Latest News: Choksi flees to Cuba; Roche’s antibody cocktail now in India; Plane diversion

Mehul Choksi Flees To Cuba Owing To Fear Of Extradition To India In PNB Scam Case: Report

Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi has fled to Cuba from Antigua and Barbuda owing to the fear of being extradited to India in the PNB scam case, a media report claimed. Caribbean news outlet Associate Times quoted his close aide Govin as saying that he left the island nation a few days ago and is currently living in a safe house at an undisclosed location in Cuba. Claiming that the PNB scam accused also holds the citizenship of another Caribbean country, he attributed Choksi's latest move to the government of Antigua and Barbuda initiating the process to revoke his citizenship.

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COVID-19: COVISHIELD Dose Interval Based On 'scientific Evidence', Asserts Govt Panel Head

The increase in the COVISHIELD dose interval is based on "scientific evidence", National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation chairman Dr. NK Arora asserted. Speaking to the media on Monday, he quashed the speculation that the Centre decided to increase the gap between the two doses of COVISHIELD to 12-16 weeks owing to a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines. According to him, the purpose of this move was to leverage the body's immune response and the vaccine's immune-stimulating so that the best protection is provided to people.

NTAGI head Dr. NK Arora remarked, "For COVISHIELD, the interval has been increased from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks, i.e 3-4 months. This has been based on scientific evidence. We got real-time data from the UK which suggested that if a single dose is given and the interval before the second dose is given, the protection provided is between 65-88%. We certainly want our population to be well protected and immunization is a key intervention."

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WB CM Mamata Banerjee Calls MHA's Advance Relief Money For Cyclone Yaas 'discriminatory'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Union Home Ministry of discrimination with West Bengal over the advance relief compensation for Cyclone Yaas which is expected to make landfall soon in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.

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Roche’s Antibody Cocktail To Treat COVID-19 Now Available In India: All You Need To Know

Widening the arsenal of drugs to combat COVID-19, a Switzerland-based drug maker, Roche has received approval from India's Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) for use in emergency situations for treatment of COVID-19. Roche India and Cipla on Monday announced the launch of their Antibody Cocktail -- 'Casirivimab and Imdevimab' for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients in India. The first batch of the Antibody Cocktail has been made available in India and has been priced at Rs 59,750 per dose. Another batch is excited to be available in India by June. 

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Ryanair Plane Diversion: Joe Biden Welcomes EU's Call For Sanctions On Belarus

US President Joe Biden on April 24 welcomed the European Union's call for sanctions against Belarus over the Ryanair flight's emergency landing and he has instructed his administration to curate options to hold Minsk responsible.

"I welcomed the news that the European Union has called for targeted economic sanctions and other measures and have asked my team to develop appropriate options to hold accountable those responsible, in close coordination with the European Union, other allies and partners, and international organisations," Biden said in a statement.

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