| | 5 THINGS FIRST | S Jaishankar to meet Chinese & Russian counterparts in Moscow; IAF to formally induct Rafale jets; PM Modi to launch flagship fisheries scheme; SC to resume loan moratorium hearing; Andhra Pradesh CET exams begin
| |
| | 1. Serum Institute gets notice for continuing vaccine trials |  | - India's central drug regulator on Wednesday issued a notice to Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), asking why the firm hadn't informed it about the "reported serious adverse events" that led its UK partner AstraZeneca to "temporarily pause" global clinical trials of the Oxford Covid vaccine candidate even as testing continues at 17 sites within the country.
- Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) VG Somani sought to know why permission granted for Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials should not be suspended till patient safety is established.
- The notice came even as SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said Phase 2 and 3 trials would continue uninterrupted across sites despite the global pause since Tuesday after a UK-based volunteer showed an unexplained neurological side-effect of the drug. "The vaccine is completely safe," Poonawalla told TOI. "As far as Indian trials are concerned, we have faced no issues at all."
- Late Wednesday, an SII statement said there was no explicit directive yet to pause trials. "If the DCGI has any safety concerns, we will follow the instructions and abide by the standard protocols."
- A total of 100 volunteers in India have already received the trial dose of the vaccine that, if certified safe, will be manufactured by SII. Nationwide, the trial involves 1,600 volunteers across the sites.
- Apart from the Oxford vaccine, India has at least two more options in the form of indigenous candidates by Bharat Biotech and Cadila Healthcare, both of which are in Phase 2 trials. India is also working on the Russian vaccine candidate.
Wednesday’s Count:- Cases: 97,399, new daily high record; Overall: 4.46 million+
- Deaths: 1,050; Overall: 74,953
- Active cases: 900,000+
| |
| | 2. Kangana’s bungalow: BMC razes, but then HC blazes |  | - Observing that the conduct of the Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation (BMC) was “highly deplorable”, the Bombay HC on Wednesday directed the municipal body to immediately stop the demolition of a portion of actor Kangana Ranaut’s upscale bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra (West).
- The HC bench of Justices SJ Kathawalla and Riyaz Chagla said: “Though the manner in which BMC proceeded to commence the demolition prima facie ... smacks of mala fide ... it was giving an opportunity to the corporation to explain its conduct on affidavit by 3pm on Thursday.”
- The order came at an urgent hearing within hours of a civic squad launching the demolition of the alleged illegal alterations — flattening portions of the rowhouse with heavy machinery.
- Ranaut, who reached Mumbai only late afternoon, had already approached the HC via her lawyer to prevent the demolition. She claimed it was “a fallout over the difference of opinion with certain influential people operating in the civic administration and the Maharashtra government”. She sought directions to quash the Shiv Sena-ruled BMC’s stop-work notice issued on Tuesday.
- The HC bench added: “It is clear that the unauthorised works have not come up overnight. However, all of a sudden, the corporation appears to have woken up from its slumber, issued notice to the petitioner ... when she is out of the state, directing her to respond within 24 hours, and not granting her any further time despite written request, and proceeding to demolish … on completion of 24 hours."
- The HC found fault with the BMC’s conduct, “more so” since it had filed a caveat expecting her petition.
| |
| | 3. SC stays Maratha quota law |  | - The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed a Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education and government jobs, but referred the matter on the validity of such a quota to a larger constitution bench. It said admissions already made under the Maratha quota in postgraduate medical courses will not be affected.
- The law: The Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018 granted 16% reservation for Marathas in state educational institutions and public employment. Since 2014, successive governments in Maharashtra have made various attempts to introduce reservation for the community.
- The trouble: The law, if implemented, would mean the total reserved quota for various groups exceeded the 50% ceiling the SC set in 1992 in the Indra Sawhney case. Despite that, the Bombay High Court upheld the law citing exceptional circumstances but reduced the quota to 12-13%.
- Note: The SC had recently referred to a constitution bench the petitions challenging the validity of 10% quota for economically weaker sections on the same ground.
| |
| | 4. Fewer children are dying in India, but still too many |  | The UN’s Levels & Trends in Child Mortality report for 2020 (download here) shows that while infant mortality in India declined to a third in the last three decades, 155 infants are still dying every 2 hours in India — the highest in the world. With an annual rate of reduction (ARR) of 4.5%, India’s under 5 mortality rate (U5MR) has declined by nearly four times, from 126.2 in 1990 to 34.3 in 2019. There has been a greater reduction in the mortality rate among girls compared with boys, with the result that their U5MR (number of deaths per 1,000 live births) is almost on a par with that of boys. | |
| | | 6. Three out of every 4 patents filed in India are by foreign firms |  | - At least 510,000 patent applications were filed in the country between 2005-06 and 2017-18, according to data compiled by the Department of Science and Technology as part of the latest Science & Technology Indicators released last month. And 76% of them were filed by “foreigners resident abroad” (as the government classifies them) and the rest by Indians.
- The highest? Among the patents filed by foreigners during the period, most were from the US, Japan and Germany — together accounting for more than 45%. In fact, the US, with nearly 140,000 patent applications, had a 27% share.
- Also: Most of the top 19 companies, which filed for patents between 2013-14 and 2017-18, were tech and telecom firms. And Qualcomm, the US semiconductor and telecom equipment firm, topped with 6,960 applications, followed by Dutch MNC Philips with 3,670.
- Silver lining: The number of Indian applicants is increasing. Between 2005-06 and 2009-10, 18% of patents were by Indians. This increased to 24% for the next five years and to over 30% for the three years thereafter.
| |
| | 7. And now, cheques roll in for Reliance Retail |  | - Private equity firm Silver Lake will invest Rs 7,500 crore ($1.02 billion) for a 1.75% stake in Reliance Retail Ventures (RRVL), according to an announcement by Reliance Industries (RIL) to the stock exchanges. This values RRVL at Rs 4.21 lakh crore (over $57 billion).
- This is Silver Lake’s second billion dollar investment with RIL. It had earlier invested $1.35 billion (Rs 9,940 crore) in two tranches in May and June in Jio Platforms. Silver Lake also invested in education technology startup Byju’s this year.
- RIL is also in talks with Facebook and private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts to pick up a stake in RRVL. (Both are already invested in Jio Platforms, with stakes of 9.99% and 2.32%, respectively.)
- RRVL, which recently acquired Kishore Biyani’s Future Retail for Rs 25,000 crore ($3.4 billion), plans to go public by 2024 and also plans to raise $5.7 billion (around Rs 42,000 crore) in pre-money valuation.
| |
| | 8. A surprise contender at the US Open |  | Little known before the tournament, 25-year-old Jennifer Brady beat Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-2 to reach her first Grand Slam semi-finals on Wednesday, in her 13th attempt. But Brady? - Seeded for the first time, the American has yet to drop a set.
- She defeated three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber en route to the semis.
- Brady, in fact, has been shaking things up. She won her first title at the Top Seed Open in Lexington in August, as the WTA tiptoed out of the pandemic-induced hiatus.
- And before that at the Australian Open in January, she had defeated world no.1 Ashleigh Barty.
But awaiting her in the semis is Naomi Osaka, the two-time major winner and a hot favourite at the US Open. Osaka beat Shelby Rogers 6-3, 6-4. Also making the semis: Serena Williams, who beat Tsvetana Pironkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. In the men’s singles, Pablo Carreno Busta beat Denis Shapovalov 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4), 0-6, 6-3 to make the semis. Next-up is fifth seed Alexander Zverev, who beat Borna Coric 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(1), 6-3. | |
| | 9. A ton for Ron! |  | Portuguese star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo became only the second men's player to score 100 international goals after Ali Daei, who scored 109 times for Iran. After 10 months of being stuck on 99, the 35 year-old reached the milestone just before half-time of Tuesday night's Nations League match against Sweden, slamming home a free-kick. He then netted his 101st, from outside the box in the 72nd minute, as Portugal sealed the win. Here’s the goals breakup by: - Anatomy: Right foot (55), head (24), left foot (22)
- Play: Open play (67), penalty (24), direct free kicks (10)
- Result: In wins (87), losses (6), draws (8)
And Daei’s record is sure to be smashed. That’s because: - Goals scored by Ronaldo before the age of 30 = 52 in 118 matches (0.44 per match)
- After turning 30 = 49 in 47 (1.04)
(Stats courtesy: ESPN Stats and Information Group) | |
| | | BEFORE YOU GO | | 10. #OscarsSoDiverse now |  | - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has come out with a new set of rules for the Best Picture Oscar category, intended to encourage diversity and equitable representation on screen and off, addressing gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and disability.
- And nominees need to meet two of the four broad representation ‘diversity’ categories: onscreen; among the crew; at the studio; and in opportunities for training and advancement in other aspects of the film’s development and release.
- For instance: For diversity in onscreen representation, at least one of the lead or significant supporting actors needs to be an Asian, Hispanic, Latino, Black, Native American, West Asian, North African, or any other underrepresented race or ethnicity. Full details here.
- The reforms only become mandatory starting with the 96th Academy Awards in 2024.
| |
| | Answer to NEWS IN CLUES | Donald Trump. Norwegian right wing MP Christian Tybring-Gjedde has nominated the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 for helping broker a deal between Israel and the UAE. It's the second time he has put forward the US president for the honour. | |
| Follow news that matters to you in real-time.
Join 3 crore news enthusiasts. | |
|
| Edited by: Judhajit Basu
Written by: Rakesh Rai, Sumil Sudhakaran, Tejeesh N.S. Behl; Research: Rajesh Sharma
| |
|
|
