Covid LIVE: Biden administration to start booster drive from Sep 20

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5:39 PM

Tamil Nadu allows re-opening of schools for classes 9th to 12th from Sept 1

5:16 PM

Russia's Sputnik Light Covid vaccine shows 93.5% efficacy in Paraguay

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) on Wednesday announced the data from Paraguay regarding the one-shot Russian Sputnik Light vaccine demonstrating high safety profile and a 93.5 per cent efficacy, ANI reported.

 

An official release stated that the one-shot Sputnik Light vaccine has proven to be highly effective against COVID among more than 320,000 subjects who had received the vaccine based on the data collected by July 30, 2021.

5:14 PM

Over 20 million vaccine doses administered in Odisha

4:51 PM

Odisha logs 993 new cases, 65 more deaths

Odisha on Wednesday reported 993 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 9,97,146, while 65 more fatalities pushed the toll to 7,086, PTI reported citing a health official.

 

Amid concerns that the third wave of the pandemic might have a bigger impact on children, the department pointed out that 138 of the 993 new patients belong to the age bracket of 0 to 18 years.

 

The rate of infection among children and adolescents stood at 13.33 per cent on Tuesday, up from 11.98 per cent the day before, the official said.

4:50 PM

Elephant owners in Jaipur village face financial issues

Elephant owners in Hathi Gaon of Jaipur say that they have been facing severe financial issues due to the Covid-19 pandemic and even mortgaged jewellery to feed tuskers, ANI reported.

This village is home to around 86 elephants and their owners. Though elephant rides have been allowed after relaxations made in Covid protocols, it still is not enough to help them recover their losses.


The work has stopped, putting a burden on elephant owners.

4:19 PM

Jammu Chamber of Commerce demands special relief package for COVID-19-hit sectors

Asserting that COVID-19 has badly hit tourism, transport and trade sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) on Wednesday demanded a special relief package for these sectors, PTI reported.

The Chamber also advocated continuation of the bi-annual 'Darbar move', an age-old practice under which the J&K government functions six months each in the twin capital cities.

4:02 PM

NMEO-OP: Govt more than doubles assistance to Rs 29,000 per ha to oil palm growers

3:52 PM

Union Cabinet approves National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm

3:48 PM

Cabinet approves National Mission on Edible Oils

National Mission on Edible Oils has been approved by the Cabinet in order to move India towards self-reliance in edible oils, says Agri Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. Cabinet also approved a North Eastern revival package to aid farmers from the northeast in post-harvest infrastructure and training in processing, value addition, bee-keeping, bamboo plantations and geographical indicator registrations, says Tomar.

 

3:40 PM

Maha: Four persons booked for alleged violation of Covid norms during BJP's Jan Ashirwad Yatra

3:19 PM

People worried BJP's Jan Ashirwad Yatra might stoke third wave: Sanjay Raut

3:02 PM

Pope Francis urges everyone to get Covid-19 vaccines for the good of all

Pope Francis issued an appeal on Wednesday urging people to get inoculated against COVID-19, saying the vaccines could bring an end to the pandemic, but needed to be taken by everyone, Reuters reported.

"Thanks to God's grace and to the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19," the pope said in a video message made on behalf of the nonprofit U.S. group the Ad Council and the public health coalition COVID Collaborative.

2:37 PM

Japan: PM Suga urges country's largest business lobby to promote 'telework'

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday urged Japan Business Federation to switch to telework or 'work from home' to reduce the number of commuters in the city amid an increase in the number of Coronavirus in the country, ANI reported.

 

Japan Business Federation also known as Keidanren is the largest business lobby in the country, Kyodo News reported.

2:16 PM

How Pfizer Covid vax cuts risk of Delta infection

Despite causing a surge in infections that has resulted in thousands of hospitalisations and deaths, the Delta variant of Covid-19 is not particularly good at evading the antibodies generated by the Pfizer vaccine, according to a study, IANS reported.

The findings, published in the journal Immunity, help explain why vaccinated people have largely escaped the worst of the delta surge.

Researchers at Washington University in the US extracted antibody-producing cells from three people who had received the Pfizer vaccine. They grew the cells in the laboratory and obtained from them a set of 13 antibodies that target the original strain that began circulating last year.

1:53 PM

BCCI clarifies participation limit of U-19 players on account of Covid

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided not to take into account the 2020-21 domestic season while deciding on the participation limit for players in the U-19 tournaments for the upcoming 2021-22 season on account of Covid-19, ANI reported.

As per new BCCI rules issued on August 3, 2020, there is a cap on the number of under-19 participations for a player. But the board has decided to make an exception this season as U-19 games were not conducted during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.