Today we have two ICMR studies that reiterate the importance of vaccines. We know we have been harping on vaccination studies for a while, but 182 days into the vaccination drive, we have just around 8% fully vaccinated and 44% of adults getting one dose of vaccination (assuming 900 mn adults), and these have to increase. Also, there is a story behind these numbers.
Top News:
β‘οΈ SC tells UP to ensure no Kanwar Yatra, or else…
β‘οΈ Western Europe struggles with flooding with over 100 deaths
β‘οΈ Afghanistan president minces some words to Pakistan
β‘οΈ The US has moved against China with a business advisory
Check out some of Reuters photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, killed in Afghanistan by Taliban bullets, in The Indian Express, India Today
CORONAVIRUS NEWS
πMore jabs: The GoI has placed orders for 660mn doses of vaccine at a cost of Rs 14,505 crore that would be supplied till the end of the year. The govt has agreed to buy them at a higher price (Covishield at Rs 215 per dose and Covaxin at Rs 225 per dose) as the makers said that the current price of Rs 150 was too low.
π¦ Delta Dominant: The strain of the virus first reported in India has now become the dominant worldwide with over 100 countries reporting it.
ππ¦ Get vaccinated: An ICMR study has found that 1 in 10 people who got vaccinated later got the infection (thanks to Delta variant) and required hospitalisation. But importantly, none of them required ventilators or ICU treatment. The other study says that two doses are 95% successful in preventing deaths among high-risk patients.
“They’re (Facebook is) killing people. Look, the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated, and that β and theyβre killing people.”
US President Joe Biden on misinformation
INDIA NEWS
π¨π»ββοΈ Supreme Order: The apex court has warned the Uttar Pradesh govt that if it did not call off the Kanwar Yatra, then it will. It warns against even a “symbolic” Yatra.
π©ββοΈ Judge Us: A civilisation is judged by how they treat minorities and democracy mean the protection of minorities, said Uttarakhand high court while hearing a plea against the state government’s decision to ban slaughterhouses near Haridwar.
β Congress Turmoil: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh warned Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s that the party’s handling of the differences in the Punjab Congress could lead to a split in the party.
“There are many people who donβt belong to the Congress, but are very fearless in speaking the truth. Such people should be inducted into the party while those who are in the party but are scared to speak the truth should be ousted.”
Rahul Gandhi, Congress
π€ Mouthful of Venom: A Haryana high court has rejected the ‘Jamia shooter’ bail plea in a hate speech case pointing out that hate speech was more dangerous than the pandemic. The ‘Jamia shooter’ (he was a minor at the time of firing at anti-CAA protesters in Jamia, Delhi) was arrested for encouraging attacks on Muslims.
WORLD NEWS
π§οΈ Climate Crisis: Over a 1000 people are missing and over 100 are dead in flood-hit Germany and Belgium. Meteorologists say that the climate crisis shifted the atmosphere’s jet stream that has now started bringing in land the water that would have otherwise stayed at sea.
π¦π«π΅π° Blistering Attack: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani attacked Pakistan for failing to prevent terrorists from entering his country and not doing enough to influence the Taliban from taking over. Pakistan PM Imran Khan said it was unfair to blame his country.
πΊπΈππ° Not a Good Place: The US has issued an advisory to the business community that doing business in Hong Kong, where almost 280 companies have their regional HQs, could attract their (stringent) local laws and end up in arrests and surrendering data to the Chinese. Companies like FB, Twitter and Google had earlier threatened to quit over these laws.
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
π€ Just Dial Reliance: Reliance Industries Limited has bought Just Dial for Rs 5000 crore. Just Dial brings with it a cache of listings, including local vendors.
β½ Oils too High: The govt has called on Opec countries and conveyed concerns over increasing fuel prices.
π± New Crown Prince: Xiaomi has beaten Apple to the #2 spot on sale of smartphones. Samsung remains #1
In Memoriam
Actor Surekha Sikri 
Journalist Danish Siddiqui
Disclaimer: All pics, unless otherwise credited, are from Wikimedia Commons
News Of Today 