Author Archives: Arun Kumar N

About Arun Kumar N

Arun has been associated with India International Times since 2018 and he has been a key reporter in covering science and space related stories. He can be reached at arunKnn@indiainternationaltimes.com.

India Relaxes Covid-19 travel restrictions on Visa holders to travel

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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the gradual relaxation of visa rules for more categories of foreign nationals and Indian nationals who wish to enter or leave India with immediate effect with their existing visas except electronic visa, tourist visa and medical visa.

Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can now apply for a medical visa, including for their medical attendants and foreign nationals can come to India for various purposes such as business, conferences, employment, studies, research and medical purposes.

“Therefore, this decision will enable foreign nationals to come to India for various purposes such as business, conferences, employment, studies, research, medical purposes etc.,” said the ministry in a statement. The decision will ease the sectors affected due to pandemic as restrictions were imposed on the visit of foreigners.

In view of the situation arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry had taken a series of steps to curtail the inward and outward movement of international passengers since February this year. Therefore, the MHA — a nodal Ministry which has the authority to give visa and foreign travel approvals — has now decided to permit all Overseas Citizenship Of India (OCI) and Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a tourist visa to enter by air or water routes through authorised airports and seaport immigration check posts.

The relaxation includes flights operated under the Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. All such travellers will have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHF) regarding quarantine and other health and Covid-19 matters.

If the validity of such visas has expired, fresh visas of appropriate categories can be obtained from the Indian Missions or Posts concerned, the Ministry said.

Manmohan Singh Turns 88 and India turns to him with awe and admiration

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When Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted his predecessor Dr Manmohan Singh on his birthday on Sept 26, 2020, the Twitterati woke up to the need of the hour for an academic who changed the course of battered Indian economy from socialism to market-driven economy, albeit, gradually.

No wonder, #HappyBirthdayDrMMSingh trended on Twitter for about 15 hours, with over 150,000 tweets and the hashtag topped the chart as the economist turned 88. Reminiscent of what he said just ahead of the run-up to the 2014 general election, the praise for him was universal without any political undercurrents. “I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media, or for that matter, the Opposition parties in Parliament,” said Dr Manmohan Singh in January 2014.

Ironic but the country failed to see his selfless achievements for the country in a silent but graceful manner that rivals only a few prime ministers in history. Despite the brouhaha around his birthday online, he himself spent the day mourning the passing of Isher Judge Ahluwalia, an economist, author and wife of Montek Singh Ahluwalia who had helped him during his term as the former finance minister  to initiate reforms that changed India forever.

Japan’s recognition

Soon after serving as finance minister, the coalition governments followed and he was pushed to sidelines. But not for some nations which have seen the mettle in such men of great vision and recognised them even when they were not in public glare.

Japan in 1997 conferred upon him the Nikkei Asia Prize meant for regional growth. Not many bothered why Japan woke up to honour him when he was Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha. But, Japan saw the future potential Prime Ministerial candidate in him that many failed to recognise in his own country. It came true seven years later in 2004 when he was chosen as Prime Minister.

Late Realisation

Here are some tweets which speak for themselves to depict his term in comparison to those before and after him:

  • “Those were the days when the Prime Minister focused on work, not on camera.”
  • “Happy birthday to a Prime Minister who gave 10.8% GDP growth, faced press conferences and knew the spelling of strength.”
  • “He spoke less but not lies.”
  • “He showed us the difference between talk and work.”
  • “The tragedy is you don’t know the value of a Dr Manmohan Singh until you get a Narendra Modi,”

Finally, Rahul Gandhi summed it up when he tweeted: “India feels the absence of a PM with the depth of Dr Manmohan Singh. His honesty, decency and dedication are a source of inspiration for us all. ”

His associate in the Congress and former finance minister P. Chidambaram even advocated the Bharat Ratna for Manmohan Singh but the truth is that he is above all those honours and awards. His commitment to work and bring change is what we need. And hopefully, Japan may recognise such personality again.

World Food Programme gets 2020 Nobel Prize for Peace

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The World Food Programme, the world’s largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger and promoting food security, was awarded 2020 Nobel Prize for Peace.

In 2019, the WFP provided assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 countries who are victims of acute food insecurity and hunger. In 2015, eradicating hunger was adopted as one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The WFP is the UN’s primary instrument for realising this goal. In recent years, the situation has taken a negative turn. In 2019, 135 million people suffered from acute hunger, the highest number in many years. Most of the increase was caused by war and armed conflict.

The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a strong upsurge in the number of victims of hunger in the world. In countries such as Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan and Burkina Faso, the combination of violent conflict and the pandemic has led to a dramatic rise in the number of people living on the brink of starvation. In the face of the pandemic, the World Food Programme has demonstrated an impressive ability to intensify its efforts. As the organisation itself has stated, “Until the day we have a medical vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos.”

“We will never achieve the goal of zero hunger unless we also put an end to war and armed conflict,” said the citation. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it wishes to emphasize that providing assistance to increase food security not only prevents hunger, but can also help to improve prospects for stability and peace.

The World Food Programme has taken the lead in combining humanitarian work with peace efforts through pioneering projects in South America, Africa and Asia. The World Food Programme was an active participant in the diplomatic process that culminated in May 2018 in the UN Security Council’s unanimous adoption of Resolution 2417, which for the first time explicitly addressed the link between conflict and hunger.

The Security Council also underscored UN Member States’ obligation to help ensure that food assistance reaches those in need, and condemned the use of starvation as a method of warfare.

With this year’s award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to turn the eyes of the world towards the millions of people who suffer from or face the threat of hunger. The World Food Programme plays a key role in multilateral cooperation on making food security an instrument of peace, and has made a strong contribution towards mobilising UN Member States to combat the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.

The organisation contributes daily to advancing the fraternity of nations referred to in Alfred Nobel’s will. As the UN’s largest specialised agency, the World Food Programme is a modern version of the peace congresses that the Nobel Peace Prize is intended to promote.

The work of the World Food Programme to the benefit of humankind is an endeavour that all the nations of the world should be able to endorse and support.

Trump Down With Coronvirus: Surprising Similarities with Spanish Flu Startle Many

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US President Donald Trump is diagnosed with Coronavirus just a month before the US Presidential election denting his chances further to an easy win. Similar to the Spanish Flu that had wreaked havoc from 1918 to 1920 in the US, the startling political developments have raised many eye brows to the fact that history repeats itself.

What Happened 100 Years Ago

In 1919, then US President Woodrow Wilson was affected by the global pandemic Spanish flu and more than 675,000 Americans died from the contagious disease.

Even in 1918, Wilson’s personal secretary was affected by the influenza, along with his eldest daughter, while many Secret Service members also caught the virus, including sheep grazing on the White House lawn.

Woodrow Wilson was a victim of the Spanish fluin 1920 while Donald Trump is facing similar fate now in 2020

Woodrow Wilson was in France for the Paris Peace Conference negotiating with the French at the end of World War I and after flu, he reportedly “yielded to several French demands that he had previously said were nonnegotiable.”

Wilson fell ill on April 3, 1919 and according to A. Scott Berg’s 2013 biography, “Wilson,” the president excused himself from a meeting with the Council of Four and returned to his room. His doctor, Cary T. Grayson, found the president suffering from severe pains in his back and head, severe coughing spells and a temperature of 103 degrees, Berg wrote.

Wilson’s condition deteriorated so quickly that Grayson even thought the president had been poisoned. In his mail to President’s chief of staff in Washington, Grayson wrote:”I was able to control the spasms of coughing but his condition looked very serious.” However, he told reporters that the president was suffering from a cold caused by the “chilly and rainy weather” in Paris.

Though Wilson had a full recovery, he suffered a collapse on Sept. 25, 1919, in Pueblo, Colorado, while speaking on his idea of the United States joining the League of Nations. Wilson returned to the White House, where he suffered a severe stroke on Oct. 2, 1919. His wife Edith apparently steered the government until Warren G. Harding took over formally as President in 1921.

What’s Happening Now

Hundred Years after, in March 2020 When the novel coronavirus gripped the world, US President Donald Trump brushed it aside as another flu outbreak that would go away once the summer sets in. When it reached an uncontrollable pandemic proportion, his disdain for a mask prompted his staff in the White House refrain from wearing a mask despite pleas to contrary by the CDC.

As in the case of Wilson, Trump’s close aide Hope Hicks tested positive for the coronavirus after spending time in close proximity to the president in the entire week preceding the diagnosis. Soon, President Donald Trump tweeted confirming that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19.

Unlike in 1920 when President Wilson was not in Presidential race due to his illness, Trump is very much in the hectic campaign finishing the first round of Presidential Debates just a week before the diagnosis on October 2, that may defer the second debate slated for October 15, 2020.

Return to Normalcy

Though many world leaders have successfully returned to duties after suffering from the bouts of Covid-19 infection, Trump’s age has pushed him into the most vulnerable age group at 74 years. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory issued on Sept. 11, 2020, “people in their 60s or 70s are, in general, at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 50s.”

In June 2020, Trump weighed 244 pounds. For his height at 6 feet 3 inches, with a body mass index of 30.5, he is technically obese and as per the CDC, obese individuals are three times more likely than others to suffer severe symptoms of Covid-19. However, Trump does not have prominently high blood pressure, nor any cancer, kidney disease, or diabetes.

If Trump returns to normal health and wins the election, he may have rewritten the history of pandemic deja vu in the history of US or else, it would be a lesson for all the future presidents to learn and make the nation prepared for any pandemic.

Glitch or Cyberattack Behind Tokyo Stock Exchange Breakdown?

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Citing a hardware breakdown, the Tokyo Stock Exchange halted trading for the entire day Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 with serious rippling effect on exchanges in Sapporo, Nagoya, and Fukuoka as well. Japan Exchange Group Inc., which operates the TSE, said it would announce any updates on resumption of trade on Friday later. All buying and selling has been frozen on the first day of the new quarter.

The impact is likely to stem the positive investor sentiment created following a buoyant U.S. stock market performance overnight and closures in other major markets in the region, including China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan.

Moreover, the shutdown of stock exchange will dent the investor confidence in the Japanese markets system.  Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, the top Japanese government spokesman, said the disruption was “extremely regrettable.”

3rd Largest stock Exchange 

There were no indications that the outage was related to hacking, said the operator of the $6.15 trillion stock market that is the third-largest in the world behind the U.S. and China. Its daily turnover has averaged about $22 billion over the past year.

But glitches are common to Tokyo stock exchange since 2000. Its president resigned in mid-2000s over such computer issues and eventually the faster Arrowhead system, developed by Fujitsu was introduced in 2010. However, a glitch halted trading in 241 securities in 2012 and another a year later.

As of now, Fujitsu spokesman Takeo Tanaka made no comment on details of the present glitch though he denied that it was a cyberattack. The glitch has raised many eyebrows since a cyber attack in New Zealand spurred trading halts for over four days in August.

 

Ayush Ministry to conduct clinical study of Vasa and Guduchi for Covid-19 treatment

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In view of the need for accelerated solutions for Covid-19, the Ministry of AYUSH has taken up a clinical study to assess the role of Vasa Ghana, Guduchi Ghana and Vasa-Guduchi Ghana in therapeutic management of symptoms in Covid-19 positive cases.

The trials will be a “randomized, open label three armed” study, and will be conducted at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, in collaboration with the IGIB unit of CSIR.

The detailed proposal with methodology including outcome measures, clinical and laboratory parameters, the logistics of the research has been prepared. The study will use a unique Case Report Forum (CRF), suitable for Ayush mode research.

VASA  is an ayurvedic classical medicine. It is a herbal decoction (kashayam) with Vasa and Guduchi as its main ingredients, used to treat liver disorders. It is believed to reduce the aggravation of pitta in the body.

Study Protocol

The CRF and study protocol has also been peer reviewed by experts from different domains including modern medicine and their suggestions have been incorporated. The study will be undertaken subject to the required approvals like that of the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC).

The project would look into the following specific considerations:

  1. The efficacy/action of mono-herbal formulations of whole extracts of Vasa and Guduchi respectively, and polyherbal formulation of Vasa-Guduchi whole extract on therapeutic management of SARS-CoV2 positive asymptomatic and/ or mild Covid-19 symptomatic cases. The impact of the said formulations on the speed of viral replication.
  2. Whether the said mono-herbal and polyherbal formulations can alter the expression profiles of key bio markers associated with Covid-19 disease.

Vasa and Guduchi are time tested herbs in Indian healthcare traditions, used in a variety of disease conditions. The outcome of this study would therefore be of considerable interest to the entire Ayush Sector.

 

What Has Changed on Jupiter from 2006 to Now? Hubble captures all in detail

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This (above) latest image of Jupiter was captured by Hubble Space Telescope on 25 August 2020, when the planet was 653 million kilometres from Earth, giving clues on updated weather report on the monster planet’s turbulent atmosphere. A remarkable new storm is brewing, and a cousin of the Great Red Spot is changing colour again. The tiny new image is Jupiter’s icy moon Europa.

Hubble’s new snapshot appears at mid-northern latitudes as a bright, white, stretched-out storm moving at 560 kilometres per hour. This single plume erupted on 18 August 2020 and another has since appeared.

Unlike other common storms in this region, this particular disturbance appears to have more structure behind it than observed in the past storms. Trailing behind the plume are small, counterclockwise dark clumps also not seen in the past, which could mean the beginning of a longer-lasting northern hemisphere spot, perhaps to rival the legendary Great Red Spot that dominates the southern hemisphere.

Great Red Spot

Hubble shows that the Great Red Spot, rolling counterclockwise in the planet’s southern hemisphere, is ploughing into the clouds ahead of it, forming a cascade of white and beige ribbons, while its current exceptionally rich red colour, with its core and outermost band, is appearing deeper red.

Researchers say the Great Red Spot now measures about 15 800 kilometres across, big enough to swallow the Earth. The super-storm is still shrinking, as noted in telescopic observations dating back to 1930, but its rate of shrinkage appears to have slowed though the reason for its dwindling size remains a  mystery.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is giving astronomers their most detailed view yet of a second red spot emerging on Jupiter. For the first time in history, astronomers have witnessed the birth of a new red spot on the giant planet, which is located half a billion miles away (about 800 thousand kilometres). The storm is roughly one-half the diameter of its bigger and legendary cousin, the Great Red Spot. Researchers suggest that the new spot may be related to a possible major climate change in Jupiter’s atmosphere.
Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon-Miller (NASA/GSFC), and I. de Pater (University of California Berkeley)

Researchers are noticing that another feature has changed: the Oval BA, nicknamed by astronomers as Red Spot Jr., which appears just below the Great Red Spot in this image. For the past few years, Red Spot Jr. has been fading in colour to its original shade of white after appearing red in 2006. However, now the core of this storm appears to be darkening to a reddish hue. This could hint that Red Spot Jr. is on its way to reverting to a colour more similar to that of its cousin.

Hubble’s image shows that Jupiter is clearing out its higher-altitude white clouds, especially along the planet’s equator, which is enveloped in an orangish hydrocarbon smog.

Jupiter’s icy moon Europa is visible to the left of the gas giant. Europa is already thought to harbour a liquid ocean beneath its icy crust, making this moon one of the main targets in the search for habitable worlds beyond Earth.

Water vapour

In 2013 it was announced that the Hubble Space Telescope discovered water vapour erupting from the frigid surface of Europa, in one or more localised plumes near its south pole. ESA’s JUpiter ICy moons Explorer, a mission planned for launch in 2022, aims to explore both Jupiter and three of its largest moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.

Hubble also captured a new multiwavelength observation in ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared light of Jupiter on 25 August 2020, which is giving researchers an entirely new view of the giant planet. Hubble’s near infrared imaging, combined with ultraviolet views, provides a unique panchromatic look that offers insights into the altitude and distribution of the planet’s haze and particles. This complements Hubble’s visible-light picture that shows the ever-changing cloud patterns.

Sony PS5: Priced at $400, India launch on Nov 19, Pre-Order from Sept 18

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Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) on Thursday announced November 12 as the launch date for its highly anticipated next-generation videogame system, PlayStation 5, which will be priced $399.99 or ¥39,980. SIE also revealed new updates to the PS5 game portfolio, including Final Fantasy XVI, Fortnite, Hogwarts Legacy, and a new God of War title.

On November 12, PS5 will be launched in seven key markets — the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. The global rollout, including India, will be on November 19, including Europe, Middle East, South America, Asia and South Africa.

The PS5 Digital Edition will be available for $399.99/¥39,980/€399.99, and PS5 with an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive will be available for $499.99/¥49,980/€499.99. Pre-orders will be available starting Thursday, Sept. 17 at select retailers, said Sony in a statement.

4K high-fidelity graphics 

Both PS5 models use the same custom processor with integrated CPU and GPU for high-fidelity graphics up to 4K, besides the same ultra-high speed SSD with integrated I/O that will deliver lightning-fast loading. Both PS5 models offer a deepened sense of immersion through the DualSense wireless controller and 3D audio capabilities, enabling players the same transformative gameplay experience regardless of which PS5 they choose, said Sony.

Sony launches PS5 Thursday and pre-order begins Friday, Sept 18, 2020 (SIE)

“Since we first announced our next generation console last year, we have received astounding support from developers and gaming fans all around the world, and it’s truly humbling,” said Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

“Now we are just a couple of months away from launching PS5, which will offer a new generation of experiences that go beyond players’ expectations of how games can look, feel, sound, and play. We can’t wait for our fans to experience for themselves the incredible speed, the heightened immersion and the breathtaking games on PS5 when we launch this November.”

New Games on PS5

In addition, Sony has also unveiled several new games coming to PS5, including:

  1. Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition (Capcom)
  2. Final Fantasy XVI (Square Enix)
  3. Five Nights at Freddy’s Security Breach (Steel Wool Studios and ScottGames)
  4. Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros. Games)
  5. A new God of War title (Santa Monica Studio)

 

With titles such as Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Demon’s Souls, exclusive titles from SIE Worldwide Studios will be priced at launch from US$49.99 to US$69.99 (RRP) on PS5. However, to support the PlayStation4 community as they transition to the next generation when they’re ready, SIE will launch PS4 versions of a few exclusive titles:

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales,
Sackboy A Big Adventure, and
Horizon Forbidden West.

While these three games were designed to take advantage of PS5 and its unique next-gen features like the ultra-high speed SSD and DualSense controller, PS4 owners will also be able to enjoy these experiences when they launch. The PS4 digital versions of launch games include a free upgrade on both PS5 consoles, while the PS4 disc versions of these games include a free upgrade on the PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-Ray disc drive.

In addition, Sony has revealed the PlayStation Plus Collection, a curated lineup of PS4 games that defined the generation, which will be available to PS Plus members to download and play on PS5. The PS Plus Collection features critically acclaimed games, including Batman Arkham Knight, Bloodborne, Fallout 4, God of War, Monster Hunter: World, Persona 5 among others.

NCB arrests Rhea after 3 days of grilling in Sushant Singh Rajput Suicide Case

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After three days of grilling, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday arrested Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty in connection with her alleged role in the drugs angle into the June 14 death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea has been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and quickly whisked away for a mandatory medical test at the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation’s LTMG Sion Hospital. Rhea has pleaded innocence throughout, though.

She will be presented by the NCB before a court for her remand. Rhea’s lawyer Satish Maneshinde termed the arrest a “travesty” of justice. “Three central agencies hounding a single woman — just because she was in love with a drug addict, suffering from mental health issues for several years under the care of five leading psychiatrists in Mumbai, who ended up committing suicide due to consumption of illegally administered medicines and used drugs,” he said.

Earlier, Rhea filed an FIR at the late actor’s sister Priyanka Singh and Dr Tarun Kumar of RML Hospital in New Delhi among others alleging forged medical prescriptions under the Indian Penal Code and the NDPS Act, and as per the Supreme Court orders, the case has been transferred to the CBI for investigation.

Rhea’s arrest came three days after her brother Showik Chakraborty, Sushant’s home manager Samuel Miranda, and his house helper Dipesh Sawant were arrested and sent in NCB custody till September 9 (Wednesday), besides two other drug peddlers Abdel Basit Parihar and Zaid Vilatra, who are also in NCB custody.

The NCB said the arrests would help it to “uproot the drugs citadel in Bollywood and Mumbai” amidst talk of several other Bollywood personalities involved in it. Rhea was grilled several times by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate, and even the Mumbai Police, but was finally arrested by the NCB, nearly 11 weeks after Sushant was found dead in his Bandra home.

Rhea, however, remained calm and composed as she stepped out of the NCB office post-arrest to proceed for a medical test. She did not seek any anticipatory bail either so far, said her lawyer Maneshinde, who is likely to seek bail soon in this case following the arrest.

 

Taj Hotel Attack: Harvard learns new lesson in Tata’s recruitment style

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Taj Hotel terror attack has become a massive psychology case study in Harvard. Not one Taj employee abandoned the hotel during the attack but stayed right through the tragedy. They helped the guests escape and, in the process, many employees died.

The attack on Nov. 26, 2008 by a group of terrorists struck a dozen targets in Mumbai, including the iconic, 103-year old Taj Palace Hotel. The siege at the hotel  lasted two days and three nights and was covered extensively by international media.

Hemant Oberoi, head chef of the Taj Mahal Palace & Towers, whose staff kept over a hundred guests safe in the exclusive Chambers lounge, though seven of his staff were shot in the kitchen. “If I had not moved on, my team wouldn’t have. If they would see their leader shattered and broken, they would have given up,” Oberoi told India Today 10 years later, recollecting the events.

Oberoi, with 17 of his staff members, rescued and took care of at least 150 guests during three nights of seige. “We went out three times to call the cops to protect us and thereby help us take out the guests,” he said. “But they didn’t have orders.”

Taj Hotel Mumbai

Remembering the scene he said that there was no electricity but blood stains, mobiles and shoes were vivdly seen around. How he held it together in such a crisis? “We have become so selfish that we want to save our lives and not others. I strongly believe that karma comes back to you,”he says.

Harvard Study

There is an amazing, inspirational back story about the heroic actions of the Taj staff couched in the culture of the Taj Hotels company. What can the staff, who saved lives while endangering their own, teach American companies about ethical behaviour? It confounded psychologists who studied their resolve.

Finally, they pin pointed 3 recruitment strategies :

1) Taj Hotels did not recruit from big cities , they recruited from smaller cities where traditional culture still holds strong;
2) They did not recruit toppers, they spoke to school masters to find out who were  most respectful of their parents, elders , teachers and and others;
3) They taught their employees to be ambassadors of their guests to the organisation not ambassadors of the company to their guests.

The results are stupefying. Listen to this TED talk by Rohit Deshpande that focussed on the employees of the Taj during the 26/11 attack:

 

 

Telugu actor Jayaprakash Reddy dies of heart attack amid Covid-19 pandemic

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Telugu actor Jaya Prakash Reddy, best-known for his comic and villainous roles, died on Tuesday, aged 74. The actor suffered a cardiac arrest at his residence in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. The actor was last seen in Mahesh Babu starrer Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020).

Jaya Prakash Reddy’s death has left the Telugu film industry in a shock and several condolence messages started pouring in on Twitter from all actors who worked with him in several films. Known for friends and film industry as JP, he acted as the villain in more than a hundred films and also played the comic roles in some films.

Born on Oct. 10, 1946 in Sirivella, Kurnool district, he came to limelight with his role in ‘Samarasimha Reddy’ as Veera Raghava Reddy.

Here’s a list of his filmography:

Year Title Language Role
1988 Brahma Puthrudu Telugu
1990 Shatruvu Telugu Mayor
1990 Lorry Driver Telugu Bank manager
1990 Bobbili Raja Telugu Tribal
1991 Chitram Bhalare Vichitram Telugu Phani
1993 Jamba Lakidi Pamba Telugu Hijra
1997 Preminchukundam Raa Telugu Veerabadrayya
1999 Samarasimha Reddy Telugu Veeraraghava Reddy
2000 Jayam Manade Raa Telugu Narasimha Naidu
2000 Vijayaramaraju Telugu
2001 Narasimha Naidu Telugu
2001 Anandam Telugu Sub-Inspector of Police Cameo appearance
2002 Seema Simham Telugu Kulashekar Rao
2002 Avunu Valliddaru Ista Paddaru Telugu Constable
2002 Sontham Telugu Gulabi Thief
2002 Chennakeshava Reddy Telugu Venkat Reddy
2003 Palnati Brahmanayudu Telugu Narsinga Naidu
2003 Swetha Naagara Kannada Sarpa Kaadu Dhorey simultaneously shot in Kannada and Telugu languages
2003 Swetha Naagu Telugu Sarpararanya Dhora simultaneously shot in Kannada and Telugu languages
2003 Nijam Telugu Sidda Reddy
2003 Seetayya Telugu Rama Naidu
2003 Anjaneya Tamil Jaya Prakash
2003 Kabaddi Kabaddi Telugu Head Constable
2004 Shiva Shankar Telugu
2005 Evadi Gola Vaadidi Telugu Banda Reddy
2005 Chatrapati Telugu Municipal Commissioner
2005 Aaru Tamil Reddy (Nathan’s enemy)
2005 Chinna Tamil china’s ex boss
2005 Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana Telugu JP
2005 Narasimhudu Telugu Local MLA
2006 Kithakithalu Telugu Soundarya’s father
2006 Dharmapuri Tamil MLA Konda Mookan
2006 Vikramarkudu Telugu Home Minister
2007 Julayi Telugu Reddy
2007 Thiru Ranga Tamil Reddy
2007 Dhee Telugu Pedhananayana
2007 Godava Telugu
2008 Ready Telugu Chitti Naidu
2008 Siddu From Sikakulam Telugu Obul Reddy
2008 King Telugu Appaji
2008 Satya in Love Kannada Veda’s Father (Telugu Factionist)
2008 Krishna Telugu Jakka’s uncle
2008 Parugu Telugu Sub-Inspector
2008 Citizen Kannada Home minister of Karnataka
2009 Raju Maharaju Telugu
2009 Maa Nanna Chiranjeevi Telugu
2009 Anjaneyulu Telugu Babulal
2009 Bangaru Babu Telugu
2009 Kick Telugu Police Officer
2009 Kasko Telugu JP
2010 Seeta Ramula Kalyanam Lankalo Telugu Veera Pratap’s father
2010 Prasthanam Telugu Bangaru Raju
2010 Uthama Puthiran Tamil Chinnamuthu Goundar, Also dubbed his own voice for his character in Tamil
2010 Namo Venkatesa Telugu Bhadrappa’s grandfather
2010 Bindaas Telugu Seshadri Naidu
2011 Madatha Kaja Telugu JP
2011 Oosaravelli Telugu Sarkar
2011 Seema Tapakai Telugu Venkatappa
2011 Kandireega Telugu Rajanna
2012 Betting Bangaraju Telugu Police Officer
2012 Gabbar Singh Telugu Police Commissioner
2013 Naayak Telugu Babji’s Paternal Uncle
2013 Baadshah Telugu Aadhi’s father
2013 Shadow Telugu Home Minister Naidu
2013 Adda Telugu Cameo appearance
2013 Masala Telugu Eddulodu
2014 Legend Telugu MP
2014 Race Gurram Telugu IG J.P.
2014 Manam Telugu Home Minister J.P.
2014 Jump Jilani Telugu Veera Puli Reddy
2014 Rabhasa Telugu Peddi Reddy alias Pedayya
2014 Autonagar Surya Telugu Corporater Indra
2015 Pataas Telugu Central Minister JP
2015 Akhil Telugu Kishore’s father
2015 Temper Telugu Home Minister of A.P.
2015 LOL Telugu Somyayajulu
2015 Mosagallaku Mosagadu Telugu Kaushik
2015 Shivam Telugu Bhoji Reddy’s brother-in-law
2015 Bruce Lee – The Fighter Telugu Fight Master Dangerous David & Police Inspector G. Ramji Dual Role
2015 Tripura Telugu
2016 Sarrainodu Telugu Bhoopathi
2016 Supreme Telugu M.L.A.
2016 Hyper Telugu Party President
2016 Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu[8] Telugu
2017 Khaidi No. 150 Telugu Commissioner Krishna Murthy
2017 Radha Telugu Acharya Deva
2017 Nene Raju Nene Mantri Telugu Jailor
2017 Jai Lava Kusa Telugu Sravani’s father
2017 Raja the Great Telugu Devaraj’s henchmen
2018 Inttelligent Telugu Sathya Murthy
2018 Jai Simha Telugu Central Minister JP
2018 Jamba Lakidi Pamba
2018 MLA Telugu Indu’s father
2018 Chethilo Cheyyesi Cheppu Baava Telugu
2018 Pantham Telugu Health Minister
2018 Nela Ticket Telugu C.P. Ranjith Kumar
2018 Lover Telugu Goon
2018 Silly Fellows Telugu Jacket Janakiram
2018 Amar Akbar Anthony Telugu WATA chairman
2019 Crazy Crazy Feeling Telugu Dream father
2020 Sarileru Neekevvaru Telugu Nagendra’s Father

 

Africa declared free from wild polio; Will South Asia be Next?

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The World Health Organization has declared Africa free of wild polio as no new cases of wild poliovirus have been recorded on the continent since 2016, but other types of the virus persist

The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan administering the polio vaccine drops to children under-five years to mark the World Polio Day, in New Delhi on October 24, 2014. (PIB)

The continent’s last case of wild polio was recorded four years ago in northeast Nigeria. There are now just just two countries on Earth where the virus remains endemic — Afghanistan and Pakistan, both part of South Asia.

However, Africa’s fight against polio isn’t over as in rare cases, infections can be caused by the oral polio vaccine. These vaccine-derived polio strains can spread in areas where many children have not been immunized, so vaccination must continue.

The Africa Regional Certification Commission, an independent body overseeing the eradication of polio, has certified that all 47 countries in the WHO’s Africa Region have eradicated the virus after a long program of vaccination and surveillance.

Since there is no cure for the disease, which can cause irreversible paralysis and can be fatal if breathing muscles are affected, but vaccination can protect people for life. The certification is a “historic” achievement, says Pascal Mkanda, coordinator of the polio-eradication program at the WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

A region is certified as free of wild polio after three years have passed without the virus being detected in any of its countries. Africa’s last case of wild polio was recorded four years ago in northeast Nigeria. As recently as 2012, the country accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide.

Chima Ohuabunwo, an epidemiologist at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, who coordinated a project to support polio eradication in Nigeria, says that engaging with traditional and religious leaders was crucial in the effort to persuade parents to vaccinate their children.

Infographic: Polio today: Map showing worldwide polio cases recorded between August 2010 and 2020.
Source: WHO

Despite the eradication of wild poliovirus, Africa’s fight against polio isn’t over. In many countries, vaccination is done with oral drops containing a weakened form of the poliovirus, which sometimes mutates into a strain that can spread in under-immunized communities and cause paralysis.

Vaccine-Derived Polio Cases

Since August 2019, more than 20 countries worldwide have reported cases of vaccine-derived polio (see ‘Polio today’). Because these outbreaks can usually be brought under control with further immunization, countries should continue to vaccinate as many people as possible, Ohuabunwo says.

Wild polio cases have decreased globally by more than 99% since 1988, but the virus is still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which have reported dozens of cases annually. Unless the two neighbours in South Asia focus on peace-building, reducing vaccine hesitancy, and boosting basic medical services and routine immunizations, it will be difficult to eradicate it here, said Zulfiqar Bhutta, a public-health researcher at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan.  “Polio anywhere is polio everywhere,” he reminded.

Pranab Da is no more, country mourns; ‘End of an Era’

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Former President Pranab Mukherjee died on Monday evening, his son Abhijit Mukherjee said in a tweet. He was admitted at the Army Research and Referral Hospital 21 days ago after his condition deteriorated following a brain surgery.

Abhijit Mukherjee tweeted: “With a Heavy Heart, this is to inform you that my father Pranab Mukherjee has just passed away in spite of the best efforts of Doctors of RR Hospital and prayers, duas and prarthanas from people throughout India! I thank all of You.”

Pranab Mukherjee was admitted to the hospital at 12.07 p.m. on August 10 in a critical condition. The veteran Congress leader was on life support for nearly three weeks. His former party colleagues along with former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi paid rich tributes to the 84-year-old leader.

The Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi greeting the President, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, on the occasion of New Year, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on January 01, 2017 (PIB Photo)

Known as Pranab Da for many, he was President of India from 2012 to 2017. He was conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, in 2019 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.

“With great sadness, the nation receives the news of the unfortunate demise of our former President Pranab Mukherjee. I join the country in paying homage to him. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family and friends,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

‘End of an Era’

The Congress on its official Twitter handle, said: “We are deeply pained by the passing of Pranab Mukherjee. Former President of India and one of the tallest leaders of the Congress Party, Pranab Mukherjee will always be remembered for his integrity and compassion. Our prayers are with his family, followers and the nation.”

Congress national media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, said the death of the veteran Congress leader, said, “An era has come to an end. Your thoughts, memories and sense of commitment to the party, the people and the nation lives on… Rest in Peace Pranab Da,” Surjewala tweeted.

“Deeply saddened at the demise of former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. The nation has lost a great leader, thinker and statesman. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the nation. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and supporters. May his soul rest in peace,” another veteran Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted.

 

South Asian Americans Upbeat Over Biden’s Selection of Kamala Harris as VP running mate

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By Osman Siddique

The gravity of the current economic, political, and pandemic situations cannot be sufficiently underscored. Collectively, they set the bar impossibly high for Joe Biden in the selection of his vice presidential running mate. Fortunately, he cleared it with Sen. Kamala Harris, the right choice for this momentous decision.

The broad appeal that Biden has amongst the electorate is special. The added excitement and vigor Harris brings to the ticket will be invaluable. Her Jamaican and Indian background will electrify people of all color and ethnicity, inspiring them to vote even if they have not done so in the past. She is experienced, tough, and reflects the diverse aspirations of all Americans.

Tumultuous Period

This presidential election will be contentious, tribal, ugly, and, in all likelihood, challenged. Biden could have no better person by his side during this tumultuous period. Trump’s base may be monolithic, but it was not only his base that got him elected in 2016. He was helped by crossover independents, wavering Democrats, confused Republicans, and those who simply were never thrilled by Hillary Clinton. Harris has an opportunity to make inroads with all of these groups, the people Pete Buttigieg lovingly called “future former Republicans.”

Osman Siddiqui

Her qualifications are remarkable. Harris is a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, and the Senate Judiciary Committee. The nation saw her hard-nosed interrogation and dynamic performance during both the Kavanaugh hearings and President Trump’s impeachment trial.

As a former prosecutor and attorney general of California, she fought for the rule of law without any
fear or favor. She took on big oil and big banks and fought against their predatory policies. Critics of her on the left and right may disapprove of certain policies and oppose her stand on some specific issues, but no one can question her integrity and independence rooted in a belief in justice for all.

Kamala Harris has been a leading voice against the Trump administration’s policy of separating children at the border, personally joining protests at immigration shelters. During her campaign as a presidential candidate, she advocated using executive powers to reinstate and expand DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).

Kamala’s Policies

Kamala Harris supports background checks for gun purchases, a ban on the sale of assault weapons, and the closing of loopholes as a sensible approach toward gun control without impairing our Second Amendment rights. She is opposed to using tariffs as a pressure tactic against countries and supports the goal of containing China, but with a changed approach. She has not only fought to defend the Affordable Care Act, but to and expand and improve it as well.

As a senator from tech-heavy California, Harris has been critical of social media companies’ handling of hate speech and misinformation. In March of this year, she walked for the last time shoulder to shoulder with the late congressman John Lewis across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama commemorating the 55th anniversary of his epic march with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Daughter of Immigrants

Today is a red banner day for all America. How beautiful it is to see the daughter of an immigrant father from Jamaica and an immigrant mother from India poised to be the next Vice President of the United States of America. How fulfilling it is to see that this nation, built on the strength of our Constitution and the principles laid out by our Founding Fathers, has made one more giant step toward that “perfect union.”

For me, a South-Asian immigrant from Bangladesh, who had the proud distinction of carrying the U.S. flag for our nation and being the first U.S. ambassador of the Muslim faith to serve anywhere as Chief of Mission, this moment is doubly gratifying. The world will look to Harris as an example of what is possible in America.

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(Ambassador M. Osman Siddique served as the U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Nauru under President Bill Clinton (1999-2001). Currently, he is active in the Biden presidential campaign as a senior advisor to “South Asians for Biden,” and a member of “Ambassadors for Biden.” His just-released memoir Leaps of Faith is available on Amazon and other book stalls.)

Malaria study targeting enzymes instead of pathogens paves way for faster treatment of COVID-19

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New research into malaria suggests targeting enzymes from the human host, rather than from the pathogen itself, could offer effective treatment for COVID-19, besides offering faster treatment for a range of many diseases.

The international study, led by RMIT University’s Professor Christian Doerig, proposes a strategy that could save years of drug discovery research and millions of dollars in drug development with the help of repurposing existing treatments meant for other diseases such as cancer.

The approach shows promise for its potential application in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the entire world with over 700,000 deaths already. Published in Nature Communications, the study showed that the parasites that cause malaria are heavily dependent on enzymes in red blood cells where the parasites hide and proliferate.

 

Antibody array data showing activation of kinases in human red blood cells infected with the malaria parasite / CREDIT: RMIT University

 

 

 

Since there are drugs developed for cancer which inactivate these human enzymes, known as protein kinases, to effectively kill the parasite.This method represents an alternative to drugs that target the parasite itself, instead of focusing on enzymes. During the infection, the host cell enzymes were activated revealing novel points of target when the parasite exists in human body host.

Lead author, RMIT’s Dr Jack Adderley, said,”These host enzymes are in many instances the same as those activated in cancer cells, so we can now jump on the back of existing cancer drug discovery and look to repurpose a drug that is already available or close to completion.”

Repurposing of Drugs in Future

In addition to enabling the repurposing of drugs, the approach is likely to reduce the drug resistance, as the pathogen cannot escape by simply mutating the target of the drug, as is the case for many available antimalarials, he noted. Moreover, this approach has the potential to considerably reduce the cost and accelerate the deployment of new and urgently needed antimalarials, explained Dr Adderley.

Doerig, Associate Dean for the Biomedical Sciences Cluster at RMIT and senior author of the paper, described the findings as exciting since as drug resistance is one of the biggest challenges in modern healthcare.

“By targeting the host and not the pathogen itself, we remove the possibility for the pathogen to rapidly become resistant by mutating the target of the drug, as the target is made by the human host, not the pathogen,” said Doering.

Doerig’s team will now collaborate with the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) to investigate potential COVID-19 treatments using this approach. Doherty. a Nobel laureate, is known already as vocal voice about the Covid-19 treatment and vaccines.

WATCH LIVE TODAY: Starlink Mission all set to take off today

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US private space agency SpaceX is targeting Friday, August 7 at 1:12 a.m. EDT, 5:12 UTC, for launch of its tenth Starlink mission which will include 57 Starlink satellites and 2 satellites from BlackSky, a Spaceflight customer.

The standard vehicle Falcon 9 will lift off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In case you miss the event, a backup opportunity is available on Saturday, August 8 at 12:50 a.m. EDT, 4:50 UTC.

You can watch the launch webcast here, starting about 15 minutes before liftoff.

Sequential Deployment

Falcon 9’s first stage previously supported Crew Dragon’s first demonstration mission to the International Space Station, launch of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, and the fourth and seventh Starlink missions. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

The BlackSky Global spacecraft will deploy sequentially beginning 1 hour and 1 minute after liftoff, and the Starlink satellites will deploy approximately 1 hour and 33 minutes after liftoff. Starlink satellites will be deployed in a circular orbit, as was done on the first through fourth Starlink missions.

Weather Forecast

The weather forecast is favorable for SpaceX’s Friday early hours launch from Kennedy Space Center, the Space Force said Wednesday. “The primary weather concern for launch day will be mid- and upper-level clouds streaming across the region from the south along with cumulus clouds over the nearshore waters,” 45th Weather Squadron forecasters said on Wednesday.

The 10th Starlink launch has been delayed nearly 10 times due to technical hurdles so far and several attempts in June and July were rolled back for additional hardware work. Today’s launch will be the booster’s fifth flight.

All Starlink satellites  on this flight are equipped with a deployable visor to block sunlight from hitting the brightest spots of the spacecraft – a measure SpaceX has taken as part of their work with leading astronomical groups to mitigate satellite reflectivity.

Passive Immunity may be a fast track in providing relief for Covid-19 pandemic: Study

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Mutated versions of the 80r and m396 antibodies can be produced and given as a therapeutic to fight the Covid-19 infection

A researcher, using computer models to understand the structure of viruses at the molecular level, has figured out how the old 2002 SARS coronavirus virus functions vis-a-vis the novel coronavirus or SARS-COV-2 that causes Covid-19. He discovered that sequence differences prevent 80R and m396 from binding to COVID-19 using ‘in silico’ analysis to fast-track passive immunity.

Since both illnesses (SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2) share the same spike protein, the entry key that allows the virus into the human cells, Padilla-Sanchez plans to take the antibodies found in the first outbreak in 2002 — 80R and m396 — and reengineer them to fit the current COVID-19 virus.

In his June 2020 publication in the online journal, Research Ideas and Outcomes, he describes efforts to unravel this problem using computer simulation based on his discovery that sequence differences prevent 80R and m396 from binding to COVID-19.

“Understanding why 80R and m396 did not bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein could pave the way to engineering new antibodies that are effective,” Padilla-Sanchez said. “Mutated versions of the 80r and m396 antibodies can be produced and administered as a therapeutic to fight the disease and prevent infection.”

Supercomputing Process

His docking experiments showed that amino acid substitutions in 80R and m396 should increase binding interactions between the antibodies and SARS-CoV-2, providing new antibodies to neutralize the virus. “Now, I need to prove it in the lab,” he said.

 

 

Structural model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This structural model was built with UCSF Chimera using high-performance computers (Bridges Large and Frontera). The model shows 16 viruses, with the spike proteins shown in green (PDB ID: 6VSB) and an actual lipid bilayer membrane, with ACE2 dimers shown in magenta. All these structures are at atomic resolution. The length of the membrane is approximately 1 micrometer / CREDIT: Victor Padilla-Sanchez

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For this research, Padilla-Sanchez used supercomputing resources and ran the docking experiments for computational modeling and analysis of protein structures. The software virtually binds the proteins then provides a score for each binding experiment. “If you find a good docking position, then you can recommend that this new, mutated antibody should go to production.”

Currently, various labs across the world are already testing vaccines. “If we don’t find a vaccine in the near term we still have passive immunity, which can prevent infection for several months as long as you have the antibodies,” Padilla-Sanchez said. “Of course, a vaccine is the best outcome. However, passive immunity may be a fast track in providing relief for the pandemic.”

As of July 2020, COVID-19 has infected more than 16 million people worldwide with more than 630,000 deaths with no vaccine or therapeutics to fight the disease.

Russia completes Phase III trials, gets ready to first vaccinate doctors in October

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Despite apprehensions on the sample numbers of human trials, Russia is preparing a mass vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus in October, after a vaccine completed clinical trials including Phase III trial on Saturday, August 1, 2020.

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said the Gamaleya Institute, a state research facility in Moscow, had completed clinical trials preparing the required paperwork to register it, Interfax news agency reported. First to be vaccinated will be the frontline workers, doctors and teachers.

“We plan wider vaccinations for October,” Murashko was quoted as saying. Russia’s first potential COVID-19 vaccine is likely to apply for regulatory approval in August. As of Saturday, Augutst 1, 2020, Russia reported 95 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, taking its total to 14,058 out of a total 845,443 cases.

Russian vaccine

As already reported, the Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology had been working on an adenovirus-based vaccine at a lighting speed and announced its Phase III trials on June 18. The Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University to conduct and complete the trails of the vaccine.

The clinical trials had been conducted on volunteers by the Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology of the Unviersity and the first group of volunteers were discharged on 15 July and the second on 20 July.

The head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, took pride in claiming Russia’s success in developing a vaccine the same way erstwhile Soviet Union’s 1957 launch of Sputnik 1, the world’s first satellite. Despite questions raised by some Western media whether Moscow is putting national prestige before safety.

More than 100 vaccines are being developed around the world against the COVID-19 pandemic but only four are in final Phase III human trials, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data, including three developed in China and another in Britain. The vaccine developed by Russia is not among them.

Other Vaccines

Elsewhere, Gilead Sciences, Oxford University’s researchers and American biotech company Moderna are at the forefront of developing a Covid-19 vaccine, while a Canadian and Chinese joint project is equally pushing the date for completion of clinical trials.

 

 

100-million-year-old microbes revived in Japan labs, only to see them hungry and ready to multiply

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A team of researchers from Japan have brought some sediment samples from the seafloor to study the past climate. Small life forms such as microbes trapped in the sediments too were revived too given the right food and right lab conditions and to the surprise of the researchers, they are hungry and ready to multiply aven after remaining dormant for over 100 years.

In a new study published in Nature Communications, the team of Japanese researchers said they gathered the ancient sediment samples 10 years ago during an expedition to the South Pacific Gyre, where the lowest productivity and fewest nutrients are available to fuel the marine food web. On the seafloor, there are layers of sediment consisting of marine snow or organic debris sourced from the sea surface, dust, and particles carried by the wind and ocean currents. These microbes get trapped in this sediment.

Not a lifeless zone

“Our main question was whether life could exist in such a nutrient-limited environment or if this was a lifeless zone,” said the paper’s lead author Yuki Morono, senior scientist at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). “And we wanted to know how long the microbes could sustain their life in a near-absence of food.”

The research drillship JOIDES Resolution drilled numerous sediment cores 100 meters below the seafloor and nearly 6,000 meters below the ocean’s surface. They found that oxygen was present in all of the cores, suggesting that if sediment accumulates slowly on the seafloor at a rate of no more than a meter or two every million years, oxygen will penetrate all the way from the seafloor to the basement.

Such conditions give room for aerobic microorganisms which require oxygen to live to survive for geological time scales of millions of years.

The team, led by Morono, incubated the samples to coax their microbes to grow and results showed that rather than being fossilized remains of life, the microbes in the sediment had survived, and were capable of growing and dividing.

Capable of reviving, growing and dividing

Morono was taken aback by the results in the lab. “At first I was skeptical, but we found that up to 99.1% of the microbes in sediment deposited 101.5 million years ago were still alive and were ready to eat,” he said.

With the newly developed ability to grow, manipulate and characterize ancient microorganisms, the research team is looking forward to applying a similar approach to other questions about the geological past as life for microbes in the subseafloor is very slow compared to life above it, and so the evolutionary speed of these microbes will be slower.

“We want to understand how or if these ancient microbes evolved,” said Morono. “This study shows that the subseafloor is an excellent location to explore the limits of life on Earth.”

NEP 2020 Highlights; ‘No One to be Left Behind,’ Says Minister

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India’s Union Minister for Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ has unveiled the National Education Policy 2020 aimed at bringing transformational reforms in school and higher education systems in the country.

Speaking at media briefing in New Delhi Wednesday, after Cabinet gave its approval to the New Education Policy 2020, the HRD Minister said that the NEP was drawn up after consultation and discussion process. He said 2.25 lakh suggestions have been received after the draft was placed in public domain for consultations.

Nishank said that this National Education Policy 2020 will bring transformational reforms in both school and higher education sectors. He said that NEP2020 will ensure universal access to high-quality Early Childhood Care & Education across India. “We will focus on developing social capacities, sensitivity, good behaviour, ethics, teamwork and cooperation among children through a joyful pedagogy,” he added.

The new NEP will replace 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. MoS for HRD Ministry Sanay Dhotre said that the NEP 2020 is most comprehensive, radical and futuristic and does not recognise any barrier in bringing quality and outcome-based education to each and everyone. It now includes children during their most foundational years, that is 3-5 years, for their care and education.

Critical thinking, experiential and application-based learning, flexibility in learning, focus on life skills, multidisciplinary, and continuous review are some of the salient features of this policy, he noted. Bringing back 2 crore out-of-school and drop-out children and universalisation of school education from 3 years onwards — reflect commitment to the philosophy of ‘no one to be left behind’, he said.

Here are the Highlights of NEP 2020:

1. 10+2 board structure will be dropped

2. New school structure will be 5+3+3+4

3. Upto 5 pre school, 6 to 8 Mid School, 8 to 11 High School , 12 onwards Graduation

4. Any Degree will be 4 years

5. 6th std onwards vocational courses available

6. From 8th to 11, students can choose subjects

7. All graduation course will have major and minor. A science student majoring in Physics can choose Music as minor.

8. All higher education will be governed by only one authority

9. UGC and AICTE (technical and MBA education) will be merged

10. All University, government, private, Open, Deemed, Vocational institutions will have same grading system and rules.
11. New Teacher Training board will be setup for all kinds of teachers, no state can change

12. Same level of Accreditation to any collage. Based on rating, colleges get autonomous rights and funds

13. New learning program for parents to teach children up to 3 years at home and for pre-school 3 to 6

14. Multiple entry and exit from any course

15. Credit system for graduation for each year. If a student takes break, he can come back again to complete course

16. All school exams will be semester wise twice a year

17. The syllabus will be reduced to core knowledge of any subject

18. More focus on student’s practical and application knowledge

19. For any graduation course, if student completes only one year he will get a basic certificate, if he completes two years, then he will get Diploma certificate and if he completes full course, then he will get degree certificate. No year loss for any student.

20. All the graduation courses in Universities will be governed by single authority.