US regulators on Thursday said transplant recipients and others with weakened immune systems can get an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to better protect them as the delta variant continues to surge.

The announcement by the Food and Drug Administration applies to millions of Americans who are especially vulnerable because of organ transplants, certain cancers or other disorders. Several other countries, including France and Israel, have similar recommendations.

A Covid outbreak that has partially shut one of the world’s busiest container ports is heightening concerns that the rapid spread of the delta variant will lead to a repeat of last year’s shipping nightmares.

The Port of Los Angeles, which saw its volumes dip because of a June Covid outbreak at the Yantian port in China, is bracing for another potential decline because of the latest shutdown at the Ningbo-Zhoushan port in China, a spokesman said.

Canada is suffering a fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic as variants of the virus continue to spread in the country, said Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam on Thursday.

Tam told a press conference that the country's national case count has taken a turn for the worse since late July, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the next step in the search of the origins of COVID-19 will be the creation of a new advisory group that will develop a global framework to study pathogens with pandemic potential.

The International Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens, or SAGO, is a new advisory group for WHO, which will be responsible for advising WHO on the development of a global framework to systematically study the emergence of future emerging pathogens with pandemic potential.

Shares of Aurobindo Pharma dipped 5 per cent at Rs 781 on the BSE in the intra-day trade on Friday after the company reported a disappointing operational performance in June 2021 quarter (Q1FY22), amid decline across US market & antiretroviral (ARVs).

In Q1FY22, the company’s profit after tax (PAT) was down 1.7 per cent year on year (YoY) and 4 per cent quarter on quarter (QoQ) at Rs 770 crore.

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has cited earlier Supreme Court (SC) judgments in its petition, urging the apex court to set aside its order of July 23 and re-hear the company's plea for rectification of error in the adju­sted gross revenue (AGR). Vi urged the SC to allow the Department of Telecommu­nications (DoT) to recalculate the AGR dues.

Vi's counsel Mukul Rohatgi has requested the SC to take cognisance of the matter and give the company another hearing.

Facebook-owned WhatsApp on Wednesday announced a new feature that will allow users to take their WhatsApp chat history with them when they change mobile operating systems.

The company said it will be introducing the ability to move the entire WhatsApp chat history -- including voice notes, photos and conversations -- seamlessly and securely if users choose to switch mobile operating systems.

The Congress party said on Thursday Twitter has locked its account in response to a post it made on August 8, prompting the social media company to say its rules forbid the identity of a rape victim to be revealed.

The Congress used its Instagram account to share a screenshot of its locked Twitter account. Modi ji, just how afraid are you? Reminder: The Congress party fought for our nation's independence, equipped only with truth, non-violence & the will of the people.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s highly-anticipated launch of Earth observation satellite -3 or GISAT-1 failed after the rocket entered the lower reaches of space (an altitude of 139kms), after a flight of nearly 340 seconds (5mins 40 seconds). The first two stages of the rocket (that give initial thrust for lift-off and later carry the 52-meter tall vehicle to space) performed as expected. However, shortly after the rocket switched over to its final stage - the Cryogenic engine (that burns liquid hydrogen and oxygen), there was a marked deviation in its planned flight path. A typical rocket consists of two or more stages, each of which would have its own engines (either single or grouped in a cluster). Simply put, a rocket is a combination of multiple engines(stages) that are vertically stacked.

India logged 41,195 new coronavirus infections in a day taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,20,77,706, while the active cases increased to 3,87,987, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 4,29,669 with 490 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

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