We start off with some good news: Two studies suggest that immunity to Covid could last a year, even a lifetime, with vaccination. It is not just the Indian govt but even the EU is tightening rules around social media. We have some “yay!” news and some “oh no” news under the environment section. Check it out!
CORONAVIRUS NEWS
💉🦠 Get Jab: Growing body of research suggests 2 two studies’ conclusion on immunity is true, says independent scientist. Memory B-cells that go into our bone marrow after an infection and keep producing low quantity antibodies. While those who recovered may not need a “booster” every year, those who were not infected or did not show strong immune response may.
✍🏽 Postponed: JEE(Advanced)
😡 Enough is Enough: IMA demands sedition case against Ramdev for claiming that 10K doctors died despite taking two doses of the vaccine.
🤦♂️ Mixing: A centre in Uttar Pradesh gave two separate shots – Covishield and Covaxin – to at least 20 people.
💉 Vaccines: Pfizer notes that its jab has done well among people of Indian origin in the UK and so should be granted approval. SII has begun producing Covovax, a protein-based vaccine of US company Novovax.
🔎🦠 Natural or not: Biden orders US intelligence report on virus origin in 90 days. Earlier reports were not thorough, WHO had said. China accuses the US of spreading misinformation. Most scientists say it is most likely a spillover from animals to humans, but “not 100%” confident.
😻 Me-ow!: Russia has started vaccinating cats with a “world’s first” animal-specific vaccine called Carnivak-Cov. Apes, dogs and minks to be given jab.
🙏 Dead: Freedom fighter Harohalli Srinivasaiah Doreswamy (102), four-time Assam MLA Majendra Narzary (68).
🚷 Lockdown: Tripura curfew till June 5.
INDIA NEWS
🌀 Cyclone Yaas: Although less severe than IMD anticipated, it caused extensive damage in Odisha and Bengal. 2 mn people evacuated in five states.
💎 Choksi Found: Day after he was reported missing from Antigua, diamantaire Mehul Choksi was found and arrested from another Carribean island, Dominica.
👩💻 IT Rules: Govt says WhatsApp’s move to approach court was a clear act of defiance and that right to privacy was not absolute. It has asked all social media companies to show compliance.
☝️ Rumblings: Disenchantment with the Yediyurappa government is growing within the Karnataka BJP and several leaders expect a leadership change.
WORLD NEWS
🤵🏼♂️ Prime, Amazon Prime: Amazon buys Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) studios for $8.45bn. With this, Amazon has access to 4K films, including James Bond.
🧐 In Soup: British PM Boris Johnson’s adviser confirmed to parliament committee that he had heard Johnson say, “let the bodies pile high when discussing whether Britain should go into lockdown last year.
🔥 Fire on Water: Singaporean vessel carrying chemicals caught fire off the coast of Sri Lanka six days ago. No lives lost.
🇪🇺 EU’s Rules: Bloc proposes that social media companies would need to show why posts were circulated and prove that false info was blocked. Next, a law that could fine firms upto 6% of their annual revenue if they fail to remove content.
“Someone had to be first.”
Commodore Jude Terry, will take up post of rear admiral in August 2022.
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe’s Rebuke: Zimbabweans are angry at the govt opting to unveil the statue of anti-colonialism heroine Mbuya Nehanda at a time when country is going through economic distress.
🚕 Uber Cool: Cab hailing app has agreed to allow workers to unionise after years of criticism that the company did not pay heed to low wages and sick pay. It had earlier claimed that its drivers were “freelancers”.
🤳 Hide Likes: Instagram’s new feature allows users to “hide” the number of likes they get for a post.
ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE & TECH
🥵 Getting Hot in Here: World Meteorological Organization study finds that world may cross the 1.5C limit rise in temperature from pre-industrial era at least once in the coming five years. The subsequent years may seem some cooling due to natural variations but “time is running out”.
🐢 Lost and Found: Giant tortoise species thought to have been extinct for at least 100 years found on the Galapagos islands.
⛽ Cut it, Shell: Dutch court orders energy major Shell to cut emissions by 45% from 2019 levels by 2030. Shell had a goal to cut it by 20% from 2016 levels by that year. But the court said it was full of conditions. Shell to appeal. Meanwhile, two such companies faced reversals in their shareholder meetings: ExxonMobil lost two seats on its board to green activists, while 61% Chevron shareholders voted for more cuts in emissions.
🌳 Life in Plastic: Amazon shareholders are going to vote on a proposal demanding the company to disclose how much of its plastic is discarded into the environment. Last year, a group claimed it was so large that it could circle the Earth 500 times. Amazon disputes this. Earlier, 81% of shareholders of chemical company DuPont required it to be more transparent on plastic waste.
🪙 New Kid, More Space: New cryptocurrency Chia is said to be behind hard disk shortage. Chia does not require computing power (that contributes to emissions) , to mine it but requires space on hard disk. Iran, meanwhile, bans crypto mining in summer.
News Of Today 