New Delhi [India], July 30 (ANI): The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Thursday recommended granting permission for trials of mixing COVID-19 vaccines--Covaxin and Covishield--said sources.

As per sources, the application of the interchangeability study protocol of Covishield and Covaxin was moved by Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore.

The delta variant has led to a surge in coronavirus outbreaks triggering a fourth wave in the Middle East, where vaccination rates remain low, said the World Health Organization (WHO).

In a statement on Thursday, the global health body said: The circulation of the Delta variant is fuelling the surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region. It is now being reported in 15 out of the 22 countries of the Region.

Microsoft Corp is in advanced talks to invest in Indian hotel chain Oyo at a $9 billion valuation, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The deal could be announced in the coming weeks and would be a prelude to an initial public offering (IPO) by Oyo, the source said.

Windlas Biotech, manufacturer of pharmaceutical formulations, on Thursday said it has fixed a price band of Rs 448-460 a share for its initial share-sale.

The three-day initial public offer (IPO) will open on August 4 and conclude on August 6, the company announced in a virtual press conference.

Cognizant Technologies, whose quarterly attrition rose to 31 per cent in the quarter ended June 30, said it is looking to hire 100,000 lateral hires, along with thousands of people at the graduate level this year.

In the second quarter (Cognizant follows the January-December cycle) the company said that its voluntary attrition touched 29 per cent on an annualised basis and 18 per cent on trailing 12 months basis (LTM). The company stated in its analyst call that it is ramping up its hiring and skilling mechanism.

Mumbai-based Lodha Group, has signed a deal with third party logistics player Flyjac Logistics, a subsidiary of Hitachi Transport System Group, to sell a 22.3 acres land parcel at Palava Industrial and Logistics Park (PILP).

"This association will further establish a high standard of quality and superior efficiency in logistic operations for Flyjac Logistics within Mumbai, the country’s second largest Grade-A warehousing hub," Lodha said.

Shares of State Bank India (SBI) moved higher by 3 per cent to Rs 438.60 on the BSE in intra-day trade on Thursday on the back of heavy volumes. The stock inched towards its record high ahead of its April-June quarter (Q1FY22) results next week. Analysts expect SBI to report a healthy performance, supported by recoveries and modest opex.

The stock of the state-owned lender had hit an all-time high of Rs 442 on June 3, 2021, after it reported a strong set of numbers for the March 2021 (Q4FY21) quarter.

The Supreme Court Thursday reserved verdict on the pleas of e-commerce giant Amazon against the Rs 24,713 crore deal for merger of Future Retail Ltd (FRL) with Reliance Retail.

Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings LLC and FRL are embroiled in a bitter legal fight over the deal and the US-based firm has sought in the apex court that the Singapore's Emergency Arbitrator (EA) award, which restrained FRL from going ahead with the merger, was valid and enforceable.

India logged 43,509 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,15,28,114, while the active cases registered an increase for the second consecutive day, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 4,22,662 with 640 fresh fatalities.

Panatone Finvest Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, will buy a 43.3 per cent stake in Tejas Networks, a global optical, broadband and data networking products company, for Rs 1,850 crore.

Panatone is Tata Sons' investment arm and also the promoter entity of Tata Communications.

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