Gujarat
Sri Lanka launches probe after burning ship pollutes beaches
Sri Lanka launched a criminal probe on Sunday into a huge container ship fire that has swamped the island nation’s coast with plastic pollution causing probably one of its worst marine disasters in history. Tonnes of microplastic granules have inundated the South Asian country’s famed beaches in Negombo, a popular tourist destination, forcing a fishing ban and prompting fears of ecological damage. The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl has been smoldering on the horizon for 11 days after a blaze broke out as it was heading to Colombo from the Indian state of Gujarat. The 25-member crew, who have already been evacuated from the ship, will be questioned on Monday after a complaint was lodged by Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority, police said. Last week, authorities said t...
Man paraded naked as punishment for Facebook post
Police have arrested five brothers after a man was paraded naked in the streets allegedly in punishment for a social media post. India Police spokesman, Hirendra Chaudhary, said the 38-year-old victim was kidnapped on Tuesday by the brothers, assaulted and made to walk 45 minutes around the western town of Khambhaliya with no clothes on. “An investigation revealed that the victim… used to do Facebook live videos on regular basis. “On Sunday, in a Facebook Live video (the man) made serious allegations against the five brothers and claimed that they were involved in criminal activities”, Chaudhary said The brothers were charged with illegal confinement, assault, use of criminal force with intent to dishonour person, criminal conspiracy, obscenity, and other offences. Local police said that t...
Premier: India set to mass produce COVID-19 vaccine, launches digital health mission
India is ready to mass produce COVID-19 vaccines when scientists give the go-ahead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day speech on Saturday. Modi made the revelation while also launching a national project to roll out health identities for each citizen. In annual celebrations, held at the 17th-century Red Fort and scaled down due to the pandemic, Modi identified health and economic self-reliance as the key priorities for his government. “Not one, not two, as many as three coronavirus vaccines are being tested in India,’’ he said from the ramparts of the red sandstone palace in the old quarters of Delhi. He was wearing a flowing orange and white turban and covering his mouth and nose with a scarf of the same colours whenever anyone came close to him at the ceremony. “Al...
