Oct 16,2020: Gilead Sciences Inc’s remdesivir had little or no effect on COVID-19 patients’ length of hospital stay or chances of survival, a clinical trial by the World Health Organization (WHO) has found.
The antiviral medication, among the first to be used as a treatment for COVID-19, was one of the drugs recently used to treat U.S. President Donald Trump’s coronavirus infection.
The results are from WHO’s “Solidarity” trial, which evaluated the effects of four potential drug regimens, including remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, anti-HIV drug combination lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon, in 11,266 adult patients across more than 30 countries.
The study found the regimens appeared to have little or no effect on 28-day mortality or the length of the in-hospital course among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the WHO said on Thursday.
Earlier this month, data from a U.S. study of remdesivir by Gilead showed the treatment cut COVID-19 recovery time by five days compared with patients who got a placebo in a trial comprising 1,062 patients.
“The emerging (WHO) data appears inconsistent, with more robust evidence from multiple randomized, controlled studies published in peer-reviewed journals validating the clinical benefit of remdesivir,” Gilead told Reuters.
“We are concerned the data from this open-label global trial has not undergone the rigorous review required to allow for constructive scientific discussion, particularly given the limitations of the trial design.”
WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Wednesday that during the study, hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir were stopped in June after they proved ineffective, but other trials continued in more than 500 hospitals and 30 countries.
“We’re looking at what’s next. We’re looking at monoclonal anti-bodies, we’re looking at immunomodulators and some of the newer anti-viral drugs that have been developed in the last few months,” Swaminathan said.
Remdesivir received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 1, and has since been authorized for use in several countries.
Paris,Oct 14,2020:In a sign of France’s greater focus on the Indian Ocean and the increasingly assertive behaviour of China across the region, President Emmanuel Macron has appointed the country’s first ambassador for the Indo-Pacific.
Christophe Penot, one of France’s most senior diplomats who till recently was the envoy to Australia, will take over the new position from October 15, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.
Beyond China’s aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific, there are other reasons for France’s focus on the region – the presence of 1.5 million French citizens on island territories, and the fact that 93% its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of more than 11 million sq km, the second largest in the world, is in the Indo-Pacific.France also has 8,000 soldiers stationed in the region.
France, which signed a defence logistics support agreement with India in 2018, also has plans for more joint patrols and operations with India’s military in the Indian Ocean to protect the interests of both countries and ensure a rules-based order.
The envoy will be based in Paris and is expected to travel widely across the Indo-Pacific to coordinate with France’s partners and to forge new initiatives such as the trilateral dialogue launched with India and Australia last month to enhance cooperation and strengthen multilateralism.
New Delhi/Chandigarh, Oct 14,2020: Farmers’ organisations from Punjab on Wednesday boycotted a meeting called by the Union agriculture ministry to resolve their concerns over new farm laws and accused the government of playing double standards with no minister present to hear them out.
Representatives from 29 farmers’ organisations, including Joginder Singh-led Bharati Kissan Union, were miffed at the absence of Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State for Agriculture in the meeting.
The meeting was convened at the Krishi Bhavan amid police security to avoid any protest. After the meeting, agitated farmers’ representatives were seen shouting slogans and tearing copies of new farm laws outside Krishi Bhavan.
Since there was no response from Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal, who was chairing the meeting, farmers’ organisations decided to boycott the meeting, he said.
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana and other states are protesting against new farm laws which they feel will lead to procurement in the hands of corporates and the end of MSP.
United Nations, Oct 14 ,2020: China, Russia and Cuba won seats on the UN’s premiere human rights body Tuesday despite opposition from activist groups over their abysmal human rights records, but another target, Saudi Arabia, lost.
Russia and Cuba were running unopposed, but China and Saudi Arabia were in a five-way race in the only contested race for seats on the Human Rights Council.
In secret-ballot voting in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on that race, Pakistan received 169 votes, Uzbekistan 164, Nepal 150, China 139 and Saudi Arabia just 90 votes.
Despite announced reform plans by Saudi Arabia, Human Rights Watch and others strongly opposed its candidacy saying the Middle East nation continues to target human rights defenders, dissidents and women’s rights activists and has demonstrated little accountability for past abuses, including the killing of Washington Post columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two years ago.
Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now, the organization founded by Khashoggi, said despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin on public relations to cover his grotesque abuses, the international community just isn’t buying it.
Unless Saudi Arabia undertakes dramatic reforms to release political prisoners, end its disastrous war in Yemen and allow its citizens meaningful political participation, it will remain a global pariah, Whitson said.
Under the Human Rights Council’s rules, seats are allocated to regions to ensure geographical representation.
London:Oct 14,2020: India is among seven countries to back a UK-led campaign against end-to-end encryption of messages by social media giants such as Facebook, which they say hinder law enforcement by blocking all access to them.
The UK and India are joined by the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan in a joint international statement addressed to all tech companies to ensure they do not blind themselves to illegal activity on their platforms, including child abuse images.
It marks an expansion of the so-called “Five Eyes” group of nations, a global alliance on intelligence issues, to include India and Japan.
We owe it to all of our citizens, especially our children, to ensure their safety by continuing to unmask sexual predators and terrorists operating online, said UK home secretary Priti Patel, in reference to the statement issued on Sunday.
It is essential that tech companies do not turn a blind eye to this problem and hamper their, as well as law enforcement’s, ability to tackle these sickening criminal acts. Our countries urge all tech companies to work with us to find a solution that puts the public’s safety first, she said.
While directed at all tech firms, the statement does make a reference to the fact that the populations of the seven signatory countries represent a fifth of Facebook’s users across the world and claimed that end-to-end encryption policies such as those employed by the social media giant erode the public’s safety online.
The seven signatories of the international statement have made it clear that when end-to-end encryption is applied with no access to content, it severely undermines the ability of companies to take action against illegal activity on their own platforms, it notes.
It also prevents law enforcement investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes being committed on these services such as online child sexual abuse, grooming and terrorist content, it said.
The statement calls on tech companies to ensure there is no reduction in user safety when designing their encrypted services; to enable law enforcement access to content where it is necessary and proportionate; and work with governments to facilitate this.
The UK and its international partners are clear that they support strong encryption, but not where it is applied in a way that precludes all legal access to content, therefore putting the public at significant risk of harm, the statement notes.
In response, Facebook said it had long argued that end-to-end encryption is necessary to protect people’s most private information.
“In all of these countries, people prefer end-to-end encrypted messaging on various apps because it keeps their messages safe from hackers, criminals, and foreign interference,” a Facebook spokesperson said.
Facebook has led the industry in developing new ways to prevent, detect, and respond to abuse while maintaining high security and we will continue to do so, the spokesperson said.
La Paz, Oct 14 ,2020: Joaquin Correa came off the bench to fire Argentina to a 2-1 win over Bolivia in the punishing altitude of La Paz on Tuesday, maintaining the Albiceleste’s unblemished start to the South American Zone World Cup qualifiers.
Marcelo Martins, former striker of Chinese clubs Wuhan Zall and Shijiazhuang Ever Bright, put the hosts ahead in the 24th minute by angling a superb header into the top left corner after an Alejandro Chumacero cross.
The visitors equalized on the stroke of halftime when Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez thrust out his right leg to block Jose Carrasco’s attempted clearance and the ball rebounded into the net.
Correa, who replaced Lucas Ocampos on the hour mark, rifled in the winner 11 minutes from time after Lionel Messi combined with Martinez to set up the Lazio forward.
The result marked Argentina’s first victory at Estadio Hernando Siles, located more than 3,600m above sea level, since 2005. It came five days after the Albiceleste started their qualifying campaign with a 1-0 home win over Ecuador.
Bolivia, who lost their opening match against Brazil 5-0 on Friday, had not lost any of their previous five home World Cup qualifiers.
The top four teams at the end of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) qualifying tournament will earn a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The fifth-ranked side will advance to an intercontinental playoff over two legs.
Hathras, Oct 13,2020: The Hathras victim’s family on Tuesday refused to immerse the girl’s ashes unless it gets justice.
The family returned late on Monday after recording their statement before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High court.
Speaking to the media, the victim’s father said, “We narrated our ordeal to the court. However, there was a conversation in English and we couldn’t understand much but we could make out that the Court was not happy with the Hathras district administration. We seek justice now, we will not be immersing the ashes until we get justice.”
The victim’s brother, who had also gone to Lucknow to record his statement in the court upon his return from the National Capital said, “There were questions related to the cremation of our sister. The court also asked if the cremation was done as per our wishes. The hearing lasted about an hour and most of the conversation was in English, but the court was definitely not happy with the DM.”
Meanwhile SSM Anjali Gangwar, who accompanied the family from Hathras to Lucknow and back, said, “All the necessary arrangements for the family members were taken care of, biscuits, chips, water bottles and other essentials were kept in all the vehicles and he family was also made to have lunch at Uttarakhand Bhawan in Lucknow. Ample security and comfort arrangements for the family members of the victim were made.”
On the other hand, Hathras District Magistrate Praveen Kumar Lakshkar also appeared before the Lucknow bench and explained that the gang-rape victim was cremated at midnight to “avoid violence and maintain law and order” in the district.
He further stated that there was strong evidence of the involvement of organisations like the PFI and some journalists in provoking the family.
“There was a huge gathering of anti-social elements outside the village who were bent on violence. Also, the condition of the body was deteriorating. Taking in view the above circumstances and after consulting other senior administrative and police officials, I, in the capacity of the district magistrate of Hathras, took the decision of performing the last rites of the victim in the night. The family of the victim was taken into confidence while performing the last rites under administrative supervision,” the DM said.
Confirming the conspiracy theory of instigating violence in the Hathras incident, DM further pleaded, “It also came to light that a website ‘Justice for Hathras’, through its instigating and inflammatory content was also trying to disturb the law and order in Hathras and adjoining areas.”