LATEST NEWS HEADLINES ~ erYMr

1. Astrazeneca withdraws Covid vaccine, weeks after report on rare side effects:

AstraZeneca has initiated the global withdrawal of its Covid-19 vaccine due to a “surplus of available updated vaccines” that specifically target new variants of the virus. This decision follows the company’s voluntary withdrawal of its European Union marketing authorization in March 2024. The vaccine, formerly known as Vaxzevria, is no longer being manufactured or supplied. Although it played a pivotal role in the early days of the pandemic, newer vaccines have led to a decline in demand for the AstraZeneca vaccine. The company emphasizes that over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of its use alone, and more than 3 billion doses were supplied globally. Despite its effectiveness, the vaccine carried a risk of a rare but serious side effect known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).

2. Air India Express cabin crew go on 'mass sick' leave, 80 flights cancelled:

Air India Express has faced disruptions as a section of its cabin crew members reported sick, leading to the cancellation of more than 80 flights and delays in scores of other flights. The crew members are protesting against alleged mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline. The cancellations occurred from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning. Civil Aviation authorities are investigating the matter, and the airline is actively addressing the issue to minimize inconvenience to passengers. Passengers impacted by cancellations will be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date. Air India Express, now owned by the Tata Group, had previously received a show cause notice from the Union Labor Ministry in December 2023 for alleged violations related to disputes between the airline’s management and cabin crew members.
The notice was linked to concerns raised by cabin crew members, including issues with room sharing during layovers.
3. 3 Independent MLAs withdraw support to Haryana Government:

In a significant political development, three Independent MLAs—Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Singh Gollen, and Dharampal Gonder—have announced the withdrawal of support to the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government in Haryana. They have extended their support to the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The announcement was made at a press conference held in Rohtak, in the presence of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and State Congress chief Udai Bhan.

The independent MLAs cited various issues, including those related to farmers, as reasons for their decision to withdraw support from the government. Sources indicate that these MLAs were disgruntled after not being inducted into the Saini government. Meanwhile, the Congress has demanded President’s rule in Haryana, claiming that the incumbent BJP government hasacli

lost the magic numbers. The current strength of the Haryana Assembly is 88, of which the BJP has 40 members. With the withdrawal of support from JJP MLAs and Independents, the Nayab Singh Saini government is now considered a minority government, and calls for the Chief Minister’s resignation have surfaced.

In response, Nayab Singh Saini criticized the Congress, stating that the party is merely fulfilling some people’s wishes and has little concern for the public. The situation remains tense as the political landscape shifts ahead of the elections.

4. CCI approves acquisition of additional shares in Sikkim Urja Limited (formerly Teesta Urja Limited) by Greenko Energies Private Limited:

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of additional shares in Sikkim Urja Limited (formerly Teesta Urja Limited) by Greenko Energies Private Limited.

Greenko Energies is a limited liability company incorporated in India. It is an (indirectly) wholly-owned subsidiary of Greenko Mauritius. Greenko Mauritius is wholly-owned by Greenko Energy Holdings (GEH), a company incorporated in Mauritius, which is the holding company of the Greenko group of companies. GEH is an investment holding company, having its investments in a portfolio of companies engaged in the power generation sector in India.

Sikkim Urja is a special purpose vehicle incorporated for the purpose of the implementation of the 1200 Mega Watt (MW) (6 Units of 200 MW each) hydro power project in North Sikkim, India.

5.Google Wallet is now available for Android users in India:

Google Wallet can be downloaded from Play Store and would allow users to store their loyalty cards, and gift cards among other things. Google has introduced a private digital wallet for Android users in India, allowing users to securely store cards, tickets, passes, keys and IDs, an official said on Wednesday.

Google Wallet can be downloaded from Play Store and would allow users to store their loyalty cards, and gift cards among other things. It is different from Google Pay app which helps manage money and finances.

“Google Pay is not going anywhere. It will remain our primary payments app. Google Wallet is specifically tailored for non-payment use cases,” said Ram Papatla, GM & India Engineering Lead, Android at Google.

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8 May 2024