Here are the top 5 news updates of July 27, 2021:
Government can start vaccinating children for COVID-19 by next month, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the meeting of BJP MPs at Parliament. According to experts, this will be a giant step in breaking the chain of transmission and also reopening schools across the country amid warnings of a possible third wave of coronavirus. Earlier this month, Dr NK Arora, who heads the National Expert Group on vaccines, said that vaccination for children will start by September with the Zydus vaccine for 12 to 18-year-olds. AIIMS chief Randeep Guleria had also said that vaccinations for children could start by September.
The situation on the Assam-Mizoram border remained tense as Assam declared a three-day mourning from today to condole the death of five policemen and one civilian in a border clash last night, while locals in the state's Cachar district threatened an economic blockade of the neighbouring state of Mizoram. During the three-day mourning period, the national flag will fly at half-mast and there will be no public entertainment, a notification issued by the Assam government said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah last night spoke to chief ministers of Assam and Mizoram, Himanta Biswa Sarma and Zoramthanga respectively, and urged them to ensure peace along the disputed border and find an amicable settlement.
Veteran journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar have moved the Supreme Court seeking an independent probe by its sitting or retired judge into reports of government agencies using Israeli spyware Pegasus to allegedly snoop on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes. The petition, likely to come up for hearing within next few days, seeks investigation into the hacking of phones using the Pegasus spyware saying it represented an attempt by agencies and organisations to muzzle and chill the exercise of free speech and expression of dissent in India. It also sought a direction to the Centre to disclose if the government or any of its agencies obtained licence for Pegasus spyware and used it, either directly or indirectly, to conduct surveillance in any manner.
With all-rounder Krunal Pandya testing positive for COVID-19, today's T20I between India and Sri Lanka has been postponed and is likely to take place on Wednesday if the rest test negative. Speaking to news agency ANI, sources in the know of developments said Krunal has tested COVID-19 positive and that forced the two teams to go into isolation till reports come in of the rest of the players. This also puts a question mark on opener Prithvi Shaw as well as Suryakumar Yadav as they were set to travel to England as replacement for the Test series against England.
Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled over 273 points today, tracking losses in index majors Reliance Industries, Dr Reddy's and Axis Bank amid a massive selloff in Chinese markets. Despite opening on a positive note, the 30-share BSE index turned red to end 273.51 points or 0.52 per cent lower at 52,578.76, while the broader NSE Nifty fell 78 points or 0.49 per cent to 15,746.45. On the other hand, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finserv, SBI, Bajaj Finance and Tech Mahindra were among the gainers.
