Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand’s father, K. Viswanathan, died in Chennai on Thursday following brief illness. He was 92 and breathed his last at a city hospital, family sources said. A former General Manager of the Southern Railway, Viswanathan is survived by two sons and a daughter. Anand’s wife Aruna described him as a great support to the celebrated chess player. “He was a great support to Anand. He witnessed all of Anand’s world championship victories,” Aruna said. “A simple man, he made sure his son had the right values. He took great pride in his achievements,” she added.…
Author: Mike Harrison
Moving of oxygen tankers by rail was also being actively worked out, the Health Ministry said. The Central government is undertaking a detailed daily mapping of sources for the supply of medical oxygen with a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen, the Health Ministry said in a statement released on Thursday. “Medical oxygen is a critical component in the treatment of COVID-19 affected patients. An inter-ministerial Empowered Group (EG2) of officials has noted that currently there is sufficient production capacity of around 7127 MTs for oxygen in the country, and as per…
Mr. Shearer said, “Though it’s all moved too slowly, it’s now time to focus on elections and have a legitimate, popularly elected government.” David Shearer said on Wednesday he’s leaving the top UN job in South Sudan convinced the world’s youngest nation has the potential to become a tourist destination to rival any country in East Africa and the oil and mineral riches to spur economic progress – if it can eliminate corruption and establish a transparent and open government.As the country approaches its 10th anniversary of independence from Sudan on July 11, it has a transitional government in place…
U.S. climate envoy John Kerry would be meeting with China’s top climate negotiator, fellow veteran diplomat Xie Zhenhua U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is in talks in China on April 15 ahead of President Joe Biden’s climate summit of world leaders.China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment said the discussions in Shanghai running through Saturday aim to boost cooperation on climate change and exchange views on the U.N. Climate Change Conference known as COP 26 to be held in Scotland in November.A brief statement from the Ministry said Mr. Kerry would be meeting with China’s top climate negotiator, fellow veteran diplomat…
Morries Hall, a friend of Floyd’s who was with him the night Floyd died, won’t testify at the trial. A friend of George Floyd who was with him the night he died won’t testify at the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged in his death, the judge overseeing the case ruled on Wednesday. Derek Chauvin’s defense attorney wanted to call Morries Hall to testify in an effort to shift blame for the death to Floyd himself, for his use of illicit drugs and other health problems. But Mr. Hall said on Wednesday he would refuse to answer any…
Use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine remains paused in the United States as officials gather more information about the rare clots reported in six people who got the shot. An independent advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it didn’t have enough information yet to say which groups might be at risk of the clots or to recommend who should get this vaccine. “I don’t think we have enough information today,” said Grace Lee, associate chief medical officer for practice innovation at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in California, during the committee’s meeting on Wednesday.…
A day after India accorded emergency use authorisation to Sputnik V, marketing partner for the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories said the imported product will be available in the country by this quarter.It will start this quarter, via the imported route and the availability will be ramped up next quarter once the Made in India Sputnik V comes on stream. Discussions with the government and other stakeholders on pricing are under way, the Hyderabad-based pharma major’s senior leadership said on Wednesday.The contract with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has partnered Dr. Reddy’s for clinical trials and distribution, is…
Bench says his detention is without any legal cause or justification and in violation of procedure established by law The Delhi High Court has ruled that the detention of a man, who the authorities claim to be a Pakistani national, was without any legal cause or justification and in gross violation of the procedure established by law.A Bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani ordered immediate release of Asif Hossain from ‘Sewa Sadan Deportation Centre’ Narela in Delhi.The court gave the direction on a habeas corpus plea by the wife of Mr. Hossain, seeking to release him from…
The White House said in a statement that Joe Biden told Ashraf Ghani the United States would continue to support the Afghan people through development, humanitarian and security assistance President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will withdraw remaining U.S. troops from the “forever war” in Afghanistan, declaring that the Sept. 11 attacks cannot justify American forces still being there 20 years after the deadliest terror assault on the United States.His plan is to pull out all American forces — numbering 2,500 now — by this Sept. 11, the anniversary of the attacks, which were coordinated from Afghanistan.The U.S. cannot continue…
Scarcity of hospital beds, oxygen supply and medicines like Remdesivir injections in major cities The COVID-19 situation in Gujarat is turning grimmer by the day. On Wednesday, the numbers saw a massive jump with 7,410 cases and 73 deaths while the number of patients recovered has remained stagnant at 2,642. The number of active cases stands at 39,250. The rise in cases across the main cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara has led to scarcity of hospital beds, oxygen supply and shortage of medicines like Remdesivir injections. “The second wave is ferocious and sparing no one. There are too…