Republic Top 10 Headlines: UP govt's COVID guidelines; FB's virtual meet request declined

UP govt issues guidelines to tackle COVID-19

The Uttar Pradesh Government on Saturday night announced new COVID-19 guidelines depending upon the downfall in infections. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced that relaxation in the corona curfew will be implemented from Monday, June 21. The government has however instructed citizens to strictly adhere to the COVID protocols amid ease in restrictions.

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Parliamentary panel refuses FB's virtual meet request

Persistent on an in-person meeting, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology turned down Facebook's request for a virtual appearance after it received a summons from the panel. Citing the company's COVID-19 policies, Facebook had sought a virtual meeting instead of physical representation, as per news agency ANI. In response to the request, the Parliamentary panel proposed to vaccinate Facebook officials arriving before the committee to make its deposition, as per ANI sources. 

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PM Modi's aide AK Sharma elevated to UP BJP vice-president

Reaping rewards for his COVID management, PM Modi's aide AK Sharma was appointed as BJP UP's Vice president. The UP MLC - a former IAS officer - took to Twitter to thank the BJP's national leadership for the post, continuing to serve the people. Sharma - ex-joint PMO secretary and a Modi confidante - had recently gone to Delhi, seeking a top cabinet berth when the UP cabinet will be expanded in July. Sharma was sent to Varanasi - PM Modi's constituency in April to handle the COVID situation. 

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Joe & Jill Biden pay emotional tribute after German Shepherd Champ passes away

The United States President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden announced on June 19 that Champ, their 13-year-old German Shepherd, had died “peacefully at home". The Bidens adopted Champ from a breeder after Biden was elected vice president in 2008. Champ lived with the Biden family at both the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory and now the White House.

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Parliamentary IT panel head slams 'leaks' of Twitter session

Miffed at leaks of Parliamentary IT Committee's session with Twitter officials, panel chief Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, expressed anger on media coverage of the entire briefings by certain MPs. Claiming that the proceedings are confidential, Tharoor stated that some MPs had already spoken to the press on their version of events while opposing Tharoor for 'confirming the session's agenda'. Batting for televising the committee's briefings, Tharoor warned against believing the MPs' versions as the complete truth. Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also condemned the detailed media coverage.

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Biden raises concern over 'deadlier' Delta variant

The United States President Joe Biden has raised concern over the Delta variant of COVID-19 that is highly transmissible and "particularly dangerous for young people". In a press conference at the White House, Biden urged the Americans to get vaccinated to protect themselves against these variants. He said that the unvaccinated people are more vulnerable to new variants.

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Dominica LoP bats for Mehul Choksi again

Even as Mehul Choksi's legal woes persist, Dominica's Leader of Opposition Lennox Linton demanded the fugitive diamantaire's repatriation to Antigua and Barbuda. In a new statement issued on Thursday, Linton claimed that Dominica is facing "embarrassment" in the international community owing to his government's collusion in the "abduction" of Choksi. While the PNB scam accused's lawyers alleged that he was kidnapped, beaten and unwillingly brought to Dominica on May 23, the authorities have charged him illegally entering the country via Toucarie Bay.

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WHO declares an end to second Ebola outbreak in Guinea 

Guinea has declared an end to an Ebola outbreak that emerged in February. A total of 16 confirmed cases and seven probable infections were reported in Guinea’s latest outbreak in which 11 patients survived and 12 people lost their lives, according to World Health Organization. The disease resurfaced in the country since the deadly outbreak that ended in 2016.

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Congress blames ISF for tarnishing image of alliance

A month after the West Bengal Assembly polls, state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury conceded that BJP caused maximum damage to his party's prospects. While Congress and the Left front drew a blank in the election, their alliance partner Indian Secular Front won one seat. Admitting that the political scenario was not in the favour of the Sanjukta alliance, he contended that BJP's "polarization politics" helped the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC.

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Metal fans moshed without masks at UK's first live music festival since pandemic

The United Kingdom held its first full music festival since the start of the COVID pandemic. The three-day Download Festival, is taking place at Donington Park in central England. The test event is hosting 10,000 guests and is one of a series of test events to see whether mass gatherings can resume without triggering COVID-19 infections.

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