DH Evening Brief: June 16, 2021

Here are the top headlines this evening.

Covishield dose gap increased after discussion with NTAGI: Centre

The Centre on Wednesday defended its decision to double the gap between the two doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to up to 16 weeks after three scientific advisers said there was no agreement on such a wide interval. Read more

Chirag Paswan slams JD(U) for 'engineering' split within LJP

Ousted LJP chief Chirag Paswan on Wednesday said that some people were making attempts to break the party when his father, late Ram Vilas Paswan, was hospitalised. Read more

Modi government plans Rs 50,000-crore programme to boost health infrastructure

India is considering offering nearly Rs 50,000 crore ($6.8 billion) of credit incentives to boost health care infrastructure in the nation hit by the coronavirus pandemic, according to people familiar with the matter. Read more

Covid-19: You'll need negative RT-PCR report to enter these states, UTs

As states are witnessing a drop in Covid-19 positive cases after almost two months, administrations are easing lockdowns and other curbs. Unlike after the first wave of Covid-19, many states are being cautious and easing the curbs in a phased manner. Read more

In Pics | Taj Mahal reopens its doors to the public after two months

The Taj Mahal reopened to the public as the nation, still reeling from a disastrous second wave of the pandemic, pushes to lift restrictions in a bid to revitalise its economy. The 17th Century white marble mausoleum, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Agra, was closed in early April as India introduced strict lockdown measures in an effort to contain a surge in Covid-19 infections. See pictures here

Opinion | Covid-19, poll setbacks: Modi 2.0's midlife crisis

Barely four months ago, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was on a roll. Fresh daily Covid-19 infections had declined appreciably, and India's vaccination programme was running smoothly. 'Vaccine hesitancy' was a problem undoubtedly, but criticism of the vaccination policy was largely absent. Read more

Mackenzie Scott's billions in givings seek transparency cries

MacKenzie Scott promised she would give her fortune away “until the safe is empty.” That has proved to be harder than expected. Read more

Steve Smith replaces Kane Williamson as top-ranked ICC Test batsman, Virat Kohli rises to fourth spot

India skipper Virat Kohli climbed to the fourth spot while Australia batsman Steve Smith reclaimed the top position in the ICC Test rankings released on Wednesday. Read more

Adani Group stocks lose more ground despite rejecting report on investors

Shares in companies controlled by Gautam Adani fell again on Wednesday, adding to their losses stemming from a media report that said accounts of three foreign investor funds that own stocks had been frozen. Read more

Another lion dies of Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu zoo

Another lion at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) in Vandalur near here, succumbed to SARS-CoV-2 on Wednesday morning. Read more

Grief, trauma haunts India as it reels past Covid-19 peak

“I lost my father to Covid, I’m very stressed because I have so many responsibilities.” “I saw so many deaths when I was in the ICU. I wake up to the sound of the ventilator beeps in the night. I don’t know why I’m alive.” Read more

Why is everyone so obsessed with going to Mars?

Last month, China successfully landed and deployed the Zhurong rover on Mars, becoming the second country ever to set wheels on the surface of the red planet. Read more