DH Evening Brief: June 23, 2021

Here are the top headlines this evening.

ED seizes Rs 18,170 cr assets of Mallya, Nirav Modi, Choksi; transfers Rs 9,041.5 cr to PSBs

Around 38 per centor Rs 9041.5 crore of the Rs 22,585.83 crore defrauded by millionaires Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi has been returned to banks via sale of shares seized by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Read more

Moody's cuts India growth forecast for 2021 to 9.6%

Moody's Investors Service on Wednesday slashed India's growth projection to 9.6 per cent for 2021 calendar year, from its earlier estimate of 13.9 per cent, and said faster vaccination progress will be paramount in restricting economic losses to June quarter. Read more

NCB arrests Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar in drug-related case

The Narcotics Control Bureau on Wednesday arrestedIqbalKaskar, the brother of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, in a drugs case, an NCB official said. Kaskar's involvement was found in connection with the seizure of 15 kg of hashish, a contraband, following which he was taken into custody, the official said without divulging any further details. Read more

The end of the coronavirus pandemic as messy as the start

China has now delivered more than 1 billion vaccine doses, hitting that Covid-19 milestone the same weekend that Brazil passed one of its own: more than 500,000 deaths. Daily case numbers remain worryingly high, and those hospitalized and dying include larger numbers of young people. India, meanwhile, is at risk of a third wave of infections sooner than predicted, after a devastating second. Read more

40% drop in single-day Covid-19 vaccinations after record 88 lakh shots

India on Tuesday administered around 53 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines – nearly 40% drop from Monday’s record-breaking 88 lakh inoculations – with experts pointing out that sustaining such a high level of vaccination would depend on supplies, states' collaboration, and public enthusiasm. Read more

Unlock in Indian states not prudent: Oxford Report

States' re-opening strategy in the wake of a decline in Covid cases is not "prudent" and might even result in a rise in infections as vaccine coverage remains low in many states, global forecasting firm Oxford Economics said on Wednesday. In a report, it also said, "we remain cautious and maintain our 2021 growth forecast at 9.1 per cent," citing that economic data does not support an upward revision at this point. Read more

Russia fires warning shots at British Navy ship in Black Sea: Report

Russia on Wednesday fired warning shots at a British Navy destroyer in the Black Sea after it violated the country's territorial waters, the Russian defence ministry said in a statement to news agencies. The HMS Defender "was given a preliminary warning that weapons would be used if the state borders of the Russian Federation were violated. It did not react to the warning," the ministry said as quoted by theInterfaxnews agency. Read more

Watch: Here's why Google app on Android phones keeps crashing

If you are an android user who is struggling with the Google app on your phone, then you are not the only one who is complaining and here's the reason why. The search engine giant usually keeps updating all its app and the 'Google' app is no different, butMashable Indiareported that several people on the internet appear to be going through an annoying issue with the app which constantly makes it crash. Watch video

Fans ejected at World Test Championship final for abusing New Zealand players

Two spectators were ejected during the World Test Championship final on Tuesday for abusing New Zealand players as they took on India in the showpiece match at Southampton. A lively crowd made up of largely India fans added to the intensity, with their chants in support of Virat Kohli's side ringing round Hampshire's headquarters during the fifth day. Read more

Concerns in Karnataka as Delta Plus cases rise in neighbouring states

As the number of people infected with Delta Plus variant of coronavirus is rising in neighbouring states, Karnataka’s efforts to contain the ongoing pandemic are once again challenged by interstate travellers. During the first and second waves, infected interstate travellers from Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu drove the outbreak in Karnataka. Read more

Sneak peek inside the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Village - In Pictures

Organisersof theTokyoOlympics opened the athletes' village to the media on Sunday, showing off apartments and a timber-laced shopping plaza where 11,000 athletes would stay and mingle during the sporting extravaganza. See pics

NASA is sending detergent to space, for science

Ever wondered how astronauts aboard the International Space Station do their laundry? Well, they don't, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is working hard to solve what is one of the most thorny tasks in space - washing clothes. Read more

Morgan Stanley to bar unvaccinated employees from entering NY office

Morgan Stanley's staff and clients will not be allowed to enter the bank's New York offices if they are not fully vaccinated, according to a source familiar with the matter. Employees, clients, and visitors will be required to attest to being fully vaccinated in order to access the bank's offices in New York and Westchester, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters late Tuesday. Read more

UK High Court rejects Nirav Modi's extradition plea

Wanted diamond merchant Nirav Modi, whose extradition to India was ordered in April by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in the estimated $2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, has lost the first stage of his extradition appeal in the High Court here. Read more

3 killed, over 20 injured in blast outside Hafiz Saeed's house in Lahore

A powerful car bomb went off outside Mumbai terror attack mastermind and banned Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed's house here on Wednesday, killing at least three people and injuring 20 others, police said. The blast took place at the BOR Society in Jauhar Town at the police picket outside Saeed's residence. Read more