News Analysis India

Tag: Brazil

  • Coldplay postpones shows owing to Chris Martin’s lung infection

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: Coldplay’s eight-show stint in Brazil has been interrupted owing to Chris Martin’s “serious lung infection.”

    Coldplay took to Twitter to announce this. “With deep regret, we’ve been forced to postpone our upcoming shows in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo until early 2023. Due to a serious lung infection, Chris has been put under strict doctor’s orders to rest for the next three weeks,” the band wrote on Twitter.

    According to Variety, on October 11 and 12, Coldplay was scheduled to perform two concerts at Estadio Nilton Santos-Engenhao in Rio de Janeiro to kick off the Latin American leg of their world tour.

    From October 15 through October 22, Coldplay was scheduled to perform at the Allianz Parque Stadium in Sao Paulo.

    pic.twitter.com/UBy1ULYD7v
    — Coldplay (@coldplay) October 4, 2022
    No new dates for the concerts have been announced yet, although the band did say that the rescheduled concerts would be happening in “early 2023 and will be announced very soon.”

    They further wrote, “We’re working as fast as possible to lock in the new dates and will follow up with more information in the next few days. Please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the new rescheduled dates…However, we will also honour all requests for ticket refunds – which will be available at the point of sale.”

    They added, “We’re optimistic that Chris will return to good health after he prescribed medical breaks and look forward to resuming the tour soon.”

    “To everyone affected, please accept our sincere apologies, and thank you as always for your love and support,” concluded the band. 

    WASHINGTON: Coldplay’s eight-show stint in Brazil has been interrupted owing to Chris Martin’s “serious lung infection.”

    Coldplay took to Twitter to announce this. “With deep regret, we’ve been forced to postpone our upcoming shows in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo until early 2023. Due to a serious lung infection, Chris has been put under strict doctor’s orders to rest for the next three weeks,” the band wrote on Twitter.

    According to Variety, on October 11 and 12, Coldplay was scheduled to perform two concerts at Estadio Nilton Santos-Engenhao in Rio de Janeiro to kick off the Latin American leg of their world tour.

    From October 15 through October 22, Coldplay was scheduled to perform at the Allianz Parque Stadium in Sao Paulo.

    pic.twitter.com/UBy1ULYD7v
    — Coldplay (@coldplay) October 4, 2022
    No new dates for the concerts have been announced yet, although the band did say that the rescheduled concerts would be happening in “early 2023 and will be announced very soon.”

    They further wrote, “We’re working as fast as possible to lock in the new dates and will follow up with more information in the next few days. Please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the new rescheduled dates…However, we will also honour all requests for ticket refunds – which will be available at the point of sale.”

    They added, “We’re optimistic that Chris will return to good health after he prescribed medical breaks and look forward to resuming the tour soon.”

    “To everyone affected, please accept our sincere apologies, and thank you as always for your love and support,” concluded the band. 

  • Researchers from BRICS nations to study impact of severe Covid on TB patients

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: BRICS countries are working on a programme to study the impact of severe COVID-19 conditions on tuberculosis (TB) patients, the Department of Biotechnology said on Monday. 

    The SARS-CoV-2 NGS (Next Generation Sequencing)-BRICS consortium is an interdisciplinary collaboration to advance COVID-19 health-relevant knowledge and to contribute to improvements in health outcomes, it said.

    The consortium, comprising researchers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), will accelerate translation of genomic data from clinical and surveillance samples, the government’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) said.

    This will be done utilising high-end genomic technologies, and epidemiologic and bioinformatics tools and this information will be used in diagnostic assays and tracking transmission dynamics of COVID-19 and other viruses, as well as lead to clinical and public health research and interventions, it said.

    “The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, in collaboration with BRICS countries is implementing the SARS-CoV-2 NGS-BRICS consortium and multi-centric programme to study the impact of severe COVID-19 conditions on TB patients,” the DBT said.

    The Indian team has members from the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (Prof. Arindam Maitra, Prof. Saumitra Das, Dr. Nidhan K Biswas), the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (Dr. Ashwin Dalal) and the Indian Institute of Science (Dr. Mohit K Jolly), it said.

    Dr. Ana Tereza Ribeiro de Vasconcelos of Brazil’s National Laboratory for Scientific Computation, Prof. Georgii Bazykin of Russia’s Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Prof. Mingkun Li of China’s Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Prof. Tulio de Oliveira of South Africa’s University of KwaZulu-Natal are the other members of the consortium, the DBT said.

    In a second multi-centric programme, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from India, Brazil and South Africa will investigate the impact of severe COVID-19 on transient peripheral immunosuppression and lung hyperinflammation conditions in TB patients for epidemiology and comorbidity, the department said.

    This team consists of members from the India’s National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis (Dr. Subash Babu, Dr. Anuradha Rajamanickam, Dr. Banurekha Velayutham and Dr. Dina Nair).

    Besides them, the members from Brazil are Dr. Valeria Cavalcanti Rolla and Dr. Adriano Gomes da Silva of the Lapclin-Tb/ INI-FIOCRUZ, Dr. Maria Cristina Lourenço of the LBB/INI-FIOCRUZ and Dr. Bruno de Bezerril Andrade from IGM-FIOCRUZ; and from South Africa are researchers Dr. Bavesh Kana, Dr. Bhavna Gordhan, Dr. Neil Martinson and Dr. Ziyaad Waja of the University of the Witwatersrand, the DBT said.

    “This collaborative study is expected to provide valuable co-morbidity data pertaining to pulmonary TB patients with or without COVID-19 co-infection that is expected to be generated for better disease management,” it said.

    Secretary in the DBT Renu Swarup said the department has taken small steps in the right direction towards collaboration with BRICS countries.

  • Congress raises questions over Covaxin supply deal with Brazil, seeks probe

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday raised several questions over a deal for the supply of coronavirus vaccine Covaxin to Brazil, and demanded that the prime minister and the government order a probe into charges of graft.

    The opposition party also questioned the government over the “slow pace” of vaccination in the country.

    Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the government needs to clear the air over the deal with Brazil as Covaxin was developed by Bharat Biotech in partnership with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and taxpayers’ money was used for it.

    Shrinate said there are serious allegations raised by another country that don’t drag into controversy just Bharat Biotech but also its co-developer and co-partners, and the conspicuous silence by the Indian government raises far more questions.

    ALSO READ | Covaxin Brazil pricing: Bharat Biotech denies receiving advance payments, supplying vaccines

    “We would want to raise some very important questions because this brings disrepute and taint to the entire pharma industry which has brought much repute and pride to India.

    “Why is the Indian government and the prime minister silent on allegation of inflated prices by Bharat Biotech’s partner — Singapore’s Madison Biotech — which is at the heart of the criminal conspiracy and alleged allegations,” she asked.

    Sha said the allegations, now in the public domain, do call for a serious probe by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) as this seemingly involves fund diversion and money laundering.

    “Why is the government quiet, when the status of an entity to which profits could have been diverted is not known, should the government not do anything about it? I think the government needs to wake up and answer questions.

    “The government needs to answer some very serious questions, they need to order some very serious probes and they need to come clean, because tax payers’ money was involved in developing COVAXIN and we have a right to know what is happening with that money,” she said.

    The Congress leader alleged that as per charges being probed by Brazil, Bharat Biotech quoted a lower price for the vaccine but later jacked up the rate after it diverted the jabs at lower price to its Singapore subsidiary Madison Biotech.

    Bharat Biotech was in an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos of Brazil for supply of 20 million doses of Covaxin.

    This, Shrinate alleged, leads to fund diversions and makes for a money laundering case.

    There was no reaction available either from Bharat Biotech or the government on the charges.

    “Why aren’t those probes being ordered? Isn’t this a case of tax diversion and fund diversion, even after a criminal investigation and a parliamentary probe has been initiated by Brazil Government into the contract.

    “Why is the Indian government conspicuously silent, because this talks about tax payers money, this talks about public investments and profiteering from this,” she asked.

    Expressing concern over the current pace of vaccination, she said just a little over six crore Indians have been fully vaccinated so far.

    She said Indians have the first right on vaccines being made and manufactured here and the government needs to answer the question of how some export deals still continue.

    She also hit out at some ministers for trolling those who ask questions on the slow pace of vaccination instead of answering questions on the Covaxin deal with Brazil.

    ALSO WATCH:

  • PM Modi wrote to Lankan, Brazilian presidents on Yoga Day celebrations

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last month and thanked them for their cooperation in celebrating the International Day of Yoga.

    In his letter to President Rajapaksa, Modi expressed his gratitude for making Yoga Day celebrations in Sri Lanka a resounding success every year.

    The prime minister, in the letter dated May 25, noted that the ‘Yoga For Wellness’ theme this year reflected the concern for the good health and wellbeing of people across the globe, according to a tweet by the Indian mission in Lanka.

    In his letter to Brazilian President Bolsanaro dated May 14, Modi said in 2014, the overwhelming response of the United Nations General Assembly to recognise June 21 as International Day of Yoga underlined the universal appeal of Yoga that transcends all barriers.

    Since then, the International Day of Yoga has been marked globally with great fervour, he noted.

    The Missions of India abroad have been coordinating activities in the run-up to International Day of Yoga on June 21 in their respective countries, and as per reports, Yoga Day will be observed in about 190 nations globally, the Ayush Ministry had said in a statement.

  • ISRO launches PSLV-C51 carrying Brazil’s Amazonia-1, 18 other satellites

    Express News Service
    BENGALURU: India’s Polar rocket on Sunday successfully launched Amazonia-1 satellite of Brazil from the spaceport, in the first mission of the year for space agency ISRO from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10:24 am.

    The 637-kg Amazonia-1, which became the first Brazilian satellite to be launched from India, is an optical earth observation satellite of National Institute for Space Research (INPE). It is the first dedicated PSLV commercial mission by New Space India Limited (NSIL)– commercial arm of Department of Space.This is also the first time Brazil is launching its satellite on an Indian rocket. It is the first satellite that is completely designed, tested, integrated and operated by National Institute for Space Research (INPE) Brazil. 

    Amazonia-1 carries with it a wide field camera with 850 km swath and 60m resolution. It has two solar panels to charge its Lithium Ion Batteries. The optical Earth observation satellite has a lifespan of more than four years. 

    Stunning glimpses of today’s lift-off#PSLVC51 #Amazonia1 #NSIL #INSPACe pic.twitter.com/MQJzAROxaV
    — ISRO (@isro) February 28, 2021

    It will be another satellite for Brazil to monitor the Amazon region and the deforestation therein. It is meant to help analyse diversified agriculture across the area of Brazil. 

    ALSO WATCH: 

    Brazilian minister for Science and Technology and Innovation Marcos Pontes said “many years have gone into the satellite and the moment represented the pinnacle of all efforts by many from the National Institute of Space Research, Brazil and the Brazilian Space Agency.”

    Pontes said “the satellite has a very crucial mission in Brazil — it is another satellite to monitor the Amazon and other biomes in Brazil and represents new era of Brazilian industry for satellite development. He said the multi mission platform can be used for other satellites.”

    He said they couldn’t have chosen a better place than India. He further added that this was an important step in the partnership of the two states. 

    “I am extremely happy to declare that PSLV-C51 successfully launched in precise orbit Aamazonia-1 today. The satellite is in very good health and solar panels have been deployed,” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Sivan announced amid applause from the scientists.

    This is the first commercial launch of NSIL. NSIL CMD Narayanan said that in the peak of COVID-19, Indian space sector stepped out from the old to the new. NSIL under department of Space had its presence in the earlier three PSLV missions through customer auxiliary payloads, he said this was the first dedicated mission of NSIL with the launch of first totally-Brazilian built Earth Observation Satellite. 

    NSIL will also provide tracking service from its facility

    The mission is being undertaken under a commercial arrangement with Space Flight Inc USA and injected 18 other satellites in their respective orbits. These include a cluster of 12 satellites by SpaceBee, USA, one ARC satellite by DRDO, one satellite by Spacekits India, three satellited developed by students from Jeppiaar Institute of Technology, Sriperambudur, G H Raisoni College of Engineering Nagpur, and Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology Coimbatore. 

    Hands full this year, says Sivan 

    Our hands are full this year, said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K Sivan on Sunday. He was speaking at the launch of Amazonia-1, . Sivan said that ISRO has 14 missions lined up this year. 

    “As many as seven are launch vehicle missions and six are satellite missions. One is the unmanned Gaganyaan mission slated at the end of 2021,” he said. “ISRO will rise to the occasion and achieve these targets towards meeting national demands,” he said. 

    Warning people that the pandemic was not over yet, he said that the work at the organisation would go on while maintaining all quality norms. 

  • ISRO launches PSLV-C51 carrying 19 satellites

    By ANI
    NeELLORE: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday launched Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C51 carrying Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite and 18 other satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

    PSLV-C51 launched Amazonia-1, an optical earth observation satellite, and 18 other satellites on Sunday at 10:24 am.

    A Brazilian delegation was present at Satish Dhawan Space Centre for the launch. ISRO chief K. Sivan was also present.

    PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 is the first dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company under the Department of Space. The NSIL is undertaking this mission under a commercial arrangement with Spaceflight Inc. USA.

    Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). This satellite would further strengthen the existing structure by providing remote sensing data to users for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon region and analysis of diversified agriculture across the Brazilian territory.

    Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C51), which is the 53rd mission of PSLV launched Amazonia-1 of Brazil as the primary satellite. A total of 18 Co-passenger satellites were also lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10:24 am on Sunday.

    The 18 co-passenger satellites include four from IN-SPACe (three UNITYsats from the consortium of three Indian academic institutes and One Satish Dhawan Sat from Space Kidz India) and 14 from NSIL.