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By the end of September this year Western and many middle income nations have succeeded in vaccinating nearly 70 percent of their population, while countries like Haiti, Chad, Syria and others could reach merely two percent level. In India we vaccinated nearly 80 crores of population with at least one jab. According to UNICEF, at this slow rate of vaccination, in 130 countries, mostly from Global South, are not expected to gain widespread access not before 2023. With COVID-19’sability to mutate rapidly and evolve new strains, the low inoculation regions could turn in to seed beds for new variants and eventually threaten us all on the planet, especially if at minimum, 70 percent of population on the planet receives a single jab. Gross inequalities in access to vaccines reflect prevailing disparities in wealth distribution between developed and developing nations.

Many cases were being reported anonymously to the UN Human Rights because of fear of reprisal from the governments across 45 countries including India. A new report presented to the UN Human Rights council have documented allegations of reprisals and intimidation against some 240 civil society members, activists and journalists during May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Around 50 individuals experienced detention, while others subjected to house arrest. The scope and severity of cases of intimidation and reprisal were in unacceptably high numbers, and they had to suffer simply because they had been cooperating with the United Nations.

The circumstances in which Supreme Court Chief Justice N V Ramana assumed office were not particularly happy. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s complaint against alleged questionable conduct by Justice Ramana in the run-up to his assumption of office had created misgivings. But it is a matter of deep satisfaction that the new Chief Justice has not only put all these negatives to rest, but emerged as a beacon light that ignites hopes for the glory, credibility and independence of the highest court of land being restored. The short period that has elapsed since the new CJI took office has proved that he has succeeded to break the jinx that has marked the tenures of his predecessors.

The BJP is keenly watching the churn in India’s oppositional politics. BJP sees the implosion in the Congress. The battle within the country’s grand old party is between those who see a bleak future under current leadership and those who believe that the future of this party rests in Gandhi siblings taking full control of the party. The battle is symbolized by Captain Amarinder Singh’s announcement that he would quit the party. As both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi assert authority and alienate established leaders, this battle will only intensify. On the other hand, the BJP can see Trinamool Congress and Aam Admi Party’s attempts to establish a national footprint at the cost of the Congress.

New Delhi: Indian shooters made a good start as 12 of them made the finals of the ISSF Junior World Championship, currently underway in the Peruvian capital of Lima.

New Delhi: Two members of the Tokyo Olympic Bronze medal-winning hockey team- veteran drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh and ace defender Birender Lakra on Thursday announced their retirement from the sport.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the US was celebrated by large sections of Indian media controlled by the vested interests of corporate houses. Some of them even went to the extent of claiming that in this 6th visit also Prime Minister Modi has conquered the imagination of the world! This kind of lavish engagement of superlatives may cater to the subjective satisfaction of the users but will not do justice to truth.

The ongoing eviction drive in Assam turned violent when the police team was attacked by a large mob with sticks resulting in the death of two persons, which included a 12-year-old, due to police firing in Dholpur falling under revenue circle of Sipajhar of Darrang district. It was horrific. More shocking was the stamping of the dead body by the photographer accompanying the police team. The chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had ordered an enquiry on the firing incident and the photographer was arrested by the police.

For once, opposition parties have got it right, when it comes to condemning the brutal killing of two persons by Assam police at Dholpur, Darrang district on September 23 during an official eviction drive against illegal settlers. Congress leader Kapil Sibal called for the government to take suo motu notice of the incident. Priyanka Chaturvedi’s (Shiv Sena) lament that ‘We are becoming a bloodthirsty society’ also found instant resonance among social media followers.

The Congress is in choppy waters, battling several storms. The Gandhi family is under assault from within and without. Political opponents of the Congress are gunning for the Family from without, and Congress leaders, unhappy with remaining without power, are hitting out from within.