A few clotting events after Covishield jab: AEFI panel

  • Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) data in India showed that there is a minuscule but definitive risk of thromboembolic events after administration of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine (Covishield in India).
  • A statement by the Health Ministry on Monday noted that the reporting rate of these events in India is around 0.61/million doses.
  • It is much lower than the four cases/million reported by the United Kingdom’s regulator Medical and Health Regulatory Authority whereas Germany has reported 10 events per million doses.
  • There were no potential thromboembolic events reported following administration of Covaxin vaccine.
  • Thrombosis:
    • It is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system.
    • When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets (thrombocytes) and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss.
    • Even when a blood vessel is not injured, blood clots may form in the body under certain conditions.
    • A clot, or a piece of the clot, that breaks free and begins to travel around the body is known as an embolus.

Two TMC Ministers among four held by CBI in Narada scam

  • Four senior political leaders, including two Ministers of West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress government and a party MLA, were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Narada sting operation case.
  • The Narada sting operation:
    • It was a sting operation carried out by Mathew Samuel targeting high-ranking officials and politicians of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).
    • It showed several politicians and a high-ranked police officer accepting cash bribes in exchange for providing unofficial favors to a company.
    • Performed in 2014 for the Indian news-magazine Tehelka, it was published on a private website months before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections.
    • As of June 2017, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and a parliamentary ethics committee are probing the case.
    • The Trinamool Congress has rejected the allegations and has claimed that the money was received in way of donations.

Production of oxygen at Sterlite will resume soon

  • Oxygen generation at the Sterlite plant, which was hit by a technical glitch, will resume shortly, Minister for Industries, Tamil Nadu said.
  • Following the snag, experts from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Propulsion Research Complex arrived at the plant to resolve the issue. An Oxygen Express train with five tankers reached Thoothukudi from Rourkela. The tankers were sent to medical college hospitals based on demand.
  • The Sterlite plant’s reopening amid the Covid crisis and oxygen shortage in India was given a nod by political parties for production of oxygen. However, people in Thuthukudi have continued their protest against the Sterlite plant.

The Thoothukudi Copper Smelting plant Issue:

  • It has been long-opposed by the local residents for polluting their environment as well as causing a range of health problems and has been subject to several closures, on grounds of violating environmental norms.
  • The National Environmental Research Institute (NEERI) and the TNPCB have found evidence that Sterlite contaminated the groundwater, air and soil with its effluents and also violated standards of operation.
  • In 2010, the Madras High Court had ordered a shutdown of the same plant, for violating environmental regulations which was subsequently challenged by the group in the Supreme Court.
  • The Supreme Court, in April, 2013 struck down the Madras high court’s order and instead fined Sterlite Rs 100 crore for polluting the environment and for operating the plant without a renewal of the consents by TNPCB. Post a favorable ruling by the National Green Tribunal, the plant soon reopened.
  • In March and April 2018, there were renewed mass-protests against the company’s plans of setting up a second smelting complex and demands of an entire shutdown of the smelting plants, on grounds of violating environmental regulations were raised.
  • On 22 May 2018 the protests took a deadlier when 20,000 protesters turned violent and subsequently police had to resort to lathi charge and shooting. In the event referred to as Thoothukudi violence 14 people were killed and several others injured. Section 144 was imposed to control the situation.
  • On 28 May 2018, the Government of Tamil Nadu ordered the permanent closure of Sterlite plant in Thoothukudi. This action of TN Government was set aside by NGT on 15 December 2018, directing the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to pass fresh order of renewal of consent and authorization to handle hazardous substances.
  • Though the Supreme Court of India set aside these directions on appeal by TN Government, Justices R F Nariman and Naveen Sinha held on 18 February 2019 that the NGT had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter. But the ADMK parties are given rights to approach the Madras High Court.

ICMR drops Plasma Therapy from COVID treatment norms

  • The use of convalescent plasma has been dropped from the recommended treatment guidelines for COVID-19, according to an advisory from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
  • Convalescent plasma is taken from a person who has recovered from an infection.
  • Though a trial by the ICMR on 400 patients last year — called the PLACID trial — had found no significant benefit from the use of plasma, it continued to find a place in the recommended guidelines.
  • Some experts have said the use of such plasma may have even played a role in facilitating new worrisome mutations to the virus.

The tale of creating a district

  • On May 14, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh declared Malerkotla the 23rd district of the State.
  • Section 5 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 says the “State government may, by notification, vary the limits and alter the numbers of tehsils, districts and divisions into which the State is divided”.

How are new districts carved?

  • The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the State governments.
  • This can either be done through an executive order or by passing a law in the State Assembly.
  • Many States prefer the executive route by simply issuing a notification in the official gazette.

Central Government’s Role

  • The Centre has no role to play in the alteration of districts or creation of new ones. States are free to decide.
  • The Home Ministry comes into the picture when a State wants to change the name of a district or a railway station.
  • The State government’s request is sent to other departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Intelligence Bureau, Department of Posts, Geographical Survey of India Sciences and the Railway Ministry seeking clearance. A no-objection certificate may be issued after examining their replies.

The trend

  • According to the 2011 Census, there were 593 districts in the country. The Census results showed that between 2001-2011, as many as 46 districts were created by States.
  • Though the 2021 Census is yet to happen, Know India, a website run by the Government of India, says currently there are 718 districts in the country.
  • The surge in number is also due to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into A.P. and Telangana in 2014.

Bengal to form a Legislative Council

  • The West Bengal government will set up a Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad), as per a decision taken up at the Cabinet.
  • The Trinamool Congress, in its manifesto, had promised the formation of the Legislative Council.
  • As Ms. Banerjee and Finance Minister Amit Mitra are not members of the Assembly, they can be easily nominated to the Council once the body is set up and need not have to face elections.

DRDO’s drug launched for emergency use

  • The first batch of the adjunct COVID therapy drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Hyderabad, was released for emergency use.
  • An anti-COVID-19 therapeutic application of the drug 2-DG has been developed by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a DRDO lab along with DRL.
  • The drug is a good example of DRDO and private partnership, which will help patients in overcoming oxygen dependency by around 40%.
  • 2-DG was the first therapeutic drug for COVID which India has developed indigenously.

Remdesivir production stepped up

  • The Centre told the Madras High Court that seven Indian licencees of patented anti-viral drug Remdesivir were manufacturing only 27 lakh vials a month as on April 1 this year though their installed capacity was 38.8 lakh a month.
  • Now, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in certain parts of the country, the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) has permitted them to produce 1.19 crore vials a month.
  • The patent for Remdesivir was held by Gilead of the United States and only seven Indian companies were manufacturing the drug here under licence agreements.
  • In order to enhance the production capacity of the seven licensed manufacturers, the DGCI approved 35 additional manufacturing sites, apart from the 22 already in existence.
  • The Union Ministry of Health is also procuring Remdesivir from other countries.
  • On the other hand, India was completely dependent on imports with respect to critical care drug Tocilizumab, referring to a report submitted by the DGCI and added that only limited stocks were being imported.
  • Nevertheless, he added that there were other drugs produced domestically. He said drugs such as Itulizumab, Dexamethasone and Methyl Prednisolone were either equivalent to or better than Tocilizumab.

Israeli strikes hit Gaza tunnels as diplomats work for ceasefire

  • Background: The war broke out when the Hamas militant group fired long-range rockets at Jerusalem after weeks of clashes in the holy city between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police. The protests were focused on the heavy-handed policing of a flashpoint sacred site during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers.
  • The Israeli military unleashed a wave of heavy airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, saying it destroyed 15 km of militant tunnels and the homes of nine Hamas commanders, as international diplomats worked to end the week of fighting that has killed hundreds of people.
  • The latest attacks killed a top Gaza leader of the Islamic Jihad militant group whom the Israeli military blamed for some of the thousands of rocket attacks launched at Israel in recent days.
  • The UN has warned that the territory’s sole power station is at risk of running out of fuel, and Gaza was also low on spare parts. Gaza already experiences daily power outages for between eight and 12 hours, and tap water is undrinkable.
  • Despite international efforts at a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel’s attacks were continuing at “full-force” and would take time. Israel “wants to levy a heavy price” on the Hamas militant group, he said.
  • Hamas’ top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who is based abroad, said the group has been contacted by the UN, Russia, Egypt and Qatar as part of cease-fire efforts but “will not accept a solution that is not up to the sacrifices of the Palestinian people.”

Iran to develop Farzad B gas field domestically, dumps India

  • Iran, gave the Farzad B gas field to Petropars, a domestic gas producer. This is a setback for India’s energy ties with Iran as ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) had discovered the gas field in 2000 and has been part of the ongoing cooperation on that front.
  • According to Iran’s news agency, the deal was signed in an event which was presided over by Iran’s Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zanganeh.
  • The Ministry of External Affairs has not yet commented on the development but OVL had discovered the Farzad B gas field in the Farsi region, which is located between the Iranian and Saudi territories.
  • The deal in Iran comes despite India’s long-standing cooperation regarding the gas field and is indicative of the impact of the U.S. sanctions on India-Iran energy cooperation, which had been drastically reduced during the Donald Trump administration in the U.S.
  • The deal will pave the way for daily production of 28 million cu m of gas over five years.

India backed Palestine at UNSC

  • At UN, At the United Nations Security Council meeting, India, a non-permanent member, reaffirmed its support for Palestine, but stopped short of making any direct reference to the status of Jerusalem or the future Israel-Palestine borders.
  • Wrapping up his over-4-minute-long speech at the Security Council, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said: “In conclusion, India reiterates its strong support for the just Palestinian cause and its unwavering commitment to the two-state solution.”
  • India has also urged both sides to “refrain from attempts to unilaterally change the existing status quo, including in East Jerusalem and its neighbourhood.”
  • Here, it is Israel which is trying to unilaterally change the status quo by moving to evict the Palestinian families, and deploying troops to the Al-Aqsa compound.
  • India called for “the historic status quo at the holy places of Jerusalem, including Haram esh-Sharif/Temple Mount must be respected”. So, without mentioning any country, India has, in effect, called for the eviction process to be stopped and status quo ante to be restored at the Al Aqsa compound.

Evolving position of India

  • While refusing to toe the Israeli line on the conflict, India’s comments also point to its evolving position on the larger Israel-Palestine issue.
  • For example, it’s called for the status quo relating to East Jerusalem. But the crucial point that’s missing is that East Jerusalem should be the capital [of a future Palestinian state].
  • Earlier, this used to be the mantra from India regarding the two-state solution. This portion is now taken out. Therefore, we are simply giving lip service to the two-state solution without mentioning that East Jerusalem is the core part of that two-state solution, said Talmiz Ahmad, a former diplomat who was India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.
  • Until 2017, India’s position was that it supported “the Palestinian cause and called for a negotiated solution resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel”.

Two narratives

  • Prof. Kumaraswamy, added that there are a couple of important nuances in India’s statement.
    • First, the references to Haram esh-Sharif come twice. And it says, Haram esh-Sharif/Temple Mount. This is a very subtle way of saying that this is not a Palestinian narrative. The Palestinian narrative is that it is Haram esh-Sherif—that means exclusive Islamic control and ownership. By saying Temple Mount together with Sharam esh-Sherif, it says… the real issue is it is Jewish as well as Islamic.
    • Second, you openly condemn the rockets, but no references to Israeli reaction.”

Shilpa unit to make Sputnik vaccine

  • Shilpa Medicare has announced collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to produce Sputnik V, the Russian vaccine against COVID-19.
  • Its wholly owned subsidiary Shilpa Biologicals has entered into a three-year definitive agreement with Dr. Reddy’s to manufacture Sputnik V vaccine at its facility in Dharwad, Karnataka, Shilpa Medicare said.
  • The targeted production of the dual-vector Sputnik V for the first 12 months is 50 million doses from the commencement of commercial production.
  • The firms are also exploring the option of making Sputnik Light, the single-dose version of the vaccine, in the near future.

Nadal wins record-extending 10th title

  • Nadal, 34, claimed a record-extending 10th ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome.
  • After warming up for the French Open in style by beating World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open final, Rafael Nadal said he is heading to Roland Garros with confidence and a clear mind in search of a 21st Grand Slam title.
  • The two have won 15 of the last 17 Rome titles between them but Nadal leads their head-to-head in finals in the Italian capital.

Telecom Secretary inaugurates an online course to train and certify Officers in Network Security

  • Shri Anshu Prakash, Secretary, Department of Telecommunications(DoT), inaugurated an online certificate course on Network Security on the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day – May 17.
  • The Course was organised by the National Telecommunications Institute for Policy Research, Innovation and Training (NTIPRIT), the premier training institute of Department of Telecommunications, Government of India.
  • This is a 36-hour (12 week) Course to train and certify Officers in Network Security and is the first of its kind.
  • Telecom Security is a complex subject which includes compliance to mandated technical specifications, deployment of secure configurations, ensuring trusted supply chain management, engagement of security vetted personnel for critical functions besides day to day operations management for protecting customer communication taking place through the use of telecom networks.

MyGov launches innovation challenge – Indian Language Learning App

  • MyGov, the citizen engagement platform of the Government of India, in partnership with Department of Higher Education has launched an Innovation Challenge for creating an Indian Language Learning App.
  • MyGov has launched the Innovation Challenge to create an app that will enable individuals to learn simple sentences of any Indian language and acquire working knowledge of a language.
  • The objective of this challenge is to create an app that will promote regional language literacy, thereby creating greater cultural understanding within the country.
  • The key parameters that will be looked into will include ease of use, simplicity, Graphical User Interface, gamification features, UI, UX and superior content that makes it easy and fun to learn an Indian language.
  • The Innovation Challenge is open to Indian individuals, startups and companies.
  • The Innovation Challenge closes on 27 May 2021. Upon evaluation of submission of prototypes, the top 10 teams will be invited to make presentations and top 3 will be selected by a jury. The top 3 will receive funding of INR 20, 10 and 5 lakhs to make the apps better.
  • The solutions would be evaluated based on broad parameters such as Innovation, Scalability, Usability, Interoperability, Ease of deployment/roll-out and Campaign.

SAMVEDNA – TeleCounselling for Children

  • With an objective of providing psychological first-aid and emotional support to children affected during COVID-19 Pandemic, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)is providing Tele-Counselling to children through SAMVEDNA(Sensitizing Action on Mental Health Vulnerability through Emotional Development and Necessary Acceptance) – a Toll-Free Helpline launched to provide psycho-social mental support for Children affected during COVID 19 Pandemic.
  • Tele-counselling is being provided through a network of qualified Experts/Counselors/Psychologists trained under the guidance of NIMHANS, on various psychosocial issues in reference to COVID-19, using different Tele counselling strategies.
  • SAMVEDNA tele counselling service is for psychological support to children to address their stress, anxiety, fear and other issues during the Pandemic. 
  • This service is available on a toll-free No: 1800-121-2830 from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
  • Tele counselling is provided to the children under three categories:
  • Children who are in Quarantine/isolation/COVID Care centers.
  • Children who have COVID positive parents or family members and near ones.
  • Children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19 Pandemic.