DH Evening Brief: June 26, 2021

Here are the top headlines this evening.

Centre cautions Karnataka over Delta Plus Covid-19 variant, directs to prevent crowding

Close on the heels of Maharashtra government slowing down the unlock process in Mumbai, the Union Health Ministry on Friday alerted the Karnataka government over the possible surge of ‘Delta Plus' variant. Read more

Uttar Pradesh woman entrepreneur dies after traffic stopped for President's visit

A woman entrepreneur, who was suffering from post-Covid complications, allegedly died in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur town after her vehicle was stuck up in a traffic jam following a blockade during President Ram Nath Kovind's visit. Read more

Not correct to say AAP exaggerated Delhi's oxygen needs by 4 times: AIIMS chief Randeep Guleria

As the BJP and AAP spar over Delhi's alleged 'inflated' oxygen demands, AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria said it would not be correct to say the Delhi "exaggerated" its oxygen needs by four times during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

Farmers' agitation enters 8th month; Centre appeals to call off protests

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar appealed to the farmers to end their anti-farm laws agitation that entered the eighth month on Saturday and join talks with the government to address their concerns. Read more

Meanwhile,Police on Saturday used a water cannon to disperse farmers as they broke through barricades at the Chandigarh-Mohali border, trying to march towards the Punjab Governor's house here.

Bengal's 'Khela Hobe' reaches Uttar Pradesh, albeit in Bhojpuri

The slogan 'khela hobe', which was made popular by Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the recently concluded Assembly polls there, has reached Uttar Pradesh, albeit in 'Bhojpuri' version, where Assembly elections are due early next year. Read more

True leader knows when to protest: Maharashtra CM Uddhav's veiled barb at Fadnavis

In a veiled barb at the state BJP leadership, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said knowing what is the right moment to stage a protest and when dialogue is a better option is the hallmark of a "true leader". Read more

Nurse injects man with empty syringe in Bihar’s Chapra

A video of a nurse injecting an empty syringe into a man at a Covid vaccination centre in Bihar’s Chapra on June 21 went viral on social media. The nurse has been removed from vaccination duty. Watch the video below:

Ambani and Adani race to fulfil India's green ambition

Mukesh Ambani’s rivals should be relieved, though perhaps not too much. The petrochemicals czar has just told shareholders that he’s undertaking his life’s “most challenging” mission by investing Rs 75,000 crore ($10 billion) in clean power and fuel over three years. Read more

Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah won't contest polls unless conditions met

With two former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir - Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti - making their participation in Assembly elections conditional after their recent meeting with the Prime Minister, it may further delay the poll process in the Union Territory. Read more

Coronavirus may have existed over 20,000 years ago!

A coronavirus may have swept across East Asia more than 20,000 years ago, leaving traces in the DNA of people in modern China, Japan and Vietnam. Our research, published in Current Biology, found evidence of genetic adaptation to the coronavirus family of viruses in 42 genes in modern populations in these regions. Read more

Mumbai-Pune train travel gets more scenic with glass-domed vistadome coaches; see pics

The prestigious Mumbai-Pune Express would now have a vistadome coach and passengers can enjoy unhindered view of the rivers, valleys, waterfalls of the Sahyadri ranges. Travelling in the new vistadome coaches of Indian Railways will definitely give passengers an unforgettable travel experience and will ensure that they truly have a journey to remember. See pictures

What to expect from Ebrahim Raisi's presidency

Election of the hardline Iranian judiciary chief, Ebrahim Raisi, as the president of Iran last week through behind the scene manipulation by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Council of Islamic Guardians (a 12-member body of jurists aligned with the Supreme Leader) bodes ill for Iran's economic growth. Read more

UEFA's tryst with hypocrisy and homophobia

Back in April, when the world's wealthiest clubs had decreed to "save football" through the European Super League, UEFA and its president Aleksander Čeferin were swift to condemn the revolutionary breakaway. Čeferin, posing as the vanguard of resistance, had observed that "competition structures (like the Super League) give with one hand while taking away with five. Read more