international

11 Jan

Medical breakthrough! US surgeons successfully transplant pig heart into human patient

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In what is dubbed as a 'first-of-its-kind surgery', the US surgeons have performed a successful transplant of a 'porcine' heart into an adult human with end-stage heart disease. The 57-year-old Maryland resident with terminal heart disease received a successful transplant of a genetically-modified pig heart and is said to be still doing well three days later. "It was the only currently available option for the patient," the University of Maryland Medicine said on Monday (January 10, 2022) after performing the historic surgery. "This organ transplant demonstrated for the first time that a genetically-modified animal heart can function like a human…

07 Jan

New variant detected in France

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The new Covid-19 variant, B.1.640, was detected by French researchers and is probably of Cameroonian origin, is not "circulating widely at the moment" and has so far been identified in less than 1 per cent of the samples sequenced in France, the World Health Organization said. The strain is known as the 'IHU' variant because it was first identified by academics at the IHU Mediterranee Infection Institute in Marseille, France, reports Xinhua news agency. At a press meet on Thursday, Maria van Kerkhove the technical lead for the WHO's Health Emergencies Program, said that it was first detected in September…

24 Dec

US to allow waiving of in-person interviews for H-1B, other visas through 2022

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US State Department has decided to temporarily do away with an in-person requirement for candidates applying for work-visas like the H-1B, L-1, and O-1 given coronavirus concerns. The State Department is temporarily dropping an in-person interview requirement for some work-visa categories in 2022 to ease visa issuances through December 31, 2022. Applicants for these visas will not have to go for an in-person interview at a US consulate and consular officers are temporarily authorised to waive in-person interviews for certain individual-based non-immigration work visas and their qualifying derivatives, as per the State Department release. “We are pleased to announce that…

08 Dec

World looking towards India for affordable, sustainable tech-enabled solutions: PM Modi

editor0 CommentsBusiness, international

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the world is looking towards India for affordable and sustainable technology-enabled solutions across all streams of emerging domains, including 5G, artificial intelligence and robotics. In a message for the Indian Mobile Congress, Modi emphasised that it was important to look at how the country's innovation and efforts contribute more towards bringing positive change in the lives of people. “From 5G technology to Artificial Intelligence, virtual reality, cloud, Internet of Things and robotics, the world looks towards India with optimism to provide technology-enabled solutions that are affordable and sustainable,” Mr. Modi said. He said…

07 Nov

India, France to deepen ties on defence, security

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In a significant move, India and France agreed to strengthen defence and security partnership by enhancing intelligence and information sharing, bolstering mutual capabilities, expanding military drills and pursuing new initiatives in maritime, space and cyber domains. The two countries resolved to expand the defence ties at a meeting of India-France strategic dialogue in Paris on Friday that was co-chaired by NSA Ajit Doval and Emmanuel Bonne, the Diplomatic Advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron. These were the major takeaways from the meeting between National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and and Defence Minister…

01 Nov

#WeAreWithZayn trends amidst Gigi Hadid-Zayn Malik breakup

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In a big relief to the common man in Punjab, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday announced his cabinet decision to reduce electricity rates by Rs 3. Making the announcement, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said, “the electricity that we have bought today is for Rs 2.65. When we did a survey, people told us that they do not want free but cheap electricity.” “Our rate now is Rs 1.19 up to 100 watts. From 100 to 300 units, the new power rates will be Rs 4 per unit, earlier, it used to be Rs 7. And above 300…

24 Oct

Taiwan: Earthquake of magnitude 6.5 strikes island

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A strong earthquake struck northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, with residents reporting violent shaking in the capital Taipei but there were no immediate reports of widespread damage.Taiwan's central weather bureau said the quake was of magnitude 6.5 while the US Geological Survey gave a lower figure of 6.2. It hit northeastern Yilan county at 1:11 pm (0511 GMT) at a depth of 67 kilometres (42 miles). The Taipei metro was briefly closed for checks, but re-opened shortly afterwards. The state-run power operator said the grid was operating as normal, while the railway administration said it was carrying out track inspections. Taiwan…

24 Oct

Himachal-origin techie killed in Mexico shootout

editor0 CommentsIndia, international

California-based Himachal Pradesh’s Anjali Ryot was only a few hours away from her 30th birthday when her life was snuffed out on Wednesday, October 20, in a shootout between two gangs in Mexico’s Tulum. In fact, she was there with her husband to celebrate her birthday. Anjali’s family in Himachal Pradesh was shattered when they were informed about her death. Her brother Ashish is now desperately trying to go to Mexico and coordinate with the authorities to bring her body to India for the last rites. He has urged the mayor of Tulum to speed up the procedure for his…

18 Oct

Amid Bangladesh violence, 20 houses belonging to Hindus set on fire: Report

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A mob has damaged 66 houses and set on fire at least 20 homes of Hindus in Bangladesh over an alleged blasphemous social media post amidst protests by the minority community against temple vandalism incidents during the Durga Puja celebrations last week, authorities said on Monday. The arson attack by the mob of over a hundred people happened late on Sunday on a village in Rangpur district’s Pirganj upazila, about 255 kms from here, the bdnews24.com reported. The police rushed to a colony of fishermen as tension mounted over a rumour that a young Hindu man from the village had…

18 Oct

Former US secretary of state Colin Powell dies of Covid complications: Statement

editor0 CommentsCovid19, international

The former top military officer died on Monday morning, his family said. He rose to become the first African-American secretary of state in 2001 under Republican President George W Bush. Powell, who was fully vaccinated, later prompted controversy for his role in garnering support for the Iraq War. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," the family said in a statement, thanking the staff at the Walter Reid Medical Center "for their caring treatment". As a four-star Army general, he was chairman of the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W.…