The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi government and civic bodies to address the 'extremely grim' stray dog menace by picking up strays and housing them in shelters for sterilization and immunization. The court also warned against obstructing authorities and ordered the creation of a helpline for reporting dog bite cases.
The research published in 'Nature Nanotechnolog' on Monday is based on a new approach to vaccine development called "proactive vaccinology", where scientists build a vaccine before the disease-causing pathogen even emerges, which has shown promising results in mice.
A study by AIIMS-Delhi and ICMR found no link between COVID-19 vaccination and sudden cardiac arrests in young individuals, citing lifestyle factors as more prominent causes.
'Day by day we expose how soulless we have become as a society. Every day is a disappointment.'
The Supreme Court has directed chief secretaries of states and Union Territories (excluding West Bengal and Telangana) to appear on November 3 to explain the lack of compliance affidavits in the stray dogs case.
'It will be an explosion of zoonotic diseases from these places.' 'People will not be able to live or work for kilometres around these places where thousands of street dogs are kept.'
The Supreme Court on Friday modified its August 11 direction prohibiting release of stray dogs from pounds in Delhi-NCR and said the picked up canines should be sterilised, vaccinated and released back in the same area.
Its August 11 direction, which prohibits the release of stray dogs from dog shelters, shall be kept in abeyance for the time being, the apex court said.
Until now, it has been unclear what effects hypervaccination such as this would have on the immune system. Some scientists were of the opinion that immune cells would become less effective after becoming used to the antigens.
'One thing we have learnt is that a pandemic can be arrested at any stage.' 'Not suddenly, of course, but slowly with steady unwavering focus.'
A Chennai policeman on night patrol sparked controversy after making a 'harassment' remark to a woman feeding stray dogs at Thiruvanmiyur beach. The incident, including the cop snatching her phone, went viral on social media.
Ritika Sajdeh, wife of India cricket star Rohit Sharma, has stepped into the heart of a raging debate - publicly condemning the Supreme Court's order to clear Delhi-NCR's streets of stray dogs, calling them 'a heartbeat, not a menace.'
The Chhattisgarh High Court has directed the state government to pay Rs 25,000 each to 84 students who consumed mid-day meals soiled by a dog. The court cited negligence on the part of the government and emphasized the need for vigilance in providing mid-day meals.
Bhikaji Cama, a hero of India's freedom, was the first to unfurl the Indian tricolour on foreign soil.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on Sunday released its manifesto for the Maharashtra assembly polls, promising free cervical cancer vaccines for girls aged 9 to 16 and and two optional leave days for women employees during menstruation.
"Menopause is not a one-day thing," says gynaecologist Dr Nidhi Jha, who is also a founder and director at Care&Cure Clinic, New Delhi. "It's a gradual process that begins years before your last period and it's deeply influenced by how you live your 20s."
The Supreme Court of India has emphasized the importance of aggressive sterilization programs to control the growing population of stray dogs, balancing animal rights with public safety concerns.
The Supreme Court has asked 'dog lovers' and NGOs opposing the permanent relocation of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to deposit funds to be heard in the matter. The funds will be used for stray dog infrastructure.
Many also displayed a picture of Lord Shiva with a dog seated next to him, symbolising the cultural and spiritual connection between humans and animals.
'Pakistan is uncomfortable with the Indian presence in Afghanistan. They want the Taliban to ensure that there is no Indian presence in Afghanistan.'
'Pakistan wanted India out of Afghanistan to which again the Taliban told Pakistan to take a walk.' 'Six months after they came back to power in 2021 India was back in Afghanistan at the request of the Taliban.' 'The Taliban realised that India has no agenda of its own in Afghanistan.'
According to CoWIN data, only 73 vaccination centres are currently active in India, of which 32 are government-run.
The Supreme Court's order to remove stray dogs from Delhi-NCR localities has sparked mixed reactions, with RWAs welcoming the move and animal rights activists raising concerns about implementation and potential harm.
Renowned scientist Ajai Kumar Sonkar emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with nature to strengthen the immune system and prepare for future pandemics.
Amid an uptick in Covid cases in some parts of the country, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Rajiv Behl said the severity of infections as of now is generally mild and there was no cause for worry. Speaking about new Covid variants being traced, he said genome sequencing of samples in the west and south have shown that the new variants are not severe and are Omicron sub-variants. These are LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB. 1.8.1. The first three are more prevalent, Dr Behl said. "Samples from other places are being sequenced and we will know in a day or two if there are more variants." The ICMR DG said there has been an uptick in cases --first from the south, then west and now from northern India. All these cases are being monitored through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). Besides that, ICMR's nationwide respiratory virus sentinel surveillance network is keeping a watch on emerging infections and pathogens, he said. "Whenever cases increase, we look at three things. It's dependent on three factors with the first being how transmissible it is, conversely how fast the cases are increasing. Previously we saw Covid cases double in two days, but this time it is not that cases are increasing rapidly. "Secondly, are the new variants evading our previous immunity? When new variants come, they evade immunity -- be it natural or from the vaccine. But there's nothing to worry about at the moment," Dr Behl said. He also said that the third factor is the percentage of severe cases in all Covid instances. "Are we getting a very severe disease without comorbidities? As of now, the severity is generally low. There's nothing to worry about. We should be vigilant and we should always be prepared," the ICMR DG asserted. Dr Behl also informed reporters that the Union Health secretary chaired a meeting on Sunday that was also attended by the director general of health services and himself. "We have been closely monitoring the situation. We should be vigilant at this moment, but there is no cause to worry. The general public should be vigilant. There is no need to take any such action as of now," he said. The officer added that the WHO database has been showing that the new variants were not causing severe disease. "People do not need to take any immediate action. They should follow normal precautions. So, there is nothing special to do right now." Asked about the need for a booster dose, he said there is no need for vaccination as of now. "India has the capability to make vaccines and if need be, we can make any vaccine in no time."
The Supreme Court on Friday said a 'blanket direction' to pick up stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and place them in shelters without evaluating the existing infrastructure might lead to a 'catch-22 situation' as the directive might be impossible to comply with.
The prime minister also congratulated the film's makers for giving importance to scientists of the country.
Glimpses from around the world that will make you smile and cry.
Covid is growing milder with time but an occasional surge in cases is expected because the virus that causes it is now endemic and constantly evolving, say scientists while assuring that there is no cause for concern.
The ICMR-National Institute of Virology has been regularly undertaking studies to understand the protective efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines against emerging variants.
There is no association between the Covid-19 vaccines used in India -- Covishield and Covaxin -- and increase in the risk of heart attacks, according to an observational study which emphasises the protective effect of the jabs.
The Vaccine War leans towards stoking nationalistic fervour, but that shouldn't stop you from watching a film that is solemn about the Indian scientific community's achievement, notes Mayur Sanap.
The vaccine would not have production scalability issues unlike Covaxin, Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 virus vaccine.
Brijesh's brother Sandeep demanded that one of the family members be provided with a job as Brijesh was the sole breadwinner.
Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech have also stopped producing the Covishield and Covaxin vaccines respectively.
Residents of Surat, Gujarat, now require a no objection certificate (NOC) from at least 10 neighbors to keep a pet dog, following recent incidents involving pet attacks.
In the last 11 years, India and the world witnessed what he stood for, what he promised and did not deliver, and what he actually stood for and practised without fearing how history would judge him. Modi's tenure has been punctuated with headline-grabbing decisions, symbolic gestures, and stage-managed moments that continue to define his leadership and India's politics, points out Ramesh Menon.
'Just put a patch on your arm and the vaccine can be absorbed by the body.'
rediffGURU Dr Nandita Palshetkar, medical director, Bloom IVF, offers advice on how to take care of your menstrual health.
Maternity expenses can be high, with the costs covering everything from prenatal visits to the hospital delivery charges and post-natal care but choosing the right maternity cover can help overcome these issues, says Bhaskar Nerurkar