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Order placed for 10 million DNA Covid-19 vaccine doses
The Indian government has placed an order for 10 million doses of Zydus Cadila's DNA Covid-19 vaccine at a price of Rs265 ($4.80) per dose.
The three-dose vaccine, ZyCoV-D, was approved by the country's drug regulator in August for emergency use in adults and children aged 12 and above.
The shot is administered via a needle-free PharmaJet applicator, which will be sold at Rs93 per dose.
11 Covid-19 patients die in fire
Fire tore through a hospital in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, last Saturday, killing at least 11 Covid-19 patients.
There were about two dozen patients at the intensive care unit. Most of the dead were aged over 60. Fire kills four newborns Four infants in the newborn-care unit of the government-run Kamla Nehru Hospital in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, died on Monday when a fire swept through it.
Thirty-six other newborns, many of them underweight, were rescued and shifted to other wards after the fire was brought under control.
The state government has ordered an investigation into the incident.
Chennai comes to a standstill as heavy rains flood city
India's manufacturing capital Chennai came to a standstill last weekend and early this week with many areas flooded after the southern Indian coast was battered by heavy rainfall, prompting authorities to issue warnings and evacuate people from low-lying areas.
Local media showed footage of cars submerged under water, uprooted trees and people being rescued on rubber boats in various parts of Chennai.
Zika outbreak sees surge of cases
At least 89 people, including 17 children, have tested positive for the Zika virus in a surge of cases in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
The mosquito-borne virus causes fever, rash, headache, joint pain, red eyes and muscle pain.
The Central government has dispatched a multidisciplinary team to assist the local authorities.
Police hunt fake news spreaders after anti-Muslim attacks
Indian police are seeking the owners of around 100 social media accounts accused of sharing "fake news" after mob attacks on mosques in Tripura.
Last month's violence in the state appeared to be a revenge attack prompted by the killing of several Hindu worshippers across the border in Muslim-majority Bangladesh. Party woos voters with sweet smell of socialism A left-wing opposition party has launched a perfume with what it calls the "fragrance of brotherhood, love and socialism" that will "end hatred".
The product was unveiled on Tuesday by the Samajwadi Party in the hope of wooing voters in elections early next year in Uttar Pradesh.
Mr Pushpraj Jain, a state lawmaker from the party, said it took "22 natural fragrances" - a reference to the 2022 vote - to develop the scent.
Kamal Haasan to launch metaverse avatar
Film superstar Kamal Haasan is set to become the first Indian actor to launch an avatar in the "metaverse" as celebrities seek to expand their fan base into the virtual world.
Kamal, who turned 67 on Sunday, said that he was "excited to explore the emerging intersection of the digital and physical world" and planned to auction virtual memorabilia in the form of non-fungible tokens.
Nykaa founder becomes India's wealthiest female billionaire
Ms Falguni Nayar's beauty start-up has jolted her to the ranks of the world's richest.
The 59-year-old, who owns about half of Nykaa, is now worth about US$6.5 billion ($8.8 billion) as the company's shares surged as much as 89 per cent when they started trading on Wednesday.
She has become India's wealthiest self-made female billionaire, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Wrestler dispels news report about her death
Wrestler Nisha Dahiya released a video on Wednesday saying "I am absolutely fine", after a report emerged that she had been shot dead in Haryana.
Press Trust of India put out a story that the wrestler, who won a bronze medal at the Under-23 World Championship last week, and her brother Suraj were shot dead at the Sushil Kumar Wrestling Academy in Sonepat.
The news agency later clarified that the wrestler shot dead in Sonepat is a newcomer with the same name. Fisherman shot dead by Pakistani maritime security personnel Fisherman Shridhar Chamre from Palghar, Maharashtra, was killed and another wounded in the high seas off the Gujarat coast after Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency personnel allegedly opened fire at an Indian fishing boat lat Sunday.
The Indian government said it has taken serious note of this incident and will take up the issue diplomatically with Pakistan.
