DH Evening Brief: July 20, 2021

Here are the top headlines this evening.

No oxygen-shortage deaths reported during second Covid wave: Centre

No deaths due to lack of oxygen were specifically reported by statesand UTs during the second Covid-19 wave, the Centre informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.But there was an unprecedented surge in demand for medical oxygen during the second wave and it peaked at nearly 9000 MT compared to 3095 MT in the first wave following which the Centre had to step in to facilitate equitable distribution among the states, it said. Read more

Pegasus snooped on Karnataka ministers, their aides just before Congress-JD(S) government toppled in 2019: Report

A possible link of using Pegasusspyware to topple theJD(S)-Congress government in Karnataka two years ago emerged on Tuesday with a leaked database showing that G Parameshwara, close aides of H D Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah, and a policeman attached with former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda were chosen as targets for surveillance just before the coalition lost power. Read more

'India may become 1st nation to have DNA-based vaccine'

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said several Indian companies are increasing their production of Covid-19 vaccines and that the country may become the first in the world to develop a DNA-based vaccine. Read more

Raj Kundra lured helpless girls with the promise of film roles, say police

A day after businessman Raj Kundra was arrested by the Crime Branch-CID for running a pornographic content racket, it has emerged that his company allegedly lured girls on the pretext of acting opportunities in short films and web series and forced them to shoot nude and semi-nude pictures. Read more

Blue Origin capsule carrying Jeff Bezos touches down

A Blue Origin capsule carrying Jeff Bezos and three crewmates touched down in the west Texas desert after breaching the boundary of space, the company's live broadcast showed. Read more

Furious Opposition targets govt on Pegasus, disrupts Parliament

A furious Opposition on Tuesday stalled proceedings in Parliament over revelations that Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee among others were potential targets for snooping by Israeli spyware Pegasus though a discussion on Covid-19 in Rajya Sabha was held in the afternoon following an agreement. Read more

This animal releases emissions equal to 10 lakh cars

Whether you call them feral pigs, boar, swine, hogs, or even razorbacks, wild pigs are one of the most damaging invasive species on Earth, and they’re notorious for damaging agriculture and native wildlife. A big reason they’re so harmful is because they uproot soil at vast scales, like tractors ploughing a field. Our new research, published today, is the first to calculate the global extent of this and its implications for carbon emissions. Read more

In Pictures: Famous people charged with child porn

Here’s a list of celebrities who have been charged or convicted of child pornography offences: See pics

India's excess Covid deaths up to 49 lakh: Study

India's excess deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic could be as high as 49 lakh, according to a new study that provides further evidence that lakhs more may have died from coronavirus than the official tally. The report by the Washington-based Center for Global Development, co-authored by India's former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, included deaths from all causes since the pandemic's start through June 2021. Read more

Swiggy closes $1.25 billion funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Prosus

Swiggy, an on-demand food delivery platform, on Tuesday, announced the closing of a $1.25 billion fundraise.The funding marks the first investment in the Indian food delivery category by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 with Swiggy’s long-term investor, Prosus, one of the largest technology investors in the world. Existing investors Accel Partners and Wellington Management also participated in the fundraise. Read more

40 crore Indians still vulnerable to Covid-19: Centre

Around 40 crore people are still vulnerable to Covid-19 infection as a nationwide survey found two-thirds of the country's population aged above six to have SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, the government said on Tuesday as it stressed there is no room for complacency in the fight against the pandemic. Read more

Yediyurappa and BJP work out terms of severance

It is almost certain that Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's)lone mascot south of the Vindhyas and a strong regional leader, has been drawn into playing his final act before being eased out of office. Read more

Uttar Pradesh govt to revisit population control Bill after objections from RSS, VHP

Uttar Pradesh government is mulling changes in the draft of the new population Bill after objections from the RSS, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other saffron outfits. According to sources, the government plans to do away with the incentives to the couples having one child, which is currently part of the draft of the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilisation and Welfare) Bill, 2021. Read more