DH Evening Brief: June 9, 2021

Here are the top headlines this evening.

Why India's second Covid-19 surge is so much worse than the first

India’s relatively mild first wave of Covid-19 last year intrigued scientists and led the country’s leadership to declare what turned out to be a very premature victory over the novel coronavirus. The current surge has been much more deadly. Some researchers and media outlets have pinned the blame on new viral variants, which early studies suggest may be more transmissible than the original strain. Read more

Karnataka mulls unlocking in 5 phases

Hinting at the possiblity of an unlocking process in Karnataka fron next week, Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday said that the state government is considering initiating the easing of curbs in four to five different phases. Read more

Problems at Serum Institute leave world short on Covid-19 vaccines

Around the world, from Bangladesh to Nepal to Rwanda, vulnerable hotspots have been grappling with stalled Covid-19 vaccination programs as they run out of doses. Many of those shortages can be traced back to a single company: The Serum Institute of India. Read more

Coronavirus more likely to spread indoors through maskless interaction, as per a study

Speaking in indoor spaces without wearing a mask poses the greatest risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, to others, a study has found. The research, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine on Tuesday, describes how different sized respiratory droplets emitted while speaking have a range of sizes, and can carry different amounts of virus. Read more

Electricity tariff hiked by average 30 paise in Karnataka

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) has approved an average 30 paise per unit increase in tariff, applicable to the consumers of all Electricity Supply Companies (ESCOMs) for the current financial year. Read more

Cabinet approves allocation of 5 MHz spectrum to railways worth Rs 25,000 cr to improve communication

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved allocation of 5 MHz spectrum in the 700 MHz band to Indian Railways for improving its communication and signalling systems, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said. Read more

Government hikes paddy MSP by Rs 72/quintal to Rs 1,940 for 2021-22 crop year

The government on Wednesday raised the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy marginally by Rs 72 per quintal to Rs 1,940 per quintal for the 2021-22 crop year, while the rates of other Kharif crops were also hiked. Read more

Big jolt for Congress as Jitin Prasada quits party ahead of Uttar Pradesh polls

Amid continued infighting in its Punjab and Rajasthan units, the Congress suffered a major jolt on Wednesday as it lost Jitin Prasada, a prominent young face from Uttar Pradesh, to the BJP. Walking in the footsteps of his father Jitender Prasada, who contested against Sonia Gandhi for the post of Congress President in 1999, Jitin raised a banner of revolt against his party, quitting ahead of the crucial 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections. Read more

The first 'Google Translate' for elephants debuts

When a male African savanna elephant folds his ears while simultaneously waving them, he’s ready for a fight. When a female folds her ears and accompanies the action with an ear flap, that means she’s also issuing a serious threat. But when elephants come together and fold their ears while also rapidly flapping them, the animals are expressing a warm, affiliative greeting that is part of their bonding ceremonies. Read more