Author: Aditi Gautam

Air India waives penalties for rescheduling bookings for UK, Oman, Saudi Arabia

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Air India on Tuesday waived penalties for one-time rescheduling, cancellation or re-routing of tickets for the UK, Oman and Saudi Arabia between December 22-31.

“In view of GoI directive on suspension of flights to UK, from 22nd-31st Dec’20, Oman & Saudi Arabia both from 22nd-29th Dec ’20, Air India is offering passengers booked to travel during the period one-time free reschedule for travel completed within 31st Dec ’21,” the National carrier tweeted.

#FlyAI : In view of GoI directive on suspension of flights to UK, from 22nd-31st Dec’20, Oman & Saudi Arabia both from 22nd-29th Dec ’20, Air India is offering passengers booked to travel during the period one-time free reschedule for travel completed within 31st Dec ’21. (1/2)

— Air India (@airindiain) December 22, 2020

The decision comes after the government suspended all flights to the UK, Oman and Saudi Arabia in view of the emergence of new coronavirus strain in the UK.

Earlier today, the Centre issued a fresh set of guidelines for passengers arriving from the UK in order to contain the spread of new Covid-19 variant.

According to the new guidelines, passengers coming from the UK will have to undergo RT-PCR test on arrival and if found positive, they will be isolated in a separate unit of an institutional facility.

“All international travellers will be required to declare a travel history for the past 14 days and fill up the self-declaration form to be screened for COVID-19,” the guidelines said.

Meanwhile, the government has maintained that the new ‘fast-spreading’ strain of Covid-19 has not been seen in India so far.

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Prachanda-led CPN removes Nepal’s PM Oli from party’s chairman post

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Central Committee meeting of Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’-led faction of the ruling Nepal Communist Party on Tuesday removed Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli from the post of chairman, hours after the embattled premier announced a new 1,199-member committee to organise the party’s general convention in an effort to strengthen his hold on it.

The Central Committee meeting of the Prachanda-led faction unanimously nominated senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal as the party’s second chairman. Prachanda is the first chairman of the party.

“Now Dahal and Nepal will chair the meetings in turn as stated in the party statue,” said Rekha Sharma, a central committee member. “Oli has been expelled as the party chair for going against the party,” Sharma was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.

Prachanda-led CPN removes Nepal’s PM Oli from party’s chairman post

Earlier in the day, the warring factions of the party held separate Central Committee meetings. Oli, one of the two chairmen of the ruling party, announced the new committee during a meeting of the party’s Central Committee members close to him at Baluwatar, the prime minister’s official residence.

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No breakthrough in sight as protesting farmers defer decision on Centre’s offer for fresh talks

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Two days after the government wrote to farmers urging them to finalise a date for next round of talks, protesting farmers on Tuesday said that a decision on Centre’s offer for fresh talks will be taken on Wednesday.

Farmer leader Kulwant Singh Sandhu said that a meeting of farmer leaders from across India would be held on Wednesday.

“This is not a step forward by the govt but a way to trick farmers. A normal person would think that farmers are stubborn but the fact is that we don’t seek amendments in farm laws, we want them to be completely shunned” said Sarwan Singh Pandher, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee.

Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said he was hopeful that protesting farmers will soon decide and resume talks with the government for a solution.

“The government has had many rounds of talks with farmer unions and is willing to continue the dialogue on contentious issues, clause by clause, with an open mind,” an official statement said.

On Sunday, the Agriculture Ministry wrote a letter to farmer unions to choose a convenient date for the next round of talks so that the ongoing agitation could end at the earliest. It also asked them to specify their concerns over the government’s proposal for amendments in the new farm laws.

Several farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting at Delhi border points. The protest entered day 27 on Tuesday amid efforts by unions to gather support from other states as well. Protesting farmers have maintained that they won’t end the agitation until the government withdraws the farm laws.

Several rounds of talks between the government and farmer unions have failed to break the deadlock between the two sides.

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UK scientists probe new coronavirus variant’s spread in children

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Scientists in the UK are investigating the impact of a new mutant variant of coronavirus, named VUI-202012/01, on children and whether its faster transmission in parts of England is down to the younger segment of the population.

The government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) is monitoring the data to analyse this arc of the variant, which has led over 40 countries, including India, to suspend travel to and from the UK in order to try and contain the more infectious mutation. Earlier strains of coronavirus found it harder to infect children than adults, with one explanation being that children have fewer of the doorways called the ACE2 receptor the virus uses to enter a human body’s cells.

Professor Wendy Barclay, from Nervtag and Imperial College London, said the mutations to the virus appeared to be making it easier to breach those doorways. “Therefore children are equally susceptible, perhaps, to this virus as adults, and therefore given their mixing patterns, you would expect to see more children being infected,” she explained.

Experts do not believe that the new version is any greater threat to children’s health and the scientist behind the world’s first approved vaccine against COVID-19 has said the Pfizer/BioNTech jabs will work against the strain, though further investigation remains underway. “The likelihood that our vaccine works is relatively high,” said Ugur Sahin, chief executive of the German co-developer of the vaccine BioNTech.

Speaking on Bild TV’ in Germany, Sahin said his company would investigate the mutation in the coming days and that he viewed the matter with a degree of soberness. His message of some confidence comes as the UK reached the half a million milestone for vaccinations of the jabs, delivered to the elderly and most vulnerable sections of the country’s population.

“I can today announce that over half a million people, more than 500,000 people in the UK, have now received their first dose,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced at a 10 Downing Street briefing on Monday evening. “I find that a reason for hope and for confidence,” he said.

His address came as nearly 1,500 lorries piled up on the borders as France sealed off the UK amid fears of the new rapid spreading variant. Government ministers have been working to get the block lifted, with mass testing of the drivers being one option in order for the flow of goods to resume and truckers able to get back home in time for Christmas. “Testing of some sort is part of the discussions that the transport secretary is having with his counterpart in France right now,” UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said.

“Getting those tests up and running can happen pretty quickly, but in terms of the details of that, that is something both the transport secretary and his counterpart will be discussing,” she said. From initial reports of the new variant being more confined to London and southern parts of England, the government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, has now confirmed that it is to be found “everywhere”. This would mean that a more nationwide stay-at-home lockdown might be on its way to add to the millions already under the Tier 4 level of the most stringent curbs and shutdown of businesses and activity.

Scotland Yard issued a statement urging the public to comply with the measures, which ban different households from mixing to try and curb the rapid spread of the deadly virus. “Our message is clear. Anyone who thinks the rules are there to be broken, ignored, or do not apply to them is very mistaken. The rules are that you should stay at home. It is for your safety, the safety of your family and friends, and the safety of your communities, said Commander Alex Murray, the Metropolitan Police lead for COVID.

The police forces across the UK have the authority to impose hefty fines for breaches of the rules and the most egregious cases can also lead to arrest. The warnings come as the UK registered a daily infections total of 33,364 on Monday, with the death rate from COVID-19 mounting to 67,616.

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So far, new coronavirus strain not seen in India: Government

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The government on Tuesday said that the new ‘fast-spreading’ strain of Covid-19 has not been seen in India so far.

Addressing a press conference, Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, assured citizens that there is no need to panic, but it is a cause to be more vigilant.

“The new strain of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom has increased transmissibility. This mutation is not affecting the severity of the disease. Case fatality is not affected by this mutation,” he said.

“There is no change in treatment guidelines due to this mutation and the vaccines that are being developed, particularly those in the country, will not be impacted,” Paul added.

Meanwhile, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said there has been a sustained decline in Covid-19 cases in India since mid-September.

Earlier today, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a new set of guidelines for the travellers arriving from the UK.

This came after several flyers from the UK tested positive for Covid-19 on their arrival.

On Monday, the government banned all the flights originating from the UK to India till December 31 to contain the spread of new variant of Covid-19.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Deaths and illness due to air pollution caused 1.4% GDP loss in 2019: Study

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As many as 1.67 million people died in 2019 because of diseases caused by air pollution, accounting for 17.8 per cent of the total deaths in the country, says a new study published in the medical journal Lancet.

According to The India State-level Disease Burden Initiative (ISLDBI) findings on the health and economic impact of air pollution, the economic loss due to lost output from premature deaths and diseases attributable to air pollution was nearly 1.4 per cent of the GDP in 2019, which amounts to $36.8 billion.

“The economic loss due to lost output from premature deaths attributable to air pollution in India in 2019 was $28.8 billion and from morbidity attributable to air pollution was $8.0 billion,” the study suggested.

According to the findings, the economic loss due to air pollution as a percentage of the state GDP was higher in the northern and central India states, with the highest in Uttar Pradesh (2.2 per cent of GDP) and Bihar (2 per cent of GDP).

The finding s further stated that death rate due to household pollution decreased by 64.2 per cent from 1990-2019 whereas the death rate due to outdoor ambient particulate matter pollution increased by 115 per cent during the same period and that due to ambient ozone pollution increased by 139.2 per cent.

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China says will take countermeasures in response to US visa bans

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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China will take countermeasures against those responsible for hurting the Chinese side, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, in response to additional US visa bans on Chinese officials.

The US has used visas as a weapon against China, this has severely interfered in China’s internal affairs, the ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press briefing.

The United States on Monday imposed additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses, taking further action against Beijing in the final month of US President Donald Trump’s term.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Six passengers on London-Delhi flight test positive for COVID-19

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Six passengers travelling on Air India’s London-Delhi flight tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

The flight landed around 11.30 pm on Monday.

“Five passengers were found COVID-positive at the Delhi airport. One passenger, who took a connecting flight to Chennai, was tested there and found positive,” the official said.

The government on Monday said all UK-India flights will be suspended from December 23 to December 31 in view of the emergence of new strain of coronavirus in that country.

It also said all passengers coming from UK on Monday and Tuesday would be compulsorily tested for coronavirus on arrival at airports.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

We must not forget power of diversity: PM Narendra Modi at AMU event

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the centenary celebrations of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) via video conferencing.

Calling University a ‘mini India’, the Prime Minister lauded heritage of AMU, saying, “Wherever in the world they go, AMU alumni represent the rich heritage & culture of India. In its 100 years of history, AMU has crafted & polished millions of lives, giving them modern & scientific thinking & inspiring them to do something for the society & the nation,”

He asserted that it’s important to not forget this power of diversity, nor let it get weakened.

“The diversity which we see here is not only the strength of this university but also of the entire nation.  We should work together to ensure that spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ grows stronger day by day in the campus of Aligarh Muslim University,” he added.

Prime Minister said the nation is on a path where everyone can be assured of their constitutional rights and their future. He said that government schemes are being implemented to benefit all sections of the society ‘without any discrimination’.

PM Modi also released a stamp at the event.

PM Modi noted that the dropout rate of Muslim girl students has reduced in the past few years. He said that government is committed to the education of Muslim women & their empowerment.

The Prime Minister also lauded AMU for helping the society during Covid-19 pandemic.

“Conducting free tests, making isolation wards, creating plasma banks & contributing to PM Cares Fund, all this shows the seriousness of fulfilling your obligations towards society,” he said.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Regulator clears way for use of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Europe

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Europe’s medicines regulator on Monday approved the use of the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by US company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, putting Europe on course to start inoculations within a week.

European Union countries including Germany, France, Austria and Italy have said they plan to start vaccinations from December 27 as Europe tries to catch up with the United States and Britain, where inoculations began earlier this month.

Having gained the green light from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the final step is approval by the European Commission, which is expected later on Monday.

“Now we will act fast. I expect a European Commission decision by this evening,” Commission head Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.

Von der Leyen had already targeted the start of vaccinations over the December  27-29 period.

Preparations for the vaccine rollout come as the identification of a highly infectious new strain of the coronavirus in Britain caused chaos across the region, with countries shutting off travel ties with the UK and disrupting trade ahead of the Christmas holiday.

EMA officials told a news briefing that it was highly likely the vaccine would work against the new variant of the coronavirus.

VACCINATION DRIVE

The pandemic has killed about 470,000 Europeans and is picking up pace in the winter months, crushing economies in the process. Many governments have imposed tighter restrictions on households to try to curb the second wave of infections and avoid overwhelming healthcare systems.

Student medics, retired doctors, pharmacists and soldiers are being drafted into a European vaccination campaign of unprecedented scale.

A phased-in approach means frontline healthcare workers and elderly residents of care homes are being prioritised, with most national schemes not reaching the general public until the end of the first quarter of 2021 at the earliest.

The goal of the 27-member EU is to reach coverage of 70% of its 450 million people.

The drugs regulator in Switzerland on Saturday authorised the vaccine for use in people aged over 16.

The EMA had started a rolling review of preliminary data from Pfizer trials on October 6 in an effort to speed an approval process that usually takes at least seven months.

The EMA clearance, initially granted as conditional marketing approval (CMA), is valid for one year and can be renewed annually. It can be converted into a standard marketing authorisation after further data checks. This would be valid for five years but can be renewed for unlimited validity.

The process took longer than the ultra-fast emergency authorisation given by Britain, the first western country to endorse a COVID-19 shot.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow