All stories by Yoshita Singh
700-km Brazil 'megaflash' sets lightning record: UN
Rediff.com26 Jun 2020The new records for extreme lightning bursts, or 'megaflashes', during 2019, are more than double the size and duration of the previous record flashes.
World's first yoga university outside India launched in US
Rediff.com24 Jun 2020The Vivekananda Yoga University was jointly launched on Tuesday by minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan and chairperson of the standing committee on external affairs P P Chaudhary during a virtual event held at the Consulate General of India in New York.
'Concerned over how quickly COVID-19 cases are rising in India'
Rediff.com21 Jun 2020Harvard Global Health Institute Director Dr Ashish Jha noted that the number of cases in India may be higher than what the data suggests because while testing has been improving, it has not been rolled out in a way that will capture all low-symptomatic patients.
India will be UN security council president for August, 2021
Rediff.com19 Jun 2020The presidency of the Council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the member states' names. According to the information released by the office of the UN spokesperson, India will assume the rotating presidency of the Council for the month of August next year.
India overwhelmingly elected to non-permanent seat in UNSC
Rediff.com18 Jun 2020New Delhi's candidature was unanimously endorsed by the 55-member Asia-Pacific grouping, including China and Pakistan, in June last year.
COVID-19 death toll in US could hit 2,00,000-mark by Sept
Rediff.com11 Jun 2020Ashish Jha, the head of Harvard's Global Health Institute, said the 200,000 death toll is "not just a guess". Currently 800-1000 people are dying daily in America from the virus and all data suggest that the situation is going to get worse.
World leaders not to gather for UNGA for 1st time in 75 yrs
Rediff.com9 Jun 2020The landmark 75th session of the UN General Assembly is expected to begin on September 15 and the first day of the high-level General Debate is likely to be on September 22, according to SDG Knowledge Hub website, an online resource center for news on the UN.
COVID-19 not 'exploded' in India but risk remains: WHO expert
Rediff.com6 Jun 2020The WHO expert noted that measures taken in India such as the nationwide lockdown have had an impact in slowing transmission but the risk of an increase in cases looms as the country opens up.
George Floyd tested positive for coronavirus in April
Rediff.com4 Jun 2020The report added that there is no indication that the virus played any role in his death.
George Floyd death: Curfew imposed in NYC as protesters loot stores
Rediff.com3 Jun 2020People were seen breaking into high end stores around Manhattan's Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue, home to almost all luxury and high-end brands from around the world, and running way with merchandise from the shops. Groups of people also looted pharmacies, electronic stores and other businesses across the city.
Cyclone Amphan even more destructive than Cyclone Aila: UN
Rediff.com22 May 2020The world organisation said UN humanitarians and partners were working hard to assist the people of Bangladesh and India suffering from the impact of the cyclone, which made landfall on Wednesday, wreaking havoc, causing high tidal surges, flooding and embankments to collapse.
COVID-19: 13% museums around the world may never reopen
Rediff.com19 May 2020On the occasion of International Museum Day Monday, two studies by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the International Council of Museums said that museums have been especially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 90 per cent of them, or more than 85,000 institutions, having closed their doors for varying lengths of time during the crisis.
COVID-19 effect on healthcare may kill 6,000 kids daily: UNICEF
Rediff.com14 May 2020As the coronavirus outbreak enters its fifth month, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) requested $1.6 billion to support its humanitarian response for children impacted by the pandemic. The health crisis is 'quickly becoming a child rights crisis. And without urgent action, a further 6,000 under-fives could die each day', it said.
Indian-origin techie charged with $10m COVID-19 relief fraud
Rediff.com14 May 2020Shashank Rai, 30, allegedly sought millions of dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act from two different banks by claiming to have 250 employees earning wages when, in fact, no employee worked for his alleged business.
New York City to be closed till June: Mayor
Rediff.com12 May 2020New York has been recording a decline in daily hospitalisations, ICU admissions and fatalities but the mayor said such progress must continue further before officials consider reopening the city.
66% of Covid-19 cases in New York are those who stayed at home
Rediff.com7 May 2020The state received 1,269 survey responses from 113 hospitals over three days and found that the majority of individuals hospitalised were not working or travelling, predominately located in downstate New York and were predominately minorities, older individuals, non-essential employees and those that were staying at home.
80,000 COVID-19 cases reported daily in April: WHO
Rediff.com7 May 2020'Every single case is a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a brother, sister or friend'
New York state's schools, colleges to remain shut for the academic year
Rediff.com2 May 2020The academic session will go till June and schools re-open around September for the next session.
New York, New Jersey see drop in COVID-19 deaths
Rediff.com28 Apr 2020As the states showed progress in fighting the deadly contagion, governors Andrew Cuomo and Philip Murphy have begun to offer details on reopening in the months ahead.
2 NY cats first pets in US to test positive for COVID-19
Rediff.com23 Apr 2020The agencies said that both pets had mild respiratory illness and are expected to make a full recovery. COVID19 infections have been reported in very few animals worldwide and mostly in those that had close contact with a person with COVID-19.