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US government jolts into action to aid India after criticism of silence | India News – Times of India

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WASHINGTON: The US on Monday rolled out a series of supportive measures to help India’s titanic fight against the Covid-19 upsurge, including diverting raw material to the Serum Institute of India to manufacture vaccines, and rushing oxygen-generating systems and the drug Remdesivir, even as President Biden pledged America’s full support to provide emergency assistance and resources to New Delhi.
Senior US administration officials outlined a series of steps to aid India’s fight after Biden phoned PM Modi to express sympathy and support after nearly three days of silence on the dire situation in India. “India was there for us, and we will be there for them,” Biden said in a tweet minutes after the phone call. Officials said the US was also deploying a CDC strike team to India to help the country’s efforts.
The US, however, will not be directly supplying its unused stockpile of AstraZeneca vaccine — at least for now. White House officials said India had not asked for the vaccine and added that the FDA was yet to complete its safety review. Once that process is complete, about 10 million vaccines will become available for foreign supply (since the US will not be using AstraZeneca) and a further 50 million vaccines will be available by June-July.

White House National Security Council officials also declined to answer questions on the Indian request for a waiver of intellectual property and patent rights in relation to the fight against Covid, while confirming Modi had raised the matter in his phone conversation with Biden. They bumped the issue across to the US trade representative’s office.
Shortly after his call with Biden, Modi had tweeted: “Had a fruitful conversation with @POTUS @JoeBiden today. We discussed the evolving Covid situation in both countries in detail. I thanked President Biden for the support being provided by the US to India.”
Slammed across the social, political, and business spectrum for perceived indifference to India, the Biden-Harris dispensation had jolted into action on Sunday. Similar to his Monday post, Biden on Sunday had tweeted: “Just as India sent assistance to the US as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need.” He had conspicuously invoked New Delhi’s help in providing therapeutics to the US during America’s Covid crisis after his administration was trolled for ingratitude.
Moments after Biden’s Sunday tweet, vice-president Kamala Harris had posted: “The US is working closely with the Indian government to rapidly deploy additional support and supplies during an alarming Covid-19 outbreak. As we provide assistance, we pray for the people of India-—including its courageous healthcare workers.” Harris too attracted criticism over her silence, particularly in light of her own part-Indian heritage.
The full court press from Washington, which some pundits saw as damage control after the administration came under fire from critics on all sides for its slow response, included expressions of support from defence secretary Lloyd Austin, the senior most cabinet official in the Biden administration to visit India, US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman, and a host of Democrats.
Austin said he was deeply concerned about the Covid-19 outbreak in India, and directed the Pentagon to “use every resources at our disposal, within our authority, to support US inter-agency efforts to provide India’s frontline healthcare workers with the materials they need.” Sherman said she had been in touch with Indian officials, including foreign secretary Harsh V Shringla and India’s ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu.
The Biden administration ponderous response invited withering assessment. “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing — after they’ve tried everything else,” former Indian envoy Vishnu Prakash remarked, paraphrasing Winston Churchill while noting the episode has cast a shadow on Biden-Harris administration’s earnestness.



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Broke Swiggy guy walks 3 km to deliver food, Social media helps him find better job. Heartwarming story is viral

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Social media can be a wondrous place at times. While on most days, its ugly face is on display, on days like today, it sets examples of the power of kindness. In a social media post, a LinkedIn user shared how a delivery executive, in need of money and a better job, bagged one after the users on the platform came together to help the person out.

Priyanshi Chandel, Marketing Manager at tech company Flash, shared an incident about a Swiggy delivery agent who had come to deliver food at her residence. When she asked the late and out-of-breath delivery person, identified by her as Sahil Singh, about what happened, he told her that he had no transport and had to walk 3 km to deliver the order.

He also said that he was out of money and had nothing left to pay his landlord too. Singh told her that he was not looking for money from her but requested her to help him bag a job. He said that he had a degree in Electrical and Communication Engineering, and had worked with Byju’s and Ninjacart before. He had to move back to Jammu during the pandemic.

“I have not eaten for a week, just drinking water and tea to get by. I am not asking for anything, please if you can find me a job, I used to make 25k before, I am 30 years old, my parents are getting old and I can’t keep asking for money from them (sic),” Chandel quoted saying.

She also shared his marksheets and contact number for people to help. His details shared show that he is a 2018 BTech graduate from Mewar University, and completed his schooling from the Jammu and Kashmir state board.

After she shared the details, the comments section was filled with people who stepped up to help. While someone recharged his Yulu account so that he did not have to walk around to deliver food, someone offered a place to stay. Many offered to help him with his applications, while some offered jobs too.

Chandel, later on put an update on the post, and said that he received a job.

However, so far it is unclear what job he has received.

2023 has so far been a year of job losses, an eventual outcome of the pandemic and increased hiring by tech companies. For instance, the SSC MTS 2023 recruitment exam that took place in Uttar Pradesh in May saw over 55 lakh applications for Group D jobs. Numerous candidates who applied for positions such as peon, watchman, gardener had educational backgrounds like BTech, MBA, and Master’s degrees.

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Goa CM, NRI Commissioner writes to MoEF for help in safe return of Goans from Ukraine

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Panaji: Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Thursday urged Union Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to help in safe return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

Sawant tweeted “we are concerned about the Goans in Ukraine who are considering to return to India in the light of ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. I request Union Minister for External Affairs @DrSJaishankar ji for help in the safe return of Goans. I am keeping track of the situation.”

The chief minister’s tweet comes hours after Goa’s NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar wrote to the Union External Affairs ministry seeking help in return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

“Many Goans are currently residing in Ukraine due to various purposes including higher studies and due to the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, I have started receiving requests for help and assistance from them to return back to India,” Sawaikar wrote.

The Commissioner further wrote in the letter that advisories have already been issued by the Ministery of External Affairs to Indians currently in Ukraine and our Indian Mission in Kyiy is currently handling the matter.

“Striking note of urgency, the Government of India has recently asked the family members of Embassy officials in Ukraine as well as students and citizens whose stay is not vital , to leave the Eastern European nation amid it’s raising tensions with Russia,” the letter reads.

Sawaikar wrote that the Goans in Ukraine are in touch with this office as they are anxious to temporarily return till the situation normalizes.

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Election Commission announces polling dates and counting days for Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 states

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On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 States, namely, Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

While briefing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra informed that the elections in the poll-bound States will commence from February 10, 2022, to March 7, 2022. Elections in the State of Uttar Pradesh will be conducted in 7 phases, followed by Manipur with 2 phases. Elections in Goa, Uttarkhand and Punjab will be conducted in a single phase.

According to the Election Commission of India, the votes will be counted on March 10, 2022. ECI informed that all physical campaigning will be ceased until January 15, 2022, in light of the rising cases of Coronavirus.

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