‘Snow ceiling’ cracks as IMF gets woman chief

Harshwanti Bisht grew up to conquer some of the toughest ones like the Nanda Devi and Mount Everest. The 62-year-old has become the first woman in the history of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation to become its president. The award-winning climber, educationist and environmentalist got 70 out of 107 votes in the 60-year-old organisation's polls, breaking a “snow ceiling” as some of her contemporaries joked. IMF is the apex body for mountaineering and allied sports activities in the country.

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Farmers defer tractor rally to Parliament, say stir on

Farmers’ unions on Saturday decided to suspend their tractor march to Parliament, scheduled from Monday, in the wake of government’s move to list the repeal of farm laws in Lok Sabha. They said their protests would continue till they get a “written assurance” from the Centre on their six pending demands, including a legal guarantee on MSP. They will wait for the response to the email sent to PM Modi over their demands and take a call on next course of action on December 4.

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Variant worry: PM Modi seeks review of plan to ease international travel curbs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said there is a need to be proactive in the light of the new SARS-CoV-2 “variant of concern” Omicron and directed officials to review plans for easing of international travel restrictions in the wake of reports related to the new mutations of the virus. Modi chaired a comprehensive meeting to review the situation relating to Covid-19 and vaccination on Saturday, immediately after WHO designated Omicron a 'variant of concern'.

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With no policy yet, citizens opt for 3rd dose privately

Fear of exposure to Covid-19 virus is driving health care workers and even some vaccine trial participants (who got vaccinated in September-October last year), mainly from the vulnerable groups, to opt for the third dose privately. Private organisations are extending their vaccination drive for third doses without providing a certificate. Meanwhile, the government is likely to come out with its policy on additional dose in the coming week for people with predefined conditions. However, their primary objective will be to immunise the 10-12 crores who remain unvaccinated.

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Maharashtra issues fresh guidelines as Covid fears rise

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No batch of vaccine failed safety, efficacy test so far: Govt

Not a single batch of Covid vaccine has failed the safety, quality and efficacy test so far, even as India has rapidly expanded its manufacturing capacities over the last 11 months since January to cater to local and global demand for jabs. The country’s apex vaccine testing facility — Central Drug Laboratory (CDL) in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh — has tested over 1,114 batches of Covid jabs between January till October.

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No need to panic over new Covid-19 variant: ICMR

Amid mounting concern over cases of new 'variant of concern' Omicron, the ICMR on Saturday said there is no need to panic and urged people to not delay their second vaccine dose. “The structural changes detected in the virus may not necessarily give rise to a functional change of concern. It may not necessarily be lethal or result in severe form of disease. There is no such data, as of now,” says Samiran Panda, Head of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, at ICMR.

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