja; Orders Review
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, on Tuesday, expressed concerns over rising coronavirus cases and deaths registered in the state over the last 30 days to his West Bengal counterpart Narayan Swaroop Nigam. Bhushan flagged Kolkata as one of the primary districts of concern, where the daily average caseload and weekly positivity rate has been increasing in the last few weeks. This comes a day after Nigam told News18 that there is indeed an increase and all necessary steps are being taken to keep the virus from spreading further. “We have set up various safe homes and announced containment zones at various places where we have noticed that the cases are on a higher side,” he said.
Indian-origin Anita Anand is Canada’s New Defence Minister as PM Trudeau Reshuffles Cabinet
Indian-origin Canadian politician Anita Anand was on Tuesday appointed as the country’s new Defence Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, over a month after his Liberal Party returned power in the snap polls and amid calls for major military reforms. Anand, 54, will replace long-time defence minister Indian-origin Harjit Sajjan, whose handling of the military sexual misconduct crisis has been under criticism. Sajjan has been appointed as Minister of International Development Agency, a report in the National Post newspaper said. The new Cabinet maintains gender balance and has 38 members, up one person from before the election, it said.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram.
Source: News18