Category Archives: World Opinion

INTERNATIONAL: SCIENCE & MEDICINE : India joins Centralised Laboratory Network (CLN), a Global Collaboration for Testing Vaccines

The new members of the CLN now are Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) (Senegal), KAVI Institute of Clinical Research (KAVI ICR) & University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (UNITID) (Kenya), Synexa Life Sciences (South Africa) and Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) (Uganda).

India has joined the Centralized Laboratory Network (CLN) which currently has 15 partner facilities in 13 countries that works to test vaccines which can be used during pandemic, epidemic disease outbreak. CLN is a part of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Network is the largest global group which has standardised methods and materials for testing.

The new members of the CLN now are Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) (Senegal), KAVI Institute of Clinical Research (KAVI ICR) & University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (UNITID) (Kenya), Synexa Life Sciences (South Africa) and Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) (Uganda).

CEPI-funded network aims to identify the most promising vaccine candidates rapidly and accurately against emerging infectious diseases and the expanded network is working at supporting sustainable regional outbreak preparedness infrastructure also.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: CAG of India, Girish Chandra Murmu Re-elected as External Auditor of World Health Organization (WHO) for 4-year term 2024-27

“The CAG of India was reelected with an overwhelming majority (114 out of 156 votes) in the first round of voting itself,” the CAG said in a statement.

Girish Chandra Murmu, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), has been re-elected as the External Auditor of the World Health Organization (WHO) for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027.

The CAG is already holding this position in the WHO since 2019 for a four-year term from 2019 to 2023. The re-election was held on Monday at the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, where the CAG of India was re-elected with an overwhelming majority (114 out of 156 votes) in the first round of voting itself.

Mr. Murmu was present in the meeting. After the election, in his address to the World Health Assembly, he outlined his vision as External Auditor for the WHO while emphasising the process of improvement for better outcomes, transparency and professional approach.

“This is the second major international audit assignment for the CAG this year following his selection for the post of External Auditor (2024-2027) of International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva earlier this year in March 2023,” said a CAG statement.

Besides the WHO, the CAG of India is currently the External Auditor of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (2020-2025), International Atomic Energy Agency (2022-2027), Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (2021-2023) and Inter Parliamentary Union (2020-2022).

The CAG is a Member of the United Nations Panel of External Auditors. He is also a member of the Governing Boards of International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions and ASOSAI. “The CAG chairs the INTOSAI Knowledge Sharing Committee, its Working Group on IT Audit, and the Compliance Audit Sub-Committee,” it said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

ASIA: SPORTS / VOLLEYBALL: India Clinches Gold in Central Asian Volleyball Associations (CAVA) Volleyball Challenge Cup for Women

India defeated Kazakhstan 25-15, 25-22, 25-18 in the final to clinch gold in the Central Asian Volleyball Associations (CAVA) Volleyball Challenge Cup for Women in Kathmandu on Sunday.

Professor Dr. Achyuta Samanta, MP and president, Volleyball Federation of India (VFI), S. Vasudevan, chairman, VFI, and other office-bearers congratulated the players and the coaching staff.

The team was led by Nirmal Tanwar. Pritam Singh Chauhan was the head coach and Vaishali Phadtare the assistant coach.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY: VACCINES: India Develops First Local Test to Detect Flu, Covid in Single Swab

The Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) has developed the kit, known as a multiplex single tube realtime RT-PCR test.

The National Institute of Virology has developed the first indigenous testing kit to detect three infections—Influenza A, B and SARS-CoV-2—through a single kit, and wants interested companies to take it to the mass market.

The kit is what is known as a multiplex single tube realtime RT-PCR test to detect Influenza A, B and Covid-19, said Dr Varsha Potdar, head of NIV Pune’s influenza division.

“This will be an easy, time saving and efficient way of detecting three infections through a single test,” she said. “Single tube essentially means that using a person’s single sample, we will be able to diagnose multiple infections. Technicians will not have to test the sample separately.”

Symptoms of the three infections tend to overlap, making a kit such as this particularly useful during flu seasons.

The institute, a constituent of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), on May 15 invited expressions of interest (EoI) from companies to manufacture the kits in bulk, Dr Potdar said.

The test kit will use nasal and throat swabs of a patient, similar to the Covid-19 testing kits, but technicians will be able to use the sample for multiple disease detection, she added.

The institute now wants to hand over the technology to licensees or manufacturers “to enable them to commercialise the technology for societal benefit.”

“The company chosen shall undertake the scale-up as required, manufacturing and commercialiation of the technology and will share the technical data with ICMR,” the EoI document said.

Multiplex testing in molecular tests refers to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests that simultaneously detects multiple pathogens in a single reaction with a single sample.

While such technology is in different stages of development in various countries, this is the first indigenously developed kit that India will produce.

“We have set June 14 as the last date for companies to submit their interest,” Dr Potdar said. “Based on the applications we receive, we will evaluate the best candidate.”

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is also working on the Influenza SARS-CoV-2 (Flu SC2) Multiplex Assay, which is a real-time reverse-transcription PCR laboratory test that can simultaneously detect and differentiate between Influenza A, Influenza B, and SARS-CoV-2 in upper or lower respiratory specimens.

The test is a highly accurate, nucleic acid-based diagnostic tool to evaluate specimens from patients who are in the acute phase of infection, the centre said.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: ARTS & CULTURE / DIPLOMACY: PM Modi releases Tamil classic ‘Thirukkural’ in Tok Pisin language of Papua New Guinea

Tok Pisin is the official language of Papua New Guinea.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape on May 22 released the Tamil classic ‘Thirukkural’ in the Tok Pisin language to bring the Indian thought and culture closer to the people of this southwestern Pacific nation.

Modi arrived here on May 21 on his maiden visit to Papua New Guinea, becoming the first Indian prime minister to visit the country. He co-hosted with Marape a key summit between India and 14 Pacific island countries to boost bilateral ties.

Tok Pisin is the official language of Papua New Guinea.

“Indian diaspora keeping alive connect with the motherland! PM@narendramodi & PM James Marape launched a translation of the Tamil classic ‘Thirukkural’ in the Tok Pisin language of Papua New Guinea,” the Ministry of External Affairs tweeted.

Co-authored by Subha Sasindran and Governor Sasindran Muthuvel of West New Britain Province, the book brings Indian thought and culture closer to the people of Papua New Guinea, it said.

“In Papua New Guinea, PM James Marape and I had the honour of releasing the Thirukkural in Tok Pisin language. Thirukkural is an iconic work, which provides valuable insights across different subjects,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

Thirukkural, a collection of couplets on ethics, political and economic matters, and love, is written by Poet Thiruvalluvar.

“I would like to commend @pngsasi, Governor of the West New Britain Province and Mrs. Subha Sasindran for their effort to translate the Thirukkural in Tok Pisin. Governor Sasindran has done his schooling in Tamil while Mrs. Subha Sasindran is a respected linguist,” he said in another tweet.

Prime Minister Modi has previously released a translation of the book in his mother tongue Gujarati.

He has praised Thirukkural on many occasions.

In one of his speeches, the Prime Minister said, “Thirukkural is not only a literary masterpiece but an extraordinary guide for common living. It shows us the path of righteousness and inspires us to lead a selfless life.” He also stated that Thirukkural “remains relevant even today and can serve as an inspiration for the present generation.” The prime minister has often quoted Thirukkural in his speeches and tweets and even gifted a copy of the book to the late Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in 2014.

“Thirukkural is a treasure trove full of inspiring ideas that youngsters all over the world can read and benefit from,” he had said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

From a broken spine to a broken auto-pilot, Cdr. Tomy sailed through it all to complete the Golden Globe Race

Commander Abhilash Tomy (Retd) returned to India in triumph after creating history as the first Indian to complete the Golden Globe Race on May 18.

Five years ago, he came back to India on a stretcher and went home in a wheelchair, having suffered life-threatening injury in the middle of the Golden Globe Race . On Thursday, Commander Abhilash Tomy (Retd) returned to India in triumph after creating history as the first Indian to complete the race, a solo non-stop circumnavigation of the globe without any modern technological aids, recreating sailing in the 1960s.

“This time, I had the dream team and it is because of them that I was able to do it,” he told journalists after being felicitated by the Navy on Friday. He finished the GGR 2022 in the second place after a gruelling 236 days alone at sea in a sail boat. South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer took the first spot, becoming the first woman to win the race.

Three weeks before the start of the race, my boat got damaged, and everyone thought I would be disqualified. But with the support of the team, I was able to fix it and get in the race,” Cdr. Tomy said. “I learned that I needed a good team to support me. So this time, I had exactly the team I had dreamt of. I had a fantastic designer from the Netherlands, who helped me set up the boat. A team manager from the U.S., along with my family and a brilliant sponsor.”

‘Most innovative repair’

Cdr Tomy sailed the last 10,000 miles after fixing a broken auto-pilot with a piece of wood from the anchor. “I think the toughest thing for me was when my self-steering broke close to Cape Horn… I remember I called my race organisers and informed about it to them. They in turn called my wife and told her that his second chance is over. Because a lot of people retired after their autopilot failed,” he narrated. “I immediately removed my toilet door, made a spear and fixed it but it also failed. I was left with a thought of what to do. I then cut my emergency radar and fashioned a spear out of it, but it did not fit. Then I finally took out a piece from the anchor and fixed it to the autopilot. From there, I sailed 10,000 miles. This was the most innovative repair I have done and I did not lose the race.”

The invitation-only race had 16 participants from 11 countries, and started on September 4, 2022 from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France.

Cdr. Tomy was unable to fulfil his long-cherished dream in the 2018 edition of the GGR when he suffered a severe back injury after the mast of his boat Thuriya broke, due to extremely rough weather and sea conditions. It took three days and a dramatic global effort by the navies of India, Australia and France to rescue him from the middle of nowhere. 

Surviving a broken spine

Recounting those tough moments, he said, “I got stuck in a storm because my name was written on it. When the boat capsized, I got separated from it, but I was holding on to the mast, and when the boat straightened I was on the top of the mast. But suddenly, I plunged from 5 to 8 metres height, resulting in a fracture in my spine, lying in the boat for three days before I was rescued. It all happened in the most remote corner area of the earth.”

He was stranded in the south Indian Ocean, approximately 1,900 nautical miles (nm) from Perth, Australia and 2,700 nm from Kanyakumari. Cdr. Tomy was in the third position out of 11 international participants, and had sailed over 10,500 nm over 84 days before the incident knocked him out of the race. 

On those three days at sea awaiting rescue, he said, “When I had an accident and I had nothing to do for three days except to wait for rescue, I was already making plans for the next race. I was figuring out which boat to buy and sponsorship for the next race. It was always in my mind and I was not willing to give up.”

In the surgery that followed, five vertebrae were fused into a single piece and two titanium rods were fixed to his spine. Cdr. Tomy began walking on crutches, did physiotherapy, and then started kickboxing to help regain his balance. He was back on duty and at sea in six months. In January 2019, he quit the Navy to focus on GGR 2022.

Recreating 1960s sailing

Participants in the GGR are required to sail around the world, single-handed and non-stop passing through the three Capes — Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Cape Leeuwin in Australia and Cape Horn in Chile. The uniqueness of the race is that boat designs and technology newer than 1968 are not permitted; hence, the use of Global Positioning System (GPS), satellite communication and navigational aids are forbidden on the 30,000 mile journey. The sailors have a satellite phone and emergency locator beacons to be used for medical emergencies only.

The historic race is being conducted by Sir Robin Knox Johnston of the U.K. to commemorate the world’s first solo non-stop circumnavigation undertaken by him in 1968, onboard the Indian-built boat, Suhaili.

To his credit, Cdr Tomy is the only Indian to complete solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in 2012-13 onboard the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Mhadei covering 53,000 nm miles under sail. 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

REGIONAL: ARTS & CULTURE / CINEMA: Bangladesh Audiences see First Indian Movie in 50 years

Cinemas used to be a mainstay of Bangladeshi social life.

Thousands flocked to cinemas in Dhaka on Friday as Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster “Pathaan” hit the big screens, the first Bollywood movie to get a full release in Bangladesh in more than half a century.

The action-packed spy thriller smashed box office records when it opened in India in January and the star has a huge fan following around the world.

But Dhaka banned films from its neighbour soon after its independence in 1971, in the face of lobbying from local movie-makers, despite India backing it in its independence war with Pakistan.

“I am so excited because a Hindi film is being released in Bangladesh for the first time,” said Sazzad Hossain, 18, at a cineplex in the capital.

“We are all Shah Rukh Khan fans. For the first time I’ll watch Shah Rukh Khan on a giant screen.”

Bangladeshi cinemas have gone into steep decline, with poor-quality local films unable to match Bollywood’s glitz and glamour or draw audiences, and the ageing Shakib Khan its only bankable star.

Some movie houses even switched to illegally showing pornography to try to remain viable, but more than 1,000 have shut their doors in the last 20 years, many of them to be converted to shopping centres or apartments.

At the Modhumita Cinema Hall, once Dhaka’s most luxurious movie theatre, heroin addicts sat outside this week in front of posters for Jinn, a newly released Bangladeshi movie.

“I haven’t seen such a poor crowd in many years,” said one theatre employee. “Only a few rows have been filled up. Nobody watches these local art movies or films with poor storylines.”

Cinemas used to be a mainstay of Bangladeshi social life.

“This hall was like a great meeting place of the Old Dhaka community,” Pradip Narayan told AFP at the Manoshi Complex, a 100-year-old movie theatre turned into a market in 2017.

“Women used to come in the night to watch films here. Our mothers and sisters from neighbouring areas would come here, and when the show ended at midnight or 12:30 at night, it looked like a fair here.

“A woman even gave birth to a child in this cinema hall. Such was the craze for movies back then.”

Authorities attempted to lift the ban on Indian movies in 2015 when two Bollywood hits — “Wanted” and “The Three Idiots” — were screened, but protests by local movie stars forced theatres to stop the shows.

The government finally issued a decree last month allowing the import of 10 movies a year from India or South Asian nations.

“In Pakistan the number of cinemas came down to 30-35 once. Then they allowed importing Indian Hindi films,” said information minister Hasan Mahmud.

“The number of cinemas has since risen to about 1,200 and the standard of Pakistani films also improved.”

“Pathaan” was released in 41 theatres across the country and many shows in the capital were already sold out, said distributor Anonno Mamun.

Allowing the screening of Bollywood movies would prove to be a “game-changer”, he told AFP. “Everyone loves Hindi movies here. Many also love southern Indian movies,” he said.

The Modhumita cinema’s owner Mohammed Iftekharuddin — a former president of the Bangladesh Motion Picture Exhibitors Association — is hoping for a business turnaround.

“I think 200-300 more cinema halls will reopen after this,” he said.

“Monopoly destroys business. When there is competition, there will be business.”

But Bangladeshi filmmakers are alarmed at the prospect, with some threatening to protest by wearing white shrouds of death to symbolise the demise of the local industry.

“Don’t they know about the Nepalese film industry?” asked director Khijir Hayat Khan.

“Don’t they see that the Mexican film industry was destroyed after opening the market (to Hollywood’s products)?”

Nonetheless, there is undoubtedly unsatisfied demand among audiences.

Forest department official Raj Ahmed, 30, travelled 250 kilometres (155 miles) from Khulna in southern Bangladesh to see “Pathaan”, but could not secure a ticket.

“I feel very bad,” he said. “I was waiting for many days to watch Shah Rukh Khan on a big screen.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: REGION – ASIA /SPORTS : Asian U18 Athletics Championships 2023: India Finish Campaign with 24 Medals

Indian athletes won six golds, 11 silvers and seven bronze at the Under-18 championships. Know all medal winners.

India finished with a rich haul of 24 medals at the Asian U18 Athletics Championships 2023 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Sunday.

Indian athletes won six golds, 11 silvers and seven bronze medals at the Under-18 championships.

China led the overall medals tally with 15 golds ahead of India. China also claimed seven silvers and two bronze, earning 24 medals in all. Kazakhstan were third with three golds, six silvers and five bronze (14 medals)

Sprinter Rezoana Mallick Heena headlined India’s campaign by winning three medals – two golds (Indian girls team relay and girls 400m) and one silver (girls 200m) at the Asian youth athletics meet.

Rezoana Mallick Heena won the girls 400m event with a time of 52.98s and in the process, broke the Under-18 400m national record previously held by Jisna Mathew (53.14s in 2015).

Rezoana Mallick Heena also broke the eight-year-old meet record by Bahrain’s former world champion Salwa Eid Nasser (53.02s). The youngster was just 0.02 seconds off the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) qualification standard for Asian Games 2023, set at 52.96.

Runner Bapi Hansda, meanwhile, won the silver medal in the 400m hurdles with a personal best time of 51.38 seconds on the last day.

With the win, Bapi Hansda became the first Indian in history to win a silver in the men’s 400m hurdles event at the competition. His timing was also better than the previous meet record of 51.96s.

India started the campaign by winning four medals, including a gold, on day one.

Priyanshu won a gold in the men’s 1500m with a time of 3.57.37s. Rahul Sarnaliya clocked 3.59.43s to finish second for a silver in the same event.

Aarti added a bronze to India’s medals tally after clocking 24:29:14s in the girls 5000m race walk.

Mubassina Mohammed from Lakshadweep won a bronze in the girls long jump event with an effort of 5.90m. In the boys 3000m, Aman Kumar won the gold medal with a time of 8:39.15s while Yogeshwar R clinched the silver with a time of 8:39.85s.

Vanshika, meanwhile, bagged the gold medal in the in the girls 3000m event with a time of 10:15.16. Anju Bala finished her course in 10:22.86 for a silver.

In the boys hammer throw event, Narpat Singh bagged bronze with an effort of 67.27m.

Incidentally, India finished with the exact same tally of 24 medals – six gold, 11 silver and seven bronze – at the 2022 edition of the continental championships held in Kuwait.

Asian U18 Athletics Championships 2023: India’s medal winners

Indian girls team – gold medal in medley relay

Vanshika – gold medal in girls 3000m

Rezoana Mallick – gold medal in girls 400m

Aman Kumar – gold medal in boys 3000m

Priyanshu – gold medal in boys 1500m

Pooja – gold medal in girls high jump

Rezoana Mallick – silver medal in girls 200m

Anju Bala – silver medal in girls 3000m

Yogeshwar R – silver medal in boys 3000m

Rahul Sarnaliya – silver medal in boys 1500m

Arjun – silver medal in boys javelin throw

Abinaya Rajarajan – silver medal in girls 100m

Ryan, Abhay, Charan and Navpreet – silver medal in boys medley relay

Mohur Mukherjee – silver medal in girls heptathlon

Ritik – silver medal in boys discus throw

Sumit Rathi – silver medal in boys 2000m steeplechase

Bapi Hansda – silver medal in boys 400m hurdles

Narpat Singh – bronze medal in boys hammer throw

Arti – bronze medal in girls 5000m race walk

Babendra Singh – bronze medal in boys 10,000m race walk

Mubassina Mohammed – bronze medal in girls long jump

Abhay Singh – bronze medal in men’s 200m

Anupriya – bronze medal in girls shot put

Sandeep Vinodkumar Gond – bronze medal in boys 110m hurdles

source/contents: olympics.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SPORT / ATHLETICS : Praveen Chithravel Walks the Talk, Breaks National Record in Cuba

ATHLETICS

The Tamil Nadu triple jumper qualifies for World Championships, moves to No. 2 in this year’s World list’

With the country’s top triple jumpers in great form last year, three months ago triple jumper Praveen Chithravel predicted that the National record could fall early this season.

In 2016 when Renjith Maheswary broke the National record, raising it to 17.30m in Bengaluru a month before the Rio Olympics, many rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

But Chithravel spoke of much bigger things in a chat with this writer from his training base, the JSW Inspire Institute of Sport, in Ballari in February.

“The goal is to do more than 17.40m this year. I need to jump something like 17.40 or 17.50m, that sort of process is going on and it’s going good,” Chithravel, the Asian indoor silver medallist, had told The Hindu then.

The 21-year-old walked the talk in Cuba on Saturday, breaking the National record comfortably at the Prueba de Confrontacion athletics meet in Havana with a gold-winning 17.37m. The Tamil Nadu youngster had three jumps over 17m (17.14 first jump, 17.07 fourth, 17.37 fifth) during that stunning series that saw him climb a rung, to second, in triple jump’s World list this year. That also saw Chithravel qualify (qualification standard 17.20m) for the World Championships in Budapest in August.

With Selva Prabhu Thirumaran — the Tamil Nadu youngster had won the under-20 Worlds silver medal in Colombia last year — finishing fourth with a personal best 16.59m, improving his previous best by 44cm, it was a nice day for Indian athletics. However, Asian Games champion Arpinder Singh had a disappointing 15.03m and finished sixth in the same event.

It was not clear whether Chithravel went through a dope test, an Athletics Federation of India criterion to ratify national records, after his Saturday stunner.

“We normally approve a record only after a dope test. Whether they had a dope control (in the Havana meet), I will have to collect all those details,” National chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair told The Hindu on Sunday afternoon.

“We also had national records in the men’s and women’s 5000m (Avinash Sable and Parul Chaudhary at the Sound Running Track Fest in California, a World Athletics Continental Tour-Silver event). There, dope test was done.”

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DEFENCE: Indian Navy Test-Fires BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile

BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

A BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired from the Indian Navy’s frontline guided missile destroyer INS Mormugao, officials said on May 14.

The missile firing demonstrated the Indian Navy’s firepower at sea, they said.

“INS Mormugao, the latest guided-missile destroyer, successfully hit ‘bulls eye’ during her maiden BrahMos supersonic cruise missile firing,” a Navy official said.

“The ship and her potent weapon, both indigenous, mark another shining symbol of ‘AatmaNirbharta’ and Indian Navy’s firepower at sea,” the official added.

The location of the test-firing of the missile is not immediately known.

BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound. India is also exporting the BrahMos missiles.

In January last year, India sealed a $375 million deal with the Philippines for supplying three batteries of the missile.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)