The government might soon reduce the gap between the two doses of Covishield for those above 45 years as vaccine supply improves and criticism mounts over a lack of scientific reasoning behind the current 12-16 weeks interval between the two jabs, says a report in Mint.

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation in India (NTAGI) has indicated it will decide on the interval at its next meeting, expected to be held in the next fortnight or a month, once it has reviewed the scientific data collected by it.

The global shortage of vaccines and its excess in the United States has quietly resulted in a new kind of tourism in the US, said an official.

Rich people from various countries of the world have been travelling to the United States to get shots of the COVID-19 vaccines, do some shopping and then fly back to their home country after a short stay.

The delta variant is challenging China's costly strategy of isolating cities, prompting warnings that Chinese leaders who were confident they could keep the coronavirus out of the country need a less disruptive approach.

As the highly contagious variant pushes leaders in the United States, Australia and elsewhere to renew restrictions, President Xi Jinping's government is fighting the most serious outbreak since last year's peak in Wuhan.

India saw a single day rise of 42,982 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,18,12,114, while the active cases increased to 4,11,076, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 4,26,290 with 533 fresh fatalities.

Shares of Sonata Software rallied 9 per cent to Rs 884.05, also its new high on the BSE in intra-day trade on Thursday after the company reported a strong 74 per cent year-on-year (YoY) jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 86.7 crore for the first quarter of the financial year 2021-22 (Q1FY22). On a sequential basis, the profit grew by 4 per cent from Rs 83.1 crore in Q4FY21.

The company’s consolidated revenues grew 33 per cent YoY and 18 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to Rs 1,268 crore.

State Bank of India (SBI), on Wednesday, reported 55.24 per cent year-on-year increase in standalone net profit at Rs 6,504 crore for April-June quarter (Q1FY22), meeting Street expectations. The net profit in the year-ago period was Rs 4,189.4 crore.

Analysts, on average, projected profit after tax (PAT) to rise anywhere between 33-63 per cent, up to Rs 6,841 crore.

The price of 10 gm of 22-carat gold slipped by Rs 420 on Wednesday to trade at Rs 46,960. Silver was selling at Rs 67,600 per kg, down Rs 250 compared to yesterday, according to the website Good Returns.

Gold jewellery price varies across India, the second-largest consumer of the metal, due to excise duty, state taxes, and making charges.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday attacked the Yogi Adityanath dispensation over the killing of an Ayurvedic doctor in Sitapur, saying the security system for the common people is in a poor state and the Uttar Pradesh government is not doing anything except indulging in false propaganda.

In Sitapur, UP, a doctor was hacked to death by criminals who stormed his clinic, she said.

Mohalla Tech, the parent of short video app Moj and Indic language social media platform ShareChat, announced a multi- year agreement with India's largest music label T-Series.

The partnership allows ShareChat and Moj to access an extensive catalog of Indian music and provide an enhanced experience to its creator communities.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana on Wednesday recused himself from hearing the plea of Andhra Pradesh which alleged that Telangana has deprived it of its legitimate share of drinking and irrigation water from River Krishna.

The bench, which also comprised Justice Surya Kant, took note of the submissions of the counsel appearing for Andhra Pradesh that the state wanted adjudication of the case by the apex court bench instead of opting for mediation.

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