In an open letter, a group of eminent global business and policy leaders has urged US President Joe Biden to demonstrate a decisive American leadership in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group of 16 business and policy leaders raised concern over the rampant spread of the virus in places like India and the Philippines, and the likelihood of mutations perpetuating the world if left unchecked.

The wait is finally over! In what seem to be a good news for farmers, the government will start transferring Rs 2000 to farmers' accounts from May 14 (Friday) under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KSNY). Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 8th instalment of farmers under PM Kisan Yojana on May 14. PM Modi will also interact with farmers across the country at 11 am, informed Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh.

India’s largest engineering and construction (E&C) player, Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T’s) consolidated revenue is expected to witness a double-digit year-on-year growth in the March quarter (Q4), according to most analysts, led by higher execution in a seasonally strong quarter and a low base.

The consolidated revenue growth will be largely led by a healthy 44 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth in the infra segment, said analysts at CLSA in a report.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday informed that the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19, first found in India in October last year, had been detected in sequences uploaded from 44 countries in all six WHO regions.

As of 11 May, over 4500 sequences have been uploaded to GISAID (platform of data sharing mechanism for influenza) and assigned to B.1.617 from 44 countries in all six WHO regions, and WHO has received reports of detections from five additional countries, WHO said in its weekly epidemiological update on the pandemic.

The number of new coronavirus infections in India has peaked, according to a new tracker developed by researchers at Cambridge Judge Business School and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

But there is substantial variation among states and union territories in their trajectories, with cases continuing to increase over the next two weeks in areas such as Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Tripura, the researchers wrote.

Describing the current COVID-19 crisis as the biggest India has ever faced, an eminent Indian-American philanthropist and venture capitalist from the Silicon Valley has urged the diaspora community to help support the Indian people.

India has been severely affected by the unprecedented second wave of the coronavirus and hospitals in several states are reeling under the shortage of health workers, vaccines, oxygen, drugs and beds.

Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin was on Tuesday recommended by an expert panel for phase II/III clinical trial on those aged between two to 18 years, official sources said.

The trial will take place in 525 subjects at various sites, including AIIMS, Delhi, AIIMS, Patna and Meditrina Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur.

Amid the second coronavirus wave, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday asked the states to ensure that all beneficiaries who have taken the first dose of COVID-19 are prioritised for the second dose.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Dr R S Sharma, Member, National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration of COVID-19 reviewed the status of vaccination with health secretaries and National Health Mission MDs of states and UTs through a video conference today.

Two women, including an Indian were killed and dozens were injured after the Hamas Islamist movement in Gaza fired massive barrages of rockets at southern Israel on Tuesday, which prompted retaliatory airstrikes from Israeli forces.

Among the deceased was a 32-year-old Indian caregiver, Soumya Santosh. Soumya was killed while her elderly charge, 80, was hospitalised in serious condition after one of the rockets struck her home, The Times of Israel reported citing local media.

Telangana government on Tuesday (May 11) announced that a 10-day lockdown will remain in place across the state from tomorrow.

As per the lockdown measures imposed by Telangana government, there will be relaxation to sell and buy essential items everyday from 6 am to 10 am only.

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