Covid live news updates: Restrictions on scheduled international flights extended till July 31st, says DGCA

France likely to have fourth wave of COVID

France is likely to have a fourth wave of the COVID-19 virus, due to a resurgence of cases caused by the Delta variant first found in India, said the French government’s leading scientific adviser Professor Jean-François Delfraissy.

International scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis

International flights restrictions extended

Restrictions on scheduled international passenger flights to/from India extended till July 31st, 2021: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

Mixing AztraZeneca and Pfizer produces strong response

The findings, posted on The Lancet pre-print server on June 25, suggest all possible vaccination schedules involving the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield in India, and Pfizer preventive could potentially be used against COVID-19.

COVAXIN has now received Emergency Use Authorizations in 16 countries including, Brazil, India, Philippines, Iran, Mexico, etc. with EUA’s in process in 50 countries worldwide

– Bharat Biotech

The pricing of COVAXIN has been clearly established between $15-20 per dose for supplies to Governments outside India. The pricing for Brazil has also been indicated at $ 5 per dose

– Bharat Biotech

In the case of procurement of COVAXIN by Brazil, step-by-step approach was followed towards contracts and regulatory approvals during 8-month-long process. EUA received on 4 June ’21. As of Jun 29, we haven’t received any advance payments nor supplied vaccines to Brazil

– Bharat Biotech

World Bank approves 130 million USD to help Kenya

The lender said in a statement released on Monday that the financing will enable Kenya to procure more vaccines through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) initiative and the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facilities.

Negative RT PCR/Vax certificate mandatory

Negative RT-PCR certificate not older than 72 hours or vaccination certificate of at least one dose of COVID 19 vaccine compulsory for train passengers coming to Karnataka from Maharashtra: CPRO, South Western Railway

Two terrorists eliminated by security forces in Srinagar

Two terrorists were eliminated in a joint operation launched by security forces in Malhoora Parimpora area of Srinagar district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday night, said Indian Army’s Northern Command. The security forces also recovered two AK Rifles and other war-like stores.

SC asks Centre for guidelines

Supreme Court directs the Union of India to frame guidelines to pay ex-gratia compensation to the families of those who died due to COVID19

EC’s delimitation commission on J-K to meet today

The meeting would be chaired by Justice Ranjana Desai (Retd), Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and will be attended by Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Electoral Officer along with other officials of the poll panel.

No relief from searing heat for Delhi

With the monsoon keeping away from Delhi and nearby areas, another hot day is likely to trouble residents in the national capital on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. A heat wave is predicted during the day as the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 41 degrees Celsius, Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre, said.

Dilip Kumar admitted to hospital due to breathlessness

The 98-year-old screen icon — who was taken to the suburban Khar-based Hinduja Hospital, a non-COVID-19 facility — was admitted to the medical facility yesterday and is doing fine, they added.

Army’s ‘wall of kindness’ winning hearts in J&K’s Rajouri

Two open steel cupboards placed next to each other and packed with eatables, clothes, and shoes – the sight not only illustrates the Army’s mission to help those in need but has also won the hearts of the local residents.

India reports 45,951 new COVID19 cases

India reports 45k new cases

India reports 45,951 new cases in the last 24 hours, active caseload declines to 5,37,064; Recovery Rate increases to 96.92%

Ladakh records 16 new cases

Ladakh recorded 16 new cases of COVID-19, taking the overall tally to 20,038, officials said on Wednesday. Ladakh has registered 202 Covid-related deaths so far with the worst-hit Leh accounting for 144 fatalities followed by Kargil district (58), they said.

Eight held for anti-COVID vaccine campaign

Members of the group, which included two women, had distributed 2,000 pamphlets in the area around Sayaji Garden. They were appealing to people to not wear face masks. The group was arrested on Monday and under the Disaster Management Act and for criminal conspiracy.

Two drones spotted in Kaluchak and Kunjwani areas early morning hours today; details awaited

Laxmi Nagar market shut

Laxmi Nagar main market and surrounding markets like Mangal Bazaar, Vijay Chowk, Subhash Chowk, Jagatram Park, Guru Ramdas Nagar shut till 10pm of 5th July for not following COVID19 appropriate behaviour: District Magistrate, East Delhi

Uttarakhand CM and BJP leader Tirath Singh Rawat called to Delhi today by the party high command.

Biden selling big infrastructure deal

Biden traveled to La Crosse, Wisconsin, population 52,000, and toured its public transit center, highlighting projects _ including hybrid buses and road repair equipment _ that would receive additional funding from the infrastructure bill. He argued that the package, which is held together in large part by the promise of millions of new jobs, is a way for the United States to assert both the principles of democracy and the economic might that can come from dramatic investments in the country’s future.

Oil prices climb for second day after U.S. stockpiles fall

Oil prices on Wednesday extended the previous day’s small gains after an industry report showed U.S. crude stockpiles fell last week, overriding trader and investor concerns about transportation curbs in some countries as COVID-19 cases surge. Brent crude was 42 cents, or 0.6% at $75.16 a barrel by 0122 GMT, after edging higher on Tuesday. U.S. crude was up 53 cents, or 0.7% at $73.51 a barrel, having risen 0.1% in the previous session.

Fox News fined $1 million for sex harassment

As part of a settlement agreement announced Tuesday, Fox also agreed to mandate anti-harassment training for its New York-based staff and contributors and to temporarily drop a policy requiring people who allege misconduct to enter into binding arbitration.

Confusion surrounds vote count in NYC mayoral primary

As evening fell, New York City’s Board of Election withdrew data it had released earlier purporting to be a first round of results from the city’s new ranked choice voting system. That data had shown Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former police captain who would be the city’s second Black mayor, had lost much of his lead and was ahead of former sanitation commissioner Kathryn Garcia by fewer than 16,000 votes in the unofficial tally, a lead of about 2%.

Brazil to suspend Covaxin vaccine deal

The contract for the acquisition of the Covaxin vaccine was signed by the two sides in February for the import of 20 million doses of vaccine by Bharat Biotech. According to CNN, the vaccine doses were never sent to Brazil, as the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) denied import requests for the vaccine.

Death toll in Florida building collapse rises to 12

Another body was recovered on Tuesday from the ruins of a Florida condominium tower, the mayor said, raising the death toll in the collapse to at least 12 with 149 people still listed as missing. The latest casualty of the disaster, which could ultimately rank as the worst accidental building collapse in U.S. history, was not immediately identified by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava during an afternoon news conference.

Sitharaman, US’s Yellen discuss global minimum tax

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Treasury Secretary Janet L Yellen spoke over phone on Tuesday and discussed global minimum tax. “Yellen discussed that the US and India have a shared interest in implementing a robust global minimum tax,” said the Department of Treasury.

US House passes resolution urging Biden to help India

The bipartisan resolution, co-authored by Congressmen Brad Sherman and Steve Chabot that had 41 co-sponsors, recognised that when the US was in the midst of a devastating spike in Covid cases, India lifted its export ban on certain therapeutics in response to a request by the US government.

Top North Korean officials sacked after Covid-19 ‘grave incident’

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un replaced several senior officials after a “grave incident” in the country’s efforts to defend itself against the coronavirus pandemic, state media reported Wednesday. Pyongyang closed its borders in January last year to defend itself against the pandemic that first emerged in neighbouring China and has gone on to sweep the world.