DH Evening Brief: July 9, 2021

Here are the top headlines this evening.

Maharashtra, Kerala reported 53% of India's total Covid-19 cases last week: Centre

Maharashtra and Kerala recorded more than half of the Covid-19 cases registered in India last week, the Centre said on Friday as it stressed that the pandemic is far from over and there is no room for complacency. Read more

Zydus Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 18-year-olds from September: Expert panel head

In a significant step towards vaccinating children against Covid-19 in India, Dr NK Arora, head of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration said that the Zydus Cadila vaccine will be available to vaccinate teens from ages 12 to 18 by September. Read more

Covaxin Phase 3 trial data looks good: WHO chief scientist

As Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine awaits World Health Organisation’s (WHO) approval, chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan on Thursday said the Phase-3 trial data of Covaxin`looks good. Read more

Covid-19 crisis: Serious cause of concern, says Health Ministry on crowded tourist spots

The Centre on Friday said 66 districts across 17 states and UTs reported a Covid-19 positivity rate of more than 10 per cent in the week ending July 8. Read more

WhatsApp puts privacy policy on hold till Data Protection Bill comes into force

Facebook-owned WhatsApp on Friday told the Delhi High Court that it would put its updated privacy policy on hold until the Data Protection Bill came into force. Read more

Farmers reject Narendra Singh Tomar's offer for 'conditional talks'

Farmers agitating against the farm laws on Friday turned down Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s appeal to call off their seven-month-long protests and join talks with the government. Read more

In Pics | Branson, Bezos & other billionaires who’re gearing up to blast off into space

Here we take a look at the billionaires who’re eyeing blast into space. Their trip to space will launch a milestone in the promising space tourism industry. See Pics

Russia's RDIF says gap between two Sputnik V shots could be widened to 180 days

A gap between injecting first and second Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine shots could be extended to 180 days, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said on Friday, citing the vaccine developer, and adding that the longer interval is securing a better immune response. Read more

Tokyo 2020, a closed-door Games with few exceptions

Domestic and overseas fans will be barred from all Olympic venues in Tokyo and three surrounding regions over virus risks, putting most of the Games behind closed doors. Read more

Elon Musk trial asks the $2-billion question: Who controls Tesla?

Does Elon Musk control Tesla Inc or does Tesla control Elon Musk? More than $2 billion hinges on that question as a trial kicks off on Monday. Shareholders allege that Musk used his control of Tesla to force the company in 2016 to rescue SolarCity, saving the solar panel maker - and Musk's investment in the company - from bankruptcy. Read more

Tourism picks up in Sikkim with ease in restrictions

Sikkim is taking steps to revive the tourism industry in the state. After easing restrictions, footfall of tourists has increased. Meanwhile, taking note of the rising crowd at tourists spots, Dr V K Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog said, "This is a serious cause of concern."

Taliban says it controls 85% of Afghan territory

The Taliban said Friday it now controls 85 per cent of Afghanistan's territory as the militants mount an offensive amid a US military withdrawal, though the group's claims cannot be independently verified. Read more

How does the Delta variant dodge the immune system?

The Delta variant of the coronavirus can evade antibodies that target certain parts of the virus, according to a new study published Thursday in Nature. The findings provide an explanation for diminished effectiveness of the vaccines against Delta, compared with other variants. Read more

Rafale deal: Could French investigations turn up a Bofors?

A judicial probe has been ordered in France into the corruption surrounding the Rafale fighter jet deal with India. In India, the Supreme Court and the Comptroller and Auditor General have already given a clean chit to the Narendra Modi government in the deal. Read more

Cabinet reshuffle: The BJP-Sena gulf widens

When Narayan Rane left the Shiv Sena in 2005, party chief Bal Thackeray wrote a blistering editorial in his newspaper Saamna, tracing the origins of his former blue-eyed boy to the "Harya-Narya" gang (Narya - short for Narayan) of the suburb of Chembur, and later, taunting him as "kombdi chor" (chicken thief). Read more

'Microchip manicure' turns nails into a data storage unit

A beauty salon in Dubai has introduced a high-tech beauty service – the microchip manicure. The Smart Nail art places a tiny microchip on top of the fingernail, allowing them to upload their online activities, from social media accounts, photos to personal data and other key information. See Pics