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At a time when China is expeditiously building its capability to operate fighters near eastern Ladakh, India is also considering expanding its capability to operate fixed-wing aircraft from facilities near the border with China.

India to upgrade air operations capability in eastern Ladakh

Qatar's Special Envoy for Counter-terrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani,&nbsp;who was on a&nbsp;two-day India visit,&nbsp;has briefed the Indian side about the Afghan peace process. On Saturday,&nbsp;he held talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Harsh&nbsp;Shringla&nbsp;during which,&nbsp;he agreed that the process should be inclusive to ensure its success.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the meetings, Joint Secretary (PAI), JP Singh was also present. In a tweet after the meet, EAM said,&nbsp;"Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter" and "peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected."&nbsp;

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Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected.
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The special envoy during the various meetings was concerned about external players as much as internal. The visit comes amid a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban makes territorial gains.&nbsp;

Last week,&nbsp;at a United Nations Security Council session on Afghanistan under India Afghan envoy to the United Nations Ghulam M&nbsp;Isaczai&nbsp;exposed Pakistani support to the Taliban's ongoing offensive. He said,&nbsp;"Taliban continue to enjoy a safe haven in and supply and logistics line extended to their war machine from Pakistan."&nbsp;

Qatar has played an important role when it comes to the US-Taliban pact and hosting the intra-Afghan talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Remember, Al-Qahtani&nbsp;is the same Qatari official,&nbsp;who earlier this year,&nbsp;confirmed that some kind of talks is happening between India and the Taliban.&nbsp;

Qatar's Special Envoy for Counter-terrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, who was on a two-day India visit, has briefed the Indian side about the Afghan peace process.

Qatar's Special Envoy for Counter-terrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, who was on a two-day India visit, has briefed the Indian side about the Afghan peace process. On Saturday, he held talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Harsh Shringla during which, he agreed that the process should be inclusive to ensure its success. During the meetings, Joint Secretary (PAI), JP Singh was also present. In a tweet after the meet, EAM said, "Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter" and "peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected." Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected. — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 7, 2021 × The special envoy during the various meetings was concerned about external players as much as internal. The visit comes amid a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban makes territorial gains. Last week, at a United Nations Security Council session on Afghanistan under India Afghan envoy to the United Nations Ghulam M Isaczai exposed Pakistani support to the Taliban's ongoing offensive. He said, "Taliban continue to enjoy a safe haven in and supply and logistics line extended to their war machine from Pakistan." Qatar has played an important role when it comes to the US-Taliban pact and hosting the intra-Afghan talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Remember, Al-Qahtani is the same Qatari official, who earlier this year, confirmed that some kind of talks is happening between India and the Taliban.

In India, Qatar special envoy agrees Afghan peace process should be inclusive for its success

India’s cumulative COVID19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 506.8 million,&nbsp;said Union Health Ministry&nbsp;on Sunday&nbsp;in a statement.&nbsp;

A total of 55,91,657 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours, as per the 7 am provisional report&nbsp;on Sunday.&nbsp;

In a tweet on Saturday,&nbsp;Union Health Minister Mansukh&nbsp;Mandaviya&nbsp;said,&nbsp;Indian government has given Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine approval for emergency use in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The vaccine joined&nbsp;the likes of&nbsp;Covishield,&nbsp;Covaxin, Moderna and Sputnik V vaccines, which have got the emergency use approval in the country till now.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

On the microblogging site,&nbsp;Mandaviya&nbsp;said, “India expands its vaccine basket. Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for emergency use in India. Now, India has 5 EUA vaccines. This will further boost our nation's collective fight against COVID-19.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

A Johnson &amp; Johnson India spokesperson said, “We are pleased to announce that on August 7, the Government of India issued Emergency Use&nbsp;Authorisation&nbsp;(EUA) for the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 single-dose vaccine in India, to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older."&nbsp;

Earlier, Global healthcare major Johnson &amp; Johnson had said it applied for Emergency Use&nbsp;Authorisation&nbsp;(EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;&nbsp;

India’s cumulative COVID19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 506.8 million, said Union Health Ministry on Sunday in a statement. A total of 55,91,657 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours, as per the 7 am provisional report on Sunday.

India’s cumulative COVID19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 506.8 million, said Union Health Ministry on Sunday in a statement. A total of 55,91,657 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours, as per the 7 am provisional report on Sunday. In a tweet on Saturday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, Indian government has given Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine approval for emergency use in the country. The vaccine joined the likes of Covishield, Covaxin, Moderna and Sputnik V vaccines, which have got the emergency use approval in the country till now. On the microblogging site, Mandaviya said, “India expands its vaccine basket. Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for emergency use in India. Now, India has 5 EUA vaccines. This will further boost our nation's collective fight against COVID-19.” A Johnson & Johnson India spokesperson said, “We are pleased to announce that on August 7, the Government of India issued Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 single-dose vaccine in India, to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older." Earlier, Global healthcare major Johnson & Johnson had said it applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India. (With inputs from agencies)

India’s cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage exceeds 506.8 million 

India and&nbsp;France are soon set to launch Space Security Dialogue&nbsp;at the heart of which is protecting space assets like satellites.

The idea was discussed during French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's India visit in April and&nbsp;the visit of the head of France's newly created Space Command&nbsp;Michel Friedling in March.

Friedling had visited India just a week after Aster X.

Aster X was space military exercises conducted by France which was the first-ever in Europe. American&nbsp;and&nbsp;Germany also took part in the exercise. The space dialogue is&nbsp;the first France is establishing with any country in Asia.

The development comes even as space is seen as the next frontier of militarisation. In 2019, 2000 satellites were&nbsp;in space, key for communication and&nbsp;other purposes. The US has its space force and&nbsp;several countries like India, Russia, China have anti-satellite weapons.

Space cooperation has been part of the conversation between the two&nbsp;countries. During the visit of French President&nbsp; Emmanuel Macron to India in 2018,&nbsp; "India-France Joint Vision for Space Cooperation” was issued. During the April visit of foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, he went to the ISRO office in Bengaluru and&nbsp;an agreement was signed on cooperation in India’s first human space mission -&nbsp;&nbsp;Gaganyaan.

Both India, France have a rich history of cooperation in the field of space&nbsp;since the&nbsp;1960s with the construction of Sriharikota launch-pad with French technical&nbsp;assistance.

India's ISRO and the French Space Agency, CNES have been carrying on various joint research programs and collaborating in satellite launches and joint fleets of satellites for climate sciences.

As part of the ongoing bilateral cooperation between ISRO and Arianespace, GSAT-11 was launched from Kourou&nbsp;(French Guyana) in December 2018, GSAT-30 was launched in January&nbsp;2020. France has been a major supplier of components and equipment for&nbsp;the Indian space program.

India and France are soon set to launch Space Security Dialogue at the heart of which is protecting space assets like satellites. The idea was discussed during French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's India visit in April and the visit of the head of France's newly created Space Command Michel Friedling in March.

India and France are soon set to launch Space Security Dialogue at the heart of which is protecting space assets like satellites. The idea was discussed during French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's India visit in April and the visit of the head of France's newly created Space Command Michel Friedling in March. Friedling had visited India just a week after Aster X. Aster X was space military exercises conducted by France which was the first-ever in Europe. American and Germany also took part in the exercise. The space dialogue is the first France is establishing with any country in Asia. The development comes even as space is seen as the next frontier of militarisation. In 2019, 2000 satellites were in space, key for communication and other purposes. The US has its space force and several countries like India, Russia, China have anti-satellite weapons. Space cooperation has been part of the conversation between the two countries. During the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India in 2018, "India-France Joint Vision for Space Cooperation” was issued. During the April visit of foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, he went to the ISRO office in Bengaluru and an agreement was signed on cooperation in India’s first human space mission - Gaganyaan. Both India, France have a rich history of cooperation in the field of space since the 1960s with the construction of Sriharikota launch-pad with French technical assistance. India's ISRO and the French Space Agency, CNES have been carrying on various joint research programs and collaborating in satellite launches and joint fleets of satellites for climate sciences. As part of the ongoing bilateral cooperation between ISRO and Arianespace, GSAT-11 was launched from Kourou (French Guyana) in December 2018, GSAT-30 was launched in January 2020. France has been a major supplier of components and equipment for the Indian space program.

India, France to launch Space Security Dialogue to protect space asset

France, India and Australia trilateral is all set to be elevated to leaders' level as President Emmanuel Macron, PM Narendra Modi and PM Scott Morrison meet is being envisaged. The meet is likely to happen on the sidelines of any major multilateral summit. G20 summit in Italy in October could provide an opportunity for the meet.&nbsp;

The development comes almost a year after the group first met at the secretary level. The France, India and Australia trilateral was launched in September 2020 at foreign secretaries' level&nbsp;with three joint priorities, maritime security, environment and multilateralism.&nbsp;

This year's May saw the first foreign ministers meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in London. Indian External Affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Australian FM Marise Payne met and discussed a number of issues.&nbsp;

The focus of the grouping has been on Indo-Pacific largely. Remember, both France and Australia are part of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) announced by India in 2019. In fact, Paris announced that it will join IPOI and take the lead of its 'Maritime Resources' pillar during the French foreign minister's visit to New Delhi in April 2020. The mandate of the trilateral is being expanded. Ahead of the G20 FMs meet in Italy, the trilateral had coordinated amongst themselves on a joint strategy at the forum.&nbsp;

Earlier, this year also saw the grouping having met at the senior officials’ level. The Indian side was led by Joint Secretary (Europe West) in MEA, Sandeep Chakravorty; French by Bertrand Lortholary, Director (Asia and Oceania), and the Australian side was led by Gary Cowan, First Assistant Secretary (North and South Asia Division). An official level meeting is also expected to happen in September.

France, India and Australia trilateral is all set to be elevated to leaders' level as President Emmanuel Macron, PM Narendra Modi and PM Scott Morrison meet is being envisaged.

France, India and Australia trilateral is all set to be elevated to leaders' level as President Emmanuel Macron, PM Narendra Modi and PM Scott Morrison meet is being envisaged. The meet is likely to happen on the sidelines of any major multilateral summit. G20 summit in Italy in October could provide an opportunity for the meet. The development comes almost a year after the group first met at the secretary level. The France, India and Australia trilateral was launched in September 2020 at foreign secretaries' level with three joint priorities, maritime security, environment and multilateralism. This year's May saw the first foreign ministers meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in London. Indian External Affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Australian FM Marise Payne met and discussed a number of issues. The focus of the grouping has been on Indo-Pacific largely. Remember, both France and Australia are part of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) announced by India in 2019. In fact, Paris announced that it will join IPOI and take the lead of its 'Maritime Resources' pillar during the French foreign minister's visit to New Delhi in April 2020. The mandate of the trilateral is being expanded. Ahead of the G20 FMs meet in Italy, the trilateral had coordinated amongst themselves on a joint strategy at the forum. Earlier, this year also saw the grouping having met at the senior officials’ level. The Indian side was led by Joint Secretary (Europe West) in MEA, Sandeep Chakravorty; French by Bertrand Lortholary, Director (Asia and Oceania), and the Australian side was led by Gary Cowan, First Assistant Secretary (North and South Asia Division). An official level meeting is also expected to happen in September.

France, India & Australia trilateral to be elevated to leaders' level as Modi, Macron, Morrison's meet envisaged

Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd. is awarding INR&nbsp;10,000,000 to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-neeraj-chopra-wins-gold-for-india-in-javelin-becomes-second-individual-to-do-so-403710">Neeraj Chopra</a>. 
&nbsp; 
An astounding golden moment unfolded at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tokyo-olympics">Tokyo 2020</a> stage today&nbsp;as the world witnessed Neeraj Chopra bringing the first Gold medal in athletics for India. The nation is roaring with pride as India’s campaign at the Olympics comes to a close in Tokyo.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-neeraj-chopras-javelin-throw-that-won-india-its-first-ever-athletics-gold-watch-403719">Neeraj Chopra's throw that won India its first-ever athletics gold - WATCH</a>

To commemorate this special and historic feat, on behalf of the fans Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd., India’s much loved and celebrated sports team and Lieutenant Colonel MS Dhoni extended his&nbsp;wishes to Neeraj Chopra, a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army.

As a mark of appreciation and honour for his stellar achievement, CSK is awarding INR 10,000,000 to Neeraj Chopra.

Have a look |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/photos/indian-army-to-tokyo-olympic-gold-india-javelin-thrower-neeraj-chopras-unknown-journey-in-pictures-403758">Indian Army to Olympic gold: Lesser known journey of Neeraj Chopra</a>

"We as Indians are proud of Neeraj Chopra as his effort at Tokyo 2020 will inspire millions of Indians to take up sport and instil belief in them to be able to compete and excel at the highest level in any discipline of sport. His Gold medal winning throw of 87.58m in the Men's Javelin has galvanised the entire nation," a CSK spokesperson said.

CSK will be creating a special jersey with the number 8758 as a mark of respect to Neeraj Chopra.

"We are delighted that Neeraj will join the elite company of Abhinav Bindra as only the second individual Gold Medallist in the Olympics and we look forward to celebrating more joining this list in the years to come."

Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd. is awarding INR 10,000,000 to Neeraj Chopra. An astounding golden moment unfolded at the Tokyo 2020 stage today as the world witnessed Neeraj Chopra bringing the first Gold medal in athletics for India.

Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd. is awarding INR 10,000,000 to Neeraj Chopra. An astounding golden moment unfolded at the Tokyo 2020 stage today as the world witnessed Neeraj Chopra bringing the first Gold medal in athletics for India. The nation is roaring with pride as India’s campaign at the Olympics comes to a close in Tokyo. Also read | Neeraj Chopra's throw that won India its first-ever athletics gold - WATCH To commemorate this special and historic feat, on behalf of the fans Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd., India’s much loved and celebrated sports team and Lieutenant Colonel MS Dhoni extended his wishes to Neeraj Chopra, a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army. As a mark of appreciation and honour for his stellar achievement, CSK is awarding INR 10,000,000 to Neeraj Chopra. Have a look | Indian Army to Olympic gold: Lesser known journey of Neeraj Chopra "We as Indians are proud of Neeraj Chopra as his effort at Tokyo 2020 will inspire millions of Indians to take up sport and instil belief in them to be able to compete and excel at the highest level in any discipline of sport. His Gold medal winning throw of 87.58m in the Men's Javelin has galvanised the entire nation," a CSK spokesperson said. CSK will be creating a special jersey with the number 8758 as a mark of respect to Neeraj Chopra. "We are delighted that Neeraj will join the elite company of Abhinav Bindra as only the second individual Gold Medallist in the Olympics and we look forward to celebrating more joining this list in the years to come."

CSK honours Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra

It's an enormous feat for a country to build its rockets(launch vehicles) and satellites, more so for a country like India which formally began its full-fledged Space Programme (Indian Space Research Organization) in 1969 - the same year when the Americans landed a man on the Moon.&nbsp;

But Rockets and satellites are not the whole deal, there’s a crucial link called Tracking, Telemetry and Command, a lesser-known science. Simply put, it is meant to ensure communication between the ground station-rocket, ground station-satellite and vice versa.&nbsp;

Without this technology, rockets and satellites would just be lost in the upper atmosphere or the vastness of space.&nbsp;

Earlier this week (Wednesday, August 4th), India lost a pioneer and a foremost expert in this crucial technology - R. Aravamudan(84). Among the first to join ISRO(then INCOSPAR), Aravamudan rose to serve the organization as Director Satish Dhawan Space Centre(spaceport), Sriharikota and the ISRO Satellite Centre, Bengaluru.

A first-rank holder from the Madras Institute of Technology, Aravamudan, who hailed from a middle-class family in the then Madras, worked at India’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Thanks to a casual discussion with his colleagues in Bombay, then 24-year old Aravamudan heard of a scientist, Dr Vikram Sarabhai (father of India’s Space programme) who wanted to set up a rocket launching station off Thiruvananthapuram. Bored with his routine job at the DAE, he applied for the exciting new role under Dr Sarabhai, which also involved being trained at NASA.&nbsp;

Once selected, he was sent to the US for training at various NASA facilities to learn and perform basic tracking and telemetry, which was essential in understanding the performance and trajectory of a launched rocket. It was during this one-year assignment in the US that Aravamudan (known to the Americans and his colleagues as ‘Dan’) met a 31-year old Abdul Kalam, who was also with ISRO. After the training, the ISRO team moved in batches to their fledgling rocket launching station at Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram, where India’s journey to space began.&nbsp;

What makes this journey remarkable is, how India started off by launching experimental rockets in the mid-1960s and developed all the technology and means to launch space-grade PSLV rockets by the mid-1990s. To best understand the contributions, efforts and legacy of Late R.Aravamudan, Zee Media spoke to veterans of the Indian Space Research Organization.

According to G. Madhavan Nair, Former ISRO Chairman, Aravamudan was responsible for his foray into ISRO, at a time when he was bound for the Rajasthan Power Plant, after training at the Atomic Energy School in the 1960s. "I was ready to leave for Rajasthan(atomic project), but he showed up at our campus and wanted to recruit young engineers for the fledgling space programme, which I enthusiastically did" he reminisces to Zee Media, regarding his first interaction with Aravamudan.&nbsp;

Speaking of the technical prowess and the unmatched skill of Aravamudan, Nair says that he was responsible for establishing telemetry, tracking and instrumentation in the initial days, right up to the time ISRO started launching the PSLV rockets. "He contributed immensely towards the failure analysis of the ASLV rocket and the first PSLV launch. He also set up a robust quality management system(for launch vehicles) at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, which eventually was adopted by all ISRO centres across the country. Reliability and quality assurance protocols were his brainchild" Nair recalls.

"During our initial days, owing to embargoes that were in place due to the geopolitical tensions, we were unable to get a Tracking radar that was most essential for our activities. Working out of the basic Church building(initial ISRO office) in Thumba, he brought out a fantastic C-Band tracking radar that had a range of up to 3000kms" Madhavan Nair adds. It is notable that this radar was utilized during the launches of PSLV and GSLV from Sriharikota, following which the technology was transferred to Bharat Electronics Limited, for mass manufacture.&nbsp;

Former ISRO Chairman Dr K. Kasturirangan, who held the top post when Aravamudan was the Director of the ISRO Satellite centre, recalls the latter’s expertise in radar and communications systems and their associated infrastructure. "During Aravamudan’s tenure, at the helm of the Satellite centre, we launched about 6-7 satellites all of which were used for communication or remote sensing" Dr . Rangan told Zee media.&nbsp;

He reminisced and lauded his former colleague’s knack of having a solution-minded approach towards technical issues and his seasoned way of dealing with people. "He was a hardcore professional and never did anything for his visibility, but always delivered on the job. Aravamudan will always be remembered as a smiling man, who always stood tall literally and metaphorically and walked with a lot of confidence. Ours is a very cherished relationship and his loss is a real void in our lives" Dr Kasturirangan added.&nbsp;

 
In an autobiography(ISRO: A Personal History) co-written by his wife Gita Aravamudan, a journalist, the veteran scientist jovially recalls that one of the projects of ISRO scientists of that era was to get Kalam(Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam) married. He also half-jokingly adds how it(Kalam’s marriage) was one project that never came to fruition.&nbsp;

He signs off on the final chapter of his book by outlining what he wishes to see as part of ISRO’s future missions. As a true testimony to his love for his organization (which he helped build from scratch), he aspired to the development of a heavy-lift cryogenic-powered rocket, human spaceflight, recovery of human-carrying space capsules, deep-space exploration missions etc.

In the concluding line, he expressed a sincere wish to witness some of these scientific achievements by ISRO, during his lifetime. "ISRO was his life and we all came second. That was how dedicated he was to his organization," his wife Gita tells WION.

It's an enormous feat for a country to build its rockets(launch vehicles) and satellites, more so for a country like India which formally began its full-fledged Space Programme (Indian Space Research Organization) in 1969 - the same year when the Americans landed a man on the Moon.

It's an enormous feat for a country to build its rockets(launch vehicles) and satellites, more so for a country like India which formally began its full-fledged Space Programme (Indian Space Research Organization) in 1969 - the same year when the Americans landed a man on the Moon. But Rockets and satellites are not the whole deal, there’s a crucial link called Tracking, Telemetry and Command, a lesser-known science. Simply put, it is meant to ensure communication between the ground station-rocket, ground station-satellite and vice versa. Without this technology, rockets and satellites would just be lost in the upper atmosphere or the vastness of space. Earlier this week (Wednesday, August 4th), India lost a pioneer and a foremost expert in this crucial technology - R. Aravamudan(84). Among the first to join ISRO(then INCOSPAR), Aravamudan rose to serve the organization as Director Satish Dhawan Space Centre(spaceport), Sriharikota and the ISRO Satellite Centre, Bengaluru. A first-rank holder from the Madras Institute of Technology, Aravamudan, who hailed from a middle-class family in the then Madras, worked at India’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Thanks to a casual discussion with his colleagues in Bombay, then 24-year old Aravamudan heard of a scientist, Dr Vikram Sarabhai (father of India’s Space programme) who wanted to set up a rocket launching station off Thiruvananthapuram. Bored with his routine job at the DAE, he applied for the exciting new role under Dr Sarabhai, which also involved being trained at NASA. Once selected, he was sent to the US for training at various NASA facilities to learn and perform basic tracking and telemetry, which was essential in understanding the performance and trajectory of a launched rocket. It was during this one-year assignment in the US that Aravamudan (known to the Americans and his colleagues as ‘Dan’) met a 31-year old Abdul Kalam, who was also with ISRO. After the training, the ISRO team moved in batches to their fledgling rocket launching station at Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram, where India’s journey to space began. What makes this journey remarkable is, how India started off by launching experimental rockets in the mid-1960s and developed all the technology and means to launch space-grade PSLV rockets by the mid-1990s. To best understand the contributions, efforts and legacy of Late R.Aravamudan, Zee Media spoke to veterans of the Indian Space Research Organization. According to G. Madhavan Nair, Former ISRO Chairman, Aravamudan was responsible for his foray into ISRO, at a time when he was bound for the Rajasthan Power Plant, after training at the Atomic Energy School in the 1960s. "I was ready to leave for Rajasthan(atomic project), but he showed up at our campus and wanted to recruit young engineers for the fledgling space programme, which I enthusiastically did" he reminisces to Zee Media, regarding his first interaction with Aravamudan. Speaking of the technical prowess and the unmatched skill of Aravamudan, Nair says that he was responsible for establishing telemetry, tracking and instrumentation in the initial days, right up to the time ISRO started launching the PSLV rockets. "He contributed immensely towards the failure analysis of the ASLV rocket and the first PSLV launch. He also set up a robust quality management system(for launch vehicles) at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, which eventually was adopted by all ISRO centres across the country. Reliability and quality assurance protocols were his brainchild" Nair recalls. "During our initial days, owing to embargoes that were in place due to the geopolitical tensions, we were unable to get a Tracking radar that was most essential for our activities. Working out of the basic Church building(initial ISRO office) in Thumba, he brought out a fantastic C-Band tracking radar that had a range of up to 3000kms" Madhavan Nair adds. It is notable that this radar was utilized during the launches of PSLV and GSLV from Sriharikota, following which the technology was transferred to Bharat Electronics Limited, for mass manufacture. Former ISRO Chairman Dr K. Kasturirangan, who held the top post when Aravamudan was the Director of the ISRO Satellite centre, recalls the latter’s expertise in radar and communications systems and their associated infrastructure. "During Aravamudan’s tenure, at the helm of the Satellite centre, we launched about 6-7 satellites all of which were used for communication or remote sensing" Dr . Rangan told Zee media. He reminisced and lauded his former colleague’s knack of having a solution-minded approach towards technical issues and his seasoned way of dealing with people. "He was a hardcore professional and never did anything for his visibility, but always delivered on the job. Aravamudan will always be remembered as a smiling man, who always stood tall literally and metaphorically and walked with a lot of confidence. Ours is a very cherished relationship and his loss is a real void in our lives" Dr Kasturirangan added. In an autobiography(ISRO: A Personal History) co-written by his wife Gita Aravamudan, a journalist, the veteran scientist jovially recalls that one of the projects of ISRO scientists of that era was to get Kalam(Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam) married. He also half-jokingly adds how it(Kalam’s marriage) was one project that never came to fruition. He signs off on the final chapter of his book by outlining what he wishes to see as part of ISRO’s future missions. As a true testimony to his love for his organization (which he helped build from scratch), he aspired to the development of a heavy-lift cryogenic-powered rocket, human spaceflight, recovery of human-carrying space capsules, deep-space exploration missions etc. In the concluding line, he expressed a sincere wish to witness some of these scientific achievements by ISRO, during his lifetime. "ISRO was his life and we all came second. That was how dedicated he was to his organization," his wife Gita tells WION.

Remembering R Aravamudan, the Pioneer of aerospace radars and tracking in India

By Daniel Leussink TOKYO (Reuters) -France became the first country to claim the Olympic men`s handball title for a third time after a thrilling 25-23 win over 2016 gold medallists Denmark in the final on Saturday. After a frenetic start to the match, France kept Denmark`s attack in check in the first half while scoring themselves to build up a 14-10 lead by the break. Denmark tried to stage a comeback and came within a point of France late in the second half but had to settle for silver. "The game was crazy. At the end we thought maybe we`re going to lose this medal so there was a lot of pressure. It was intense," France veteran Luka Karabatic said. The French also won gold at the 2008 and 2012 Games, but went home with silver after losing to Denmark in 2016. The Tokyo final had a familiar look to it with a combined 15 players from both sides returning from the Rio title clash but, unlike that meeting five years ago, France did not let the gold medal slip from their grasp this time. Looking imperious in attack, the self-titled `Les Experts` had 11 different scorers in the game with Nedim Remili leading the way with five goals and they closed out the win despite a late rally by the world champions. "The last couple of years we were always short a game, so I think we had unfinished business," Karabatic said. "It was driving us to work more and give more and that`s how we succeeded." Denmark`s charge was led by the prolific Mikkel Hansen, who scored nine goals to finish as the Games` all-time top scorer with 61 - eclipsing South Korean Yoon Kyung-shin`s 58 at Athens 2004 - but a rare penalty miss in the 25th minute proved costly. Spain took bronze with a 33-31 win over Egypt at the Yoyogi National Stadium earlier on Saturday. The sides fought a tense battle that went into a gripping showdown in the second half, until Spain took a 30-28 lead with less than five minutes to go and that proved too big a gap for the "Pharaohs" to bridge. Spain, who also won bronze at the 1996, 2000 and 2008 Games, showed character to hold out in the closing minutes, said left back Antonio Garcia Robledo. "To take an Olympic medal is so special. I cannot explain my feelings right now," he told reporters. (Reporting by Daniel Leussink in Tokyo; additional reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris and Ed Osmond)

By Daniel Leussink TOKYO (Reuters) -France became the first country to claim the Olympic men`s handball title for a third time after a thrilling 25-23 win over 2016 gold medallists Denmark in the final on Saturday.

By Daniel Leussink TOKYO (Reuters) -France became the first country to claim the Olympic men`s handball title for a third time after a thrilling 25-23 win over 2016 gold medallists Denmark in the final on Saturday. After a frenetic start to the match, France kept Denmark`s attack in check in the first half while scoring themselves to build up a 14-10 lead by the break. Denmark tried to stage a comeback and came within a point of France late in the second half but had to settle for silver. "The game was crazy. At the end we thought maybe we`re going to lose this medal so there was a lot of pressure. It was intense," France veteran Luka Karabatic said. The French also won gold at the 2008 and 2012 Games, but went home with silver after losing to Denmark in 2016. The Tokyo final had a familiar look to it with a combined 15 players from both sides returning from the Rio title clash but, unlike that meeting five years ago, France did not let the gold medal slip from their grasp this time. Looking imperious in attack, the self-titled `Les Experts` had 11 different scorers in the game with Nedim Remili leading the way with five goals and they closed out the win despite a late rally by the world champions. "The last couple of years we were always short a game, so I think we had unfinished business," Karabatic said. "It was driving us to work more and give more and that`s how we succeeded." Denmark`s charge was led by the prolific Mikkel Hansen, who scored nine goals to finish as the Games` all-time top scorer with 61 - eclipsing South Korean Yoon Kyung-shin`s 58 at Athens 2004 - but a rare penalty miss in the 25th minute proved costly. Spain took bronze with a 33-31 win over Egypt at the Yoyogi National Stadium earlier on Saturday. The sides fought a tense battle that went into a gripping showdown in the second half, until Spain took a 30-28 lead with less than five minutes to go and that proved too big a gap for the "Pharaohs" to bridge. Spain, who also won bronze at the 1996, 2000 and 2008 Games, showed character to hold out in the closing minutes, said left back Antonio Garcia Robledo. "To take an Olympic medal is so special. I cannot explain my feelings right now," he told reporters. (Reporting by Daniel Leussink in Tokyo; additional reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris and Ed Osmond)

Olympics-Handball-France strike gold with thrilling win over Denmark

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A Brazilian volleyball player suspended for doping while competing in the Tokyo Olympics has claimed the banned substance found in a July test was introduced accidentally into her system. In a letter released by her lawyer on Friday, Tandara Caixeta, who has left the team’s camp and flown home to Brazil, did not explain further but said she had not knowningly taken Ostarina, a drug used by bodybuilders and to improve athletic performance. “We fully trust that we will prove Ostarina entered accidentally into the athlete’s organism and that it was not used to enhance sporting performance,” said the lawyer’s letter. “Recently, numerous Brazilian athletes have been victims of incidents involving Ostarina,” it added, without clarifying further. The Brazilian Olympic Committee broke the news of her positive test shortly before Brazil’s semi-final against South Korea. Brazil won 3-0 to qualify for Sunday’s gold medal game against the United States. The positive test was taken out of competition at the Brazilian volleyball training centre on July 7, the committee said. (Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A Brazilian volleyball player suspended for doping while competing in the Tokyo Olympics has claimed the banned substance found in a July test was introduced accidentally into her system.

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A Brazilian volleyball player suspended for doping while competing in the Tokyo Olympics has claimed the banned substance found in a July test was introduced accidentally into her system. In a letter released by her lawyer on Friday, Tandara Caixeta, who has left the team’s camp and flown home to Brazil, did not explain further but said she had not knowningly taken Ostarina, a drug used by bodybuilders and to improve athletic performance. “We fully trust that we will prove Ostarina entered accidentally into the athlete’s organism and that it was not used to enhance sporting performance,” said the lawyer’s letter. “Recently, numerous Brazilian athletes have been victims of incidents involving Ostarina,” it added, without clarifying further. The Brazilian Olympic Committee broke the news of her positive test shortly before Brazil’s semi-final against South Korea. Brazil won 3-0 to qualify for Sunday’s gold medal game against the United States. The positive test was taken out of competition at the Brazilian volleyball training centre on July 7, the committee said. (Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

Olympics-Volleyball player claims innocence over positive drug test

One terrorist of the proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr was killed in Budgam by security forces in a joint operation by security forces, while another terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba was arrested in another operation in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

"During the search operation, as the presence of terrorists was ascertained, they were given an opportunity to surrender. However, instead of surrendering, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which led to an encounter, " said a press release by the police.

"In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist of the proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter. He has been identified as Shakir Bashir Dar, the son of Bashir Ahmad Dar, and a resident of Goripora in Awantipora, " it added.

Acting on specific information generated by the Budgam Police about the presence of terrorists in the Mochwa area of Chadoora in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, 50RR and 181BN CRPF in the said area on Saturday, a Jammu and Kashmir police official statement read.

As per police records, the killed terrorist was part of a group involved in various terror crime cases and several terror crime cases were registered against him. Shakir Bashir was earlier working as a terrorist associate with proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and joined the terror folds of proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr recently.

Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including 1 AK-rifle with 02 magazines, 32 rounds, 1 Chinese pistol with 2 magazines, 16 rounds, a bag-pack and a pouch were recovered from the site of the encounter.

"While the said operation was in progress, it was learnt that while laying cordon another terrorist had managed to escape from the encounter site and the information was shared with Awantipora Police. Awantipora Police, while developing the lead further launched a cordon and search operation in the Mantaqi Colony Khrew area along with 50RR and 185BN CRPF," it added.

During the search, the escaped terrorist was tracked down and arrested while hiding in a truck bearing registration No. JK13-2397. He has been identified as Shabir Ahmad Najar, a resident of Wuyan Khrew, linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT. The driver of the truck identified as Mohd Shafi Dar, a resident of Gratwani Mohalla Khrew, has also been arrested. Besides, the said truck has also been seized," the police statement read.

Incriminating materials, arms &amp; ammunition including 1 Chinese Pistol, 1 Pistol Magazine, 7 Pistol rounds, 2 AK-Magazines, 50 AK-rounds, 1 Chinese grenade, 5Kgs IED (destroyed on spot) were also recovered from the site.

IGP Kashmir has congratulated the joint teams of Police/SF for showing exemplary coordination in conducting the operation successfully in a professional manner without any collateral damage and tracking down the escaped terrorist. Besides, IGP Kashmir appeals to parents of newly recruited terrorists to bring their children back to the mainstream.

In this connection, Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law and further investigation is in progress.

One terrorist of the proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr was killed in Budgam by security forces in a joint operation by security forces, while another terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba was arrested in another operation in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

One terrorist of the proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr was killed in Budgam by security forces in a joint operation by security forces, while another terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba was arrested in another operation in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. "During the search operation, as the presence of terrorists was ascertained, they were given an opportunity to surrender. However, instead of surrendering, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which led to an encounter, " said a press release by the police. "In the ensuing encounter, one terrorist of the proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter. He has been identified as Shakir Bashir Dar, the son of Bashir Ahmad Dar, and a resident of Goripora in Awantipora, " it added. Acting on specific information generated by the Budgam Police about the presence of terrorists in the Mochwa area of Chadoora in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, 50RR and 181BN CRPF in the said area on Saturday, a Jammu and Kashmir police official statement read. As per police records, the killed terrorist was part of a group involved in various terror crime cases and several terror crime cases were registered against him. Shakir Bashir was earlier working as a terrorist associate with proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and joined the terror folds of proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr recently. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including 1 AK-rifle with 02 magazines, 32 rounds, 1 Chinese pistol with 2 magazines, 16 rounds, a bag-pack and a pouch were recovered from the site of the encounter. "While the said operation was in progress, it was learnt that while laying cordon another terrorist had managed to escape from the encounter site and the information was shared with Awantipora Police. Awantipora Police, while developing the lead further launched a cordon and search operation in the Mantaqi Colony Khrew area along with 50RR and 185BN CRPF," it added. During the search, the escaped terrorist was tracked down and arrested while hiding in a truck bearing registration No. JK13-2397. He has been identified as Shabir Ahmad Najar, a resident of Wuyan Khrew, linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT. The driver of the truck identified as Mohd Shafi Dar, a resident of Gratwani Mohalla Khrew, has also been arrested. Besides, the said truck has also been seized," the police statement read. Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 1 Chinese Pistol, 1 Pistol Magazine, 7 Pistol rounds, 2 AK-Magazines, 50 AK-rounds, 1 Chinese grenade, 5Kgs IED (destroyed on spot) were also recovered from the site. IGP Kashmir has congratulated the joint teams of Police/SF for showing exemplary coordination in conducting the operation successfully in a professional manner without any collateral damage and tracking down the escaped terrorist. Besides, IGP Kashmir appeals to parents of newly recruited terrorists to bring their children back to the mainstream. In this connection, Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law and further investigation is in progress.

LeT terrorist arrested, another terrorist affiliated to Al-Badr killed by security forces in J&K

United States pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine has received emergency use approval in India.

Coronavirus Update: India approves Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine

In a tweet, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar announced that he is meeting Qatar Special Envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani in New Delhi.&nbsp;

During the meeting,&nbsp;the Minister shared the Indian perspective on recent developments in Afghanistan with the envoy. He also raised concerns of the region that he came to know during recent interactions.&nbsp;

“Rapid deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan is a serious matter. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected,” said the minister on the micro blogging site. &nbsp;

Jaishankar also said, “Pleased to receive Qatar Special Envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani.” &nbsp;

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Pleased to receive Qatar Special Envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani. 
 
Shared the Indian perspective on recent developments in Afghanistan. Also the concerns of the region that I heard during recent interactions. <a href="https://t.co/D6yA7EB4JL">pic.twitter.com/D6yA7EB4JL</a>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1423910550115819524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Earlier, Mohammad Haneef Atmar, the Afghan foreign minister, had spoken to his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar about holding an emergency session of the UN Security Council to address the Taliban's brutality and crimes across Afghanistan.&nbsp;

India is the President of the United Nations Security Council for August and decides upon the work of the top United Nations body.&nbsp;

An Afghan government readout said Afghan FM called Dr S Jaishankar to "discuss convening an emergency UN Security Council Session on Afghanistan" and that the "UN &amp; international community must play a greater role in stopping the unfolding tragedy in Afghanistan due to Taliban violence &amp; atrocities. Appreciate the lead role of India as the current UNSC President."&nbsp;

In a tweet, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar announced that he is meeting Qatar Special Envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani in New Delhi. During the meeting, the Minister shared the Indian perspective on recent developments in Afghanistan with the envoy.

In a tweet, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar announced that he is meeting Qatar Special Envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani in New Delhi. During the meeting, the Minister shared the Indian perspective on recent developments in Afghanistan with the envoy. He also raised concerns of the region that he came to know during recent interactions. “Rapid deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan is a serious matter. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected,” said the minister on the micro blogging site. Jaishankar also said, “Pleased to receive Qatar Special Envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani.” Pleased to receive Qatar Special Envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani. Shared the Indian perspective on recent developments in Afghanistan. Also the concerns of the region that I heard during recent interactions. pic.twitter.com/D6yA7EB4JL — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 7, 2021 × Earlier, Mohammad Haneef Atmar, the Afghan foreign minister, had spoken to his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar about holding an emergency session of the UN Security Council to address the Taliban's brutality and crimes across Afghanistan. India is the President of the United Nations Security Council for August and decides upon the work of the top United Nations body. An Afghan government readout said Afghan FM called Dr S Jaishankar to "discuss convening an emergency UN Security Council Session on Afghanistan" and that the "UN & international community must play a greater role in stopping the unfolding tragedy in Afghanistan due to Taliban violence & atrocities. Appreciate the lead role of India as the current UNSC President."

Jaishankar meets Qatar special envoy, discusses Afghan security situation 

Indian government&nbsp;has given&nbsp;Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine&nbsp;approval for emergency use in the country, said&nbsp;Union Health Minister Mansukh&nbsp;Mandaviya&nbsp;in a tweet on Saturday.&nbsp;

The vaccine joins the likes of&nbsp;Covishield,&nbsp;Covaxin, Moderna and&nbsp;Sputnik V&nbsp;vaccines, which have got the emergency use approval&nbsp;in the country&nbsp;till now.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

On the microblogging site,&nbsp;Mandaviya&nbsp;said,&nbsp;“India expands its vaccine basket.&nbsp;Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for emergency use in India.&nbsp;Now,&nbsp;India has 5 EUA vaccines.&nbsp;This will further boost our nation's collective fight against COVID-19.”&nbsp;

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India expands its vaccine basket! 
 
Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for Emergency Use in India. 
 
Now India has 5 EUA vaccines. 
 
This will further boost our nation's collective fight against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>
— Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) <a href="https://twitter.com/mansukhmandviya/status/1423915409791610886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A Johnson &amp; Johnson India spokesperson said, “We are pleased to announce that on August 7, the Government of India issued Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 single-dose vaccine in India, to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older."

Earlier, Global healthcare major Johnson &amp; Johnson had said it applied for Emergency Use&nbsp;Authorisation&nbsp;(EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India.&nbsp;

The company had said that it remained committed to bringing its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to India and looks forward to ongoing discussions with the Indian government.&nbsp;

"On August 5, 2021 Johnson &amp; Johnson Pvt Ltd applied for EUA of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the government of India," a Johnson &amp; Johnson India spokesperson said in a statement.&nbsp;

This is an important milestone that paves the way for bringing the company's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the people of India, and the rest of the world, through a collaboration with Biological E Limited, the statement added.&nbsp;

"Biological E will be an important part of our global supply chain network, helping to supply our Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine through the extensive collaborations and partnerships we have with governments, health authorities and&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;such as Gavi and the COVAX Facility," the statement said.&nbsp;

The EUA submission is based on topline efficacy and safety data from the Phase 3 clinical trial, which demonstrated that the company's single-shot vaccine was 85 per cent effective in preventing severe disease across all regions studied, and showed protection against COVID-19 related&nbsp;hospitalisation&nbsp;and death, beginning 28 days after vaccination, it added.&nbsp;

"We look forward to concluding our discussions with the government of India to accelerate the availability of our COVID-19 vaccine to help end the pandemic," the statement said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Indian government has given Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine approval for emergency use in the country, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in a tweet on Saturday.

Indian government has given Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine approval for emergency use in the country, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in a tweet on Saturday. The vaccine joins the likes of Covishield, Covaxin, Moderna and Sputnik V vaccines, which have got the emergency use approval in the country till now. On the microblogging site, Mandaviya said, “India expands its vaccine basket. Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for emergency use in India. Now, India has 5 EUA vaccines. This will further boost our nation's collective fight against COVID-19.” India expands its vaccine basket! Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for Emergency Use in India. Now India has 5 EUA vaccines. This will further boost our nation's collective fight against #COVID19 — Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) August 7, 2021 × A Johnson & Johnson India spokesperson said, “We are pleased to announce that on August 7, the Government of India issued Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 single-dose vaccine in India, to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older." Earlier, Global healthcare major Johnson & Johnson had said it applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India. The company had said that it remained committed to bringing its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to India and looks forward to ongoing discussions with the Indian government. "On August 5, 2021 Johnson & Johnson Pvt Ltd applied for EUA of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the government of India," a Johnson & Johnson India spokesperson said in a statement. This is an important milestone that paves the way for bringing the company's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the people of India, and the rest of the world, through a collaboration with Biological E Limited, the statement added. "Biological E will be an important part of our global supply chain network, helping to supply our Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine through the extensive collaborations and partnerships we have with governments, health authorities and organisations such as Gavi and the COVAX Facility," the statement said. The EUA submission is based on topline efficacy and safety data from the Phase 3 clinical trial, which demonstrated that the company's single-shot vaccine was 85 per cent effective in preventing severe disease across all regions studied, and showed protection against COVID-19 related hospitalisation and death, beginning 28 days after vaccination, it added. "We look forward to concluding our discussions with the government of India to accelerate the availability of our COVID-19 vaccine to help end the pandemic," the statement said. (With inputs from agencies)

J&J single-dose COVID-19 vaccine gets emergency use approval in India 

In today's Kashmir connect story, we bring you a mouth-watering guide to Kashmiri Wazwan. A multi-course meal, Wazwan is usually prepared at weddings and other festive occasions. Wion's Johan castell travelled to Srinagar and indulged in this lavish feast at a Kashmiri wedding.

Kashmir Connect: Wazwan, a multi-course meal

The 13th BRICS summit under the chairmanship of India will take place on September 9 virtually.

Leaders of all five&nbsp;BRICS member countries, India's PM Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will take part in the meet.

This is the third time that India will be hosting the BRICS Summit after 2012 and 2016. More than 50 meetings have already taken place under India's chairmanship this year which includes the Foreign Ministers virtual meet on June 1.

During the summit and the various meetings, the focus has been on dealing with the COVID crisis, supporting TRIPS waiver for COVID 19 vaccines at WTO backed by South Africa-India who proposed it, counter-terror, reforms at multilateral groupings especially at the UN Security Council.

In terms of the Agenda under the Indian Presidency, August will see several meetings. These are the Meeting of National Security Advisors on&nbsp;August 24, the Meeting of the Heads of the Space Agencies on August 18, meeting of Agriculture and environment ministers on&nbsp; August 27.

Additionally, BRICS Youth Summit will take place from August 29-31 and Digital Health Summit from August&nbsp;24-26.

During the BRICS National Security Advisors meeting, BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan will be adopted that was finalized at the groups' working group meet that took place last month. BRICS or Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa grouping is a major grouping with considerable global economic output.

The 2020 BRICS summit was also virtual amid the covid pandemic under the chairmanship of Russia. The summit took place in November and it was the first time that India PM and the Chinese President were on the same platform amid the aggressive action by Chinese forces at the line of actual control in eastern Ladakh. The aggressive action by the Chinese army had led to the Galwan incident in which India lost 20 of its soldiers.

September will also see another major summit, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or SCO heads of state summit on September 16-17 in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe. Tajikistan is chair of the grouping which has 8 member states--Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and 4 central Asian countries--Tajikistan, &nbsp;Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan.

Additionally, September also will see the annual start of the United Nations General Assembly, the 76th session. It is expected to take place in a hybrid mode. The President-elect of the seventy-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly is Maldives Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid. During the UNGA elections, he got a whopping 143 votes in the 193 strong body. 97 votes are the threshold for winning the elections.

The tenure of the post is one year and is a prestigious one due to authority over the working of the General Assembly. India had strongly backed the candidature of Abdulla. This is the first time that a Maldives National is heading the presidentship of the UN body. His Chef du Cabinet is India's deputy Ambassador to United Nations Nagaraj Naidu. Another first, with an Indian diplomat holding that post that is like the chief of staff or like in the Indian system PM's Principal Secretary.

The 13th BRICS summit under the chairmanship of India will take place on September 9 virtually. Leaders of all five BRICS member countries, India's PM Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will take part in the meet.

The 13th BRICS summit under the chairmanship of India will take place on September 9 virtually. Leaders of all five BRICS member countries, India's PM Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will take part in the meet. This is the third time that India will be hosting the BRICS Summit after 2012 and 2016. More than 50 meetings have already taken place under India's chairmanship this year which includes the Foreign Ministers virtual meet on June 1. During the summit and the various meetings, the focus has been on dealing with the COVID crisis, supporting TRIPS waiver for COVID 19 vaccines at WTO backed by South Africa-India who proposed it, counter-terror, reforms at multilateral groupings especially at the UN Security Council. In terms of the Agenda under the Indian Presidency, August will see several meetings. These are the Meeting of National Security Advisors on August 24, the Meeting of the Heads of the Space Agencies on August 18, meeting of Agriculture and environment ministers on August 27. Additionally, BRICS Youth Summit will take place from August 29-31 and Digital Health Summit from August 24-26. During the BRICS National Security Advisors meeting, BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan will be adopted that was finalized at the groups' working group meet that took place last month. BRICS or Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa grouping is a major grouping with considerable global economic output. The 2020 BRICS summit was also virtual amid the covid pandemic under the chairmanship of Russia. The summit took place in November and it was the first time that India PM and the Chinese President were on the same platform amid the aggressive action by Chinese forces at the line of actual control in eastern Ladakh. The aggressive action by the Chinese army had led to the Galwan incident in which India lost 20 of its soldiers. September will also see another major summit, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or SCO heads of state summit on September 16-17 in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe. Tajikistan is chair of the grouping which has 8 member states--Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and 4 central Asian countries--Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. Additionally, September also will see the annual start of the United Nations General Assembly, the 76th session. It is expected to take place in a hybrid mode. The President-elect of the seventy-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly is Maldives Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid. During the UNGA elections, he got a whopping 143 votes in the 193 strong body. 97 votes are the threshold for winning the elections. The tenure of the post is one year and is a prestigious one due to authority over the working of the General Assembly. India had strongly backed the candidature of Abdulla. This is the first time that a Maldives National is heading the presidentship of the UN body. His Chef du Cabinet is India's deputy Ambassador to United Nations Nagaraj Naidu. Another first, with an Indian diplomat holding that post that is like the chief of staff or like in the Indian system PM's Principal Secretary.

BRICS summit under India's chairmanship to be held on September 9

India's envoy to the United Nations, T S Tirumurti, on Friday called on the Taliban to engage in "negotiations in good faith", "eschew the path of violence" and "severe ties with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations" at the United Nations Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.

India's envoy to the United Nations, T S Tirumurti, on Friday called on the Taliban to engage in "negotiations in good faith", "eschew the path of violence" and "severe ties with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations" at the United Nations Security Council meeting on Afghanistan. The meeting that took place under India's presidency of the top UN body happened days after Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar called India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar to hold a meeting as the situation deteriorated in his country. Tirumurti said that the Taliban should "fully commit itself towards reaching a political solution" and "violence and military threats can not be used to strengthen the negotiating position of any side" for which a "tangible demonstration of this commitment is required. "The Taliban have launched a massive offensive against the Afghan government with heavy fighting being witnessed in Herat, Kandahar, and other provinces. The Indian envoy also pointed out that "Any regime devoid of legitimacy in Afghanistan would find it difficult to garner much needed humanitarian and developmental assistance from the international donor community." It is important to remember that the Taliban is keen on getting global legitimacy even as the group has been visiting Tehran, Moscow, and Beijing to garner support. Insisting that "the international community can not afford to set the clock back" and the "future of Afghanistan can not be its past", he said New Delhi supports a "leading role for the United Nations and calls on the Secretary-General to take an initiative towards finding a lasting and durable outcome. ". While an UN-led initiative is envisaged, there are regional platforms like the Doha Process, the Moscow Format and the Istanbul Process which are working to ensure stability in the country. Next week, the troika plus--US, Russia, China, and Pakistan groups will meet to assess the situation in the country. On the issue of terrorism, he said, "For enduring peace in Afghanistan, terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries in the region must be dismantled immediately and terrorist supply chains disrupted."Without mentioning Pakistan's name, the envoy said, "Those providing material and financial support to terrorist entities must be held accountable." He listed the situation in-country, including recent incidents like the attack on the UN compound in Herat, the attack on the residence of the Defence Minister, the "murder" of Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui, and the "merciless" killing of more than 100 Afghan civilians in Spin Boldak. On India's role, Tirumurti said, "we will continue to stand with Afghanistan in ensuring that peace and stability are restored through a legitimate and transparent democratic process that is essential for the long-term stability of Afghanistan and the region." He added, "will continue to provide all support to Afghanistan in realizing their aspirations for a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future, free of terror, where the rights and interests of all sections of Afghan society are promoted and protected." India has been a major donor to Afghanistan in the region and has been involved in major infrastructure projects in the country. The Afghan Parliament and the India-Afghanistan friendship dam in Herat have been built by India.

Taliban needs to eschew the path of violence, cut ties with terror groups: India

A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the US.

About one lakh employment-based Green Cards are at the risk of being wasted in less than two months, causing resentment among Indian IT professionals whose wait for legal permanent residency now runs into decades.

A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the US.

This year's quota for employment-based immigrants is 261,500, far higher than the usual 140,000, Indian professional Sandeep Pawar told PTI. "Unfortunately, under the law, if these visas aren't issued by September 30, they are lost forever," he said.

The current pace of processing by US Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS suggests they will waste more than 100,000 green cards, a fact recently confirmed by the Department of State officer in charge of determining visa usage, he said.

If the USCIS or the Biden administration doesn't take any steps, the extra 100,000 Green Cards that are available this year will be wasted, Pawar rued.

The White House did not comment on the questions asked in this regard.

Meanwhile, a group of 125 Indian and Chinese nationals living in the US filed a lawsuit to prevent the administration from wasting the Green Cards.

"There are hundreds of thousands of gainfully employed legal immigrants in the US who would benefit from these Green Cards. Many of them have been waiting for a decade or more to adjust to permanent resident status but have been unable to do so due to a lack of available visa numbers, " he said.

"But this year, if the USCIS does its job efficiently and promptly, these immigrants will finally have the opportunity to become permanent residents, something which would otherwise take decades, " said Pawar, who has been fighting for the rights of Indian professionals waiting for several decades for Green Cards.

"Most potential beneficiaries, such as myself, are from India, a country that is the most backlogged due to inherently racist and discriminatory per country quotas embedded in the INA. Many have spouses, mostly women, who are unable to work until they become permanent residents, " Pawar said.

"Many have kids who will age out and be forced to self-deport even though this is the only country they know. The harm is both immense and irreparable if these Green Cards are not used," he said.

IMPACT executive director Neil Makhija, who met President Joe Biden as part of a delegation, said he urged him to reform the immigration laws by abolishing Green Card caps and quotas and include 200,000 children of long-term visa holders in efforts to protect all dreamers.

In an op-ed in The Washington Post, David J Bier, a research fellow at the Cato Institute, alleged that the Biden administration is responsible for this waste of Green Cards. Last week, the US government announced that it has processed Green Card applications at such a slow pace that it will come at least 100,000 slots short of using up the annual limit.&nbsp;

"Without drastic revisions in the glacial processing times, President Biden will have presided over one of the largest cuts to legal immigration in US history — and almost no one is talking about it," he said.

A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the US.

A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the US. About one lakh employment-based Green Cards are at the risk of being wasted in less than two months, causing resentment among Indian IT professionals whose wait for legal permanent residency now runs into decades. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the US. This year's quota for employment-based immigrants is 261,500, far higher than the usual 140,000, Indian professional Sandeep Pawar told PTI. "Unfortunately, under the law, if these visas aren't issued by September 30, they are lost forever," he said. The current pace of processing by US Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS suggests they will waste more than 100,000 green cards, a fact recently confirmed by the Department of State officer in charge of determining visa usage, he said. If the USCIS or the Biden administration doesn't take any steps, the extra 100,000 Green Cards that are available this year will be wasted, Pawar rued. The White House did not comment on the questions asked in this regard. Meanwhile, a group of 125 Indian and Chinese nationals living in the US filed a lawsuit to prevent the administration from wasting the Green Cards. "There are hundreds of thousands of gainfully employed legal immigrants in the US who would benefit from these Green Cards. Many of them have been waiting for a decade or more to adjust to permanent resident status but have been unable to do so due to a lack of available visa numbers, " he said. "But this year, if the USCIS does its job efficiently and promptly, these immigrants will finally have the opportunity to become permanent residents, something which would otherwise take decades, " said Pawar, who has been fighting for the rights of Indian professionals waiting for several decades for Green Cards. "Most potential beneficiaries, such as myself, are from India, a country that is the most backlogged due to inherently racist and discriminatory per country quotas embedded in the INA. Many have spouses, mostly women, who are unable to work until they become permanent residents, " Pawar said. "Many have kids who will age out and be forced to self-deport even though this is the only country they know. The harm is both immense and irreparable if these Green Cards are not used," he said. IMPACT executive director Neil Makhija, who met President Joe Biden as part of a delegation, said he urged him to reform the immigration laws by abolishing Green Card caps and quotas and include 200,000 children of long-term visa holders in efforts to protect all dreamers. In an op-ed in The Washington Post, David J Bier, a research fellow at the Cato Institute, alleged that the Biden administration is responsible for this waste of Green Cards. Last week, the US government announced that it has processed Green Card applications at such a slow pace that it will come at least 100,000 slots short of using up the annual limit. "Without drastic revisions in the glacial processing times, President Biden will have presided over one of the largest cuts to legal immigration in US history — and almost no one is talking about it," he said.

100,000 green cards at risk of going to waste this year; resentment among Indian professionals

In a significant step towards disengagement, India and China after 12th round of military level talks have ceased forward deployments at the key patrol point PP17A, also known as the Gogra Post, in eastern Ladakh.

India, China disengage from Gogra Post after 12th round of talks

With daily COVID-19 cases grazing the 2,000 mark over the past few days and the fear of a third wave, the Tamil Nadu government has announced a new set of restrictions.

All places of worship will be shut on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, in order to prevent crowding. Earlier, the government had also permitted the District Administration or Civic Body or Police to close all marketplaces that witness huge crowds.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/white-fungus-abscess-found-in-the-brain-of-a-covid-recovered-patient-403525" hreflang="en">White fungus abscess found in the brain of a COVID-recovered patient</a>

Claiming that the health experts had advised so, the government says it plans to resume physical classes for students of classes 9 to 12, from September 1.

The government intends to do so with 50 per cent occupancy in classrooms and in adherence to COVID-19 norms and they add that it would be decided based on the opinions of all concerned stakeholders. The government also emphasised that online learning has caused a huge disparity as many students couldn’t attend online classes. However, those below the age of 18 (school students) are not eligible for vaccination and suitable vaccines aren’t made available for them.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/johnson-johnson-applies-for-vaccine-authorisation-in-india-403397" hreflang="en">Johnson &amp; Johnson applies for vaccine authorisation in India</a>

Regarding medical and nursing colleges, the government said that they would be permitted to re-open from August 16, adding that the students and faculty had been vaccinated under the frontline workers' quota.

Owing to the third wave fears and rising cases in Kerala, Tamil Nadu has made a two-shot vaccination certificate or RT-PCR mandatory for those entering from Kerala from August 05.

With daily COVID-19 cases grazing the 2,000 mark over the past few days and the fear of a third wave, the Tamil Nadu government has announced a new set of restrictions.

With daily COVID-19 cases grazing the 2,000 mark over the past few days and the fear of a third wave, the Tamil Nadu government has announced a new set of restrictions. All places of worship will be shut on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, in order to prevent crowding. Earlier, the government had also permitted the District Administration or Civic Body or Police to close all marketplaces that witness huge crowds. Also read | White fungus abscess found in the brain of a COVID-recovered patient Claiming that the health experts had advised so, the government says it plans to resume physical classes for students of classes 9 to 12, from September 1. The government intends to do so with 50 per cent occupancy in classrooms and in adherence to COVID-19 norms and they add that it would be decided based on the opinions of all concerned stakeholders. The government also emphasised that online learning has caused a huge disparity as many students couldn’t attend online classes. However, those below the age of 18 (school students) are not eligible for vaccination and suitable vaccines aren’t made available for them. Also read | Johnson & Johnson applies for vaccine authorisation in India Regarding medical and nursing colleges, the government said that they would be permitted to re-open from August 16, adding that the students and faculty had been vaccinated under the frontline workers' quota. Owing to the third wave fears and rising cases in Kerala, Tamil Nadu has made a two-shot vaccination certificate or RT-PCR mandatory for those entering from Kerala from August 05.

Tamil Nadu: Despite third wave risk, government plans to open schools

Hyderabad has reported an unusual incidence of white fungus or Aspergillus developing an abscess in the brain of a Covid recovered patient.

The patient in question had recovered from Covid-19 in May of this year, but had developed limb paralysis and communication difficulties.

A brain MRI revealed clot-like structures that did not go away despite the use of medicines.&nbsp;

It was only after surgery that doctors found that white fungus had formed an abscess in the patient’s brain. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: After black fungus, cases of "white fungus" found in India

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-after-black-fungus-cases-of-white-fungus-found-in-india-386377/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In an interview with TOI, Dr P Ranganadham, senior neurosurgeon at Sunshine Hospitals, described the event as "unusual" and speculated on how the white fungus entered the patient's brain.&nbsp;

Doctors are noticing an increase in a variety of deadly fungal diseases as the second wave sweeps over India, clogging ICUs with critically ill patients.&nbsp;

So far, the white fungus was considered to be a common infection, curable by commonly available medicines.

It is common in rural areas as it is carried by dust, hay or other such particles. Known as Aspergillus Flavus infection in medical parlance, it is not a new disease.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hyderabad has reported an unusual incidence of white fungus or Aspergillus developing an abscess in the brain of a Covid recovered patient. The patient in question had recovered from Covid-19 in May of this year, but had developed limb paralysis and communication difficulties.

Hyderabad has reported an unusual incidence of white fungus or Aspergillus developing an abscess in the brain of a Covid recovered patient. The patient in question had recovered from Covid-19 in May of this year, but had developed limb paralysis and communication difficulties. A brain MRI revealed clot-like structures that did not go away despite the use of medicines. It was only after surgery that doctors found that white fungus had formed an abscess in the patient’s brain. Watch | Gravitas: After black fungus, cases of "white fungus" found in India In an interview with TOI, Dr P Ranganadham, senior neurosurgeon at Sunshine Hospitals, described the event as "unusual" and speculated on how the white fungus entered the patient's brain. Doctors are noticing an increase in a variety of deadly fungal diseases as the second wave sweeps over India, clogging ICUs with critically ill patients. So far, the white fungus was considered to be a common infection, curable by commonly available medicines. It is common in rural areas as it is carried by dust, hay or other such particles. Known as Aspergillus Flavus infection in medical parlance, it is not a new disease. (With inputs from agencies)

White fungus abscess found in the brain of a COVID-recovered patient

The Army said Friday that India and China had completed force withdrawal from the Gogra region of eastern Ladakh after a year-long "sensitive" standoff.&nbsp;

The disengagement procedure, which included both sides removing all temporary structures and other associated infrastructure and returning the landform to its pre-stand-off state, took place over two days, on August 4 and 5, according to the Army.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | Ladakh standoff: India, China agree to disengage their troops from Gogra Heights

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ladakh-standoff-india-china-agree-to-disengage-their-troops-from-gogra-heights-402787/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The disengagement occurred in eastern Ladakh, at Patrol Point 17A.

This had been one of the grounds of contention between the two countries throughout their year-long military standoff.&nbsp;

"All temporary structures and other allied infrastructure created in the area by both sides have been dismantled and mutually verified. The landform in the area has been restored by both sides to the pre-standoff period," the army said.

With the Gogra agreement, India and China have now conceded in four of the six flashpoints - Galwan, the North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake, and Galwan.

Depsang and Hot Springs are still locked in a stalemate.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Army said Friday that India and China had completed force withdrawal from the Gogra region of eastern Ladakh after a year-long "sensitive" standoff. The disengagement procedure, which included both sides removing all temporary structures and other associated infrastructure and returning the landform to its pre-stand-off state, took place over two days, on August 4 and 5, according to the Army.

The Army said Friday that India and China had completed force withdrawal from the Gogra region of eastern Ladakh after a year-long "sensitive" standoff. The disengagement procedure, which included both sides removing all temporary structures and other associated infrastructure and returning the landform to its pre-stand-off state, took place over two days, on August 4 and 5, according to the Army. Watch | Ladakh standoff: India, China agree to disengage their troops from Gogra Heights The disengagement occurred in eastern Ladakh, at Patrol Point 17A. This had been one of the grounds of contention between the two countries throughout their year-long military standoff. "All temporary structures and other allied infrastructure created in the area by both sides have been dismantled and mutually verified. The landform in the area has been restored by both sides to the pre-standoff period," the army said. With the Gogra agreement, India and China have now conceded in four of the six flashpoints - Galwan, the North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake, and Galwan. Depsang and Hot Springs are still locked in a stalemate. (With inputs from agencies)

India and China finally pull out troops from Gogra in Ladakh, all temporary structures dismantled

New Iran President Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi has told India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that his country "will take new steps in the development of Tehran-New Delhi ties".&nbsp;

Foreign Minister Jaishankar is in Tehran for the oath-taking ceremony of the new President, his 2nd visit to the country in a matter of one month. Last month, he was the first foreign minister to call on Raisi after his victory in the June elections.

Emphasising that "Iran attaches special importance to establishing extensive relations with India", the President said, "From today on, we should take new and distinct steps in the development of bilateral, regional and international relations with a new perspective."

Iran is important for India for connectivity and for fulfilling energy needs. Chabahar port in Iran is key to New Delhi's connectivity plans towards the west. The port, where India has invested, provides connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

During the meeting on Friday, Raisi said that the "Iranian government will pursue a policy of developing relations with neighbouring countries and the region, especially India", explaining that, "There are various sectors, especially in the economic and commercial fields, as well as new technologies, that we should use to promote the level of our relations".

India-Iran commercial ties were traditionally dominated by the Indian import of Iranian crude oil. In 2018-19, India imported US $12.11 bn worth of crude oil from Iran. But following the end of the Significant Reduction Exemption (SRE) period on 2 May 2019, India suspended importing crude from Iran.

During the talks, Afghanistan was also discussed between the 2 sides. The new Iranian President told EAM Jaishankar that, "Iran and India can play a constructive and useful role in ensuring security in the region, especially Afghanistan" and "Tehran welcomes New Delhi’s role in the establishment of security in Afghanistan".

During the July meeting as well, Afghanistan dominated the talks between the two sides. During Friday's talks, the Iranian President highlighted that the "fate of Afghanistan must be decided by the Afghans themselves, and we believe that if the Americans do not sabotage the situation, this issue will be resolved quickly".

New Iran President Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi has told India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that his country "will take new steps in the development of Tehran-New Delhi ties".

New Iran President Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi has told India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that his country "will take new steps in the development of Tehran-New Delhi ties". Foreign Minister Jaishankar is in Tehran for the oath-taking ceremony of the new President, his 2nd visit to the country in a matter of one month. Last month, he was the first foreign minister to call on Raisi after his victory in the June elections. Emphasising that "Iran attaches special importance to establishing extensive relations with India", the President said, "From today on, we should take new and distinct steps in the development of bilateral, regional and international relations with a new perspective." Iran is important for India for connectivity and for fulfilling energy needs. Chabahar port in Iran is key to New Delhi's connectivity plans towards the west. The port, where India has invested, provides connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia. During the meeting on Friday, Raisi said that the "Iranian government will pursue a policy of developing relations with neighbouring countries and the region, especially India", explaining that, "There are various sectors, especially in the economic and commercial fields, as well as new technologies, that we should use to promote the level of our relations". India-Iran commercial ties were traditionally dominated by the Indian import of Iranian crude oil. In 2018-19, India imported US $12.11 bn worth of crude oil from Iran. But following the end of the Significant Reduction Exemption (SRE) period on 2 May 2019, India suspended importing crude from Iran. During the talks, Afghanistan was also discussed between the 2 sides. The new Iranian President told EAM Jaishankar that, "Iran and India can play a constructive and useful role in ensuring security in the region, especially Afghanistan" and "Tehran welcomes New Delhi’s role in the establishment of security in Afghanistan". During the July meeting as well, Afghanistan dominated the talks between the two sides. During Friday's talks, the Iranian President highlighted that the "fate of Afghanistan must be decided by the Afghans themselves, and we believe that if the Americans do not sabotage the situation, this issue will be resolved quickly".

Will take new steps towards the development of ties, the new Iran President tells India's foreign minister S Jaishankar

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday introduced a Bill in Parliament to nullify the provision in the Income Tax Act. The Bill would withdraw the retrospective amendments to the Income Tax Act that raised demands on Vodafone, Cairn, indicating a move to attract foreign investments.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduces bill to nullify the provision in the Income Tax Act

Global healthcare major Johnson &amp; Johnson on Friday said it has applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India.

Earlier on Monday, the company had said that it remained committed to bringing its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to India and looks forward to ongoing discussions with the Indian government.

"On August 5, 2021 Johnson &amp; Johnson Pvt Ltd applied for EUA of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the government of India," a Johnson &amp; Johnson India spokesperson said in a statement.

This is an important milestone that paves the way for bringing the company's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the people of India, and the rest of the world, through a collaboration with Biological E Limited, the statement added.

"Biological E will be an important part of our global supply chain network, helping to supply our Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine through the extensive collaborations and partnerships we have with governments, health authorities and organisations such as Gavi and the COVAX Facility," the statement said.

The EUA submission is based on topline efficacy and safety data from the Phase 3 clinical trial, which demonstrated that the company's single-shot vaccine was 85 per cent effective in preventing severe disease across all regions studied, and showed protection against COVID-19 related hospitalisation and death, beginning 28 days after vaccination, it added.

"We look forward to concluding our discussions with the government of India to accelerate the availability of our COVID-19 vaccine to help end the pandemic," the statement said.

India recorded 44,643 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,18,56,757, while the active cases registered an increase for the third consecutive day, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The death toll climbed to 4,26,754 with 464 fresh fatalities. PTI

Global healthcare major Johnson & Johnson on Friday said it has applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India. Earlier on Monday, the company had said that it remained committed to bringing its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to India and looks forward to ongoing discussions with the Indian government.

Global healthcare major Johnson & Johnson on Friday said it has applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India. Earlier on Monday, the company had said that it remained committed to bringing its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to India and looks forward to ongoing discussions with the Indian government. "On August 5, 2021 Johnson & Johnson Pvt Ltd applied for EUA of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the government of India," a Johnson & Johnson India spokesperson said in a statement. This is an important milestone that paves the way for bringing the company's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the people of India, and the rest of the world, through a collaboration with Biological E Limited, the statement added. "Biological E will be an important part of our global supply chain network, helping to supply our Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine through the extensive collaborations and partnerships we have with governments, health authorities and organisations such as Gavi and the COVAX Facility," the statement said. The EUA submission is based on topline efficacy and safety data from the Phase 3 clinical trial, which demonstrated that the company's single-shot vaccine was 85 per cent effective in preventing severe disease across all regions studied, and showed protection against COVID-19 related hospitalisation and death, beginning 28 days after vaccination, it added. "We look forward to concluding our discussions with the government of India to accelerate the availability of our COVID-19 vaccine to help end the pandemic," the statement said. India recorded 44,643 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,18,56,757, while the active cases registered an increase for the third consecutive day, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The death toll climbed to 4,26,754 with 464 fresh fatalities. PTI

Johnson & Johnson applies for vaccine authorisation in India

The United Nations Security Council will discuss Afghanistan on Friday under the Indian Presidency of the top United Nations body.

India is the president of the council for the month of August and coordinates and decides the agenda of the body.&nbsp;

The announcement was made by the Indian envoy to the United Nations TS Tirumurti, who is also the president of the council. He tweeted:

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiainUNSC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiainUNSC</a> 
 
UN <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SecurityCouncil?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SecurityCouncil</a> will meet on Friday, 6th August, under Indian Presidency to discuss and take stock of the situation in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>🇦🇫 <a href="https://t.co/baLLXC5Zor">pic.twitter.com/baLLXC5Zor</a>
— PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) <a href="https://twitter.com/ambtstirumurti/status/1423087607844573185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The development comes within 48 hours of the Afghan Foreign Minister requesting the Indian External affairs minister to hold a special of the council on the situation in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's Haneef Atmar on Tuesday called India's Dr. S Jaishankar&nbsp;and an Afghan foreign ministry release said, they "talked about the escalation of violence, widespread human rights violations by the Taliban and foreign terrorist groups operations in Afghanistan, and the need to hold a special session of the UN Security Council on Afghanistan."

The meet will be a briefing so it will be open for the public to see. The meet comes ahead of Troika plus meet on Afghanistan which includes the US, Russia, China, and Pakistan.&nbsp;A routine meeting of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA will take place next month.&nbsp;

The development has been welcomed by the Afghan government&nbsp;with Afghan envoy Farid Mamundzay in a tweet saying, "Thank You India for the lead role as UNSC President".&nbsp;

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Convening an emergency UN Security Council Session on Afghanistan is a positive development. UN &amp; international community must play a greater role to stop the unfolding tragedy in 🇦🇫 due to violence &amp; atrocities by terrorists. Thank you India for the lead role as UNSC President. <a href="https://t.co/3s6cBFY8vB">https://t.co/3s6cBFY8vB</a>
— Farid Mamundzay फरीद मामुन्दजई فرید ماموندزی (@FMamundzay) <a href="https://twitter.com/FMamundzay/status/1423156875663593472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Earlier again under India's Presidency, the UNSC issued a press statement condemning the attack in the United Nations compound in Herat on 30th July that killed an Afghan security forces guard.

In a strongly worded release, the statement said, "members of the security council expressed their deep concern about the high levels of violence in Afghanistan following the Taliban's military offensive" and "called for an immediate reduction of violence"

On Monday UNSC President, Indian envoy to UN T S Tirumurti said," The situation in Afghanistan is of deep concern to all members of the security council. We have seen in recent days, violence is only increasing..and targetted killing has increased". He made the comments at the customary presser by UNSC President on the first working day of the council. He highlighted that "India has supported every opportunity that can bring peace, security, and stability in Afghanistan. We should address the question of violence and the targetted attacks".

Taliban has increased offensive in many parts of the country including Herat, Kandahar, and Helmand. In a recent briefing to foreign envoys based in Kabul, he highlighted how the Taliban is being supported by international terror groups including Pakistan-based anti-India Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).&nbsp;

Indian envoy Rudrendra Tandon was also present at the meet.&nbsp;A UN report has said that the number of casualties from May to June exceeds the number between January and April.

Recently, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan compound in Herat came under attack, something that was condemned by the International community.

The United Nations Security Council will discuss Afghanistan on Friday under the Indian Presidency of the top United Nations body. India is the president of the council for the month of August and coordinates and decides the agenda of the body.

The United Nations Security Council will discuss Afghanistan on Friday under the Indian Presidency of the top United Nations body. India is the president of the council for the month of August and coordinates and decides the agenda of the body. The announcement was made by the Indian envoy to the United Nations TS Tirumurti, who is also the president of the council. He tweeted: #IndiainUNSC UN #SecurityCouncil will meet on Friday, 6th August, under Indian Presidency to discuss and take stock of the situation in #Afghanistan🇦🇫 pic.twitter.com/baLLXC5Zor — PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) August 5, 2021 × The development comes within 48 hours of the Afghan Foreign Minister requesting the Indian External affairs minister to hold a special of the council on the situation in Afghanistan. Afghanistan's Haneef Atmar on Tuesday called India's Dr. S Jaishankar and an Afghan foreign ministry release said, they "talked about the escalation of violence, widespread human rights violations by the Taliban and foreign terrorist groups operations in Afghanistan, and the need to hold a special session of the UN Security Council on Afghanistan." The meet will be a briefing so it will be open for the public to see. The meet comes ahead of Troika plus meet on Afghanistan which includes the US, Russia, China, and Pakistan. A routine meeting of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA will take place next month. The development has been welcomed by the Afghan government with Afghan envoy Farid Mamundzay in a tweet saying, "Thank You India for the lead role as UNSC President". Convening an emergency UN Security Council Session on Afghanistan is a positive development. UN & international community must play a greater role to stop the unfolding tragedy in 🇦🇫 due to violence & atrocities by terrorists. Thank you India for the lead role as UNSC President. https://t.co/3s6cBFY8vB — Farid Mamundzay फरीद मामुन्दजई فرید ماموندزی (@FMamundzay) August 5, 2021 × Earlier again under India's Presidency, the UNSC issued a press statement condemning the attack in the United Nations compound in Herat on 30th July that killed an Afghan security forces guard. In a strongly worded release, the statement said, "members of the security council expressed their deep concern about the high levels of violence in Afghanistan following the Taliban's military offensive" and "called for an immediate reduction of violence" On Monday UNSC President, Indian envoy to UN T S Tirumurti said," The situation in Afghanistan is of deep concern to all members of the security council. We have seen in recent days, violence is only increasing..and targetted killing has increased". He made the comments at the customary presser by UNSC President on the first working day of the council. He highlighted that "India has supported every opportunity that can bring peace, security, and stability in Afghanistan. We should address the question of violence and the targetted attacks". Taliban has increased offensive in many parts of the country including Herat, Kandahar, and Helmand. In a recent briefing to foreign envoys based in Kabul, he highlighted how the Taliban is being supported by international terror groups including Pakistan-based anti-India Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Indian envoy Rudrendra Tandon was also present at the meet. A UN report has said that the number of casualties from May to June exceeds the number between January and April. Recently, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan compound in Herat came under attack, something that was condemned by the International community.

UNSC session on Afghanistan under Indian presidency on Friday

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