Given that most Indians are unlikely to be tested for COVID-19, scientists are taking a cue from the country's surveillance programme for polio and turning to sewage to get a clearer snapshot of how many people are infected with the coronavirus. Wastewater epidemiology is a valuable tool to monitor the spread of the novel coronavirus in communities, said Manish Kumar of the Indian Institute of Technology in Gandhinagar who is working with an international team of collaborators on the project.The wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) global collaboration comprises over 50 institutes and researchers headed by Kyle James Bibby of the University of Notre Dame in the US. The group is coordinating sampling and analytical protocols as well as data-sharing so that results obtained can be compared on

By Gunjan Sharma New Delhi, May 1 () The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, which has become the first academic institute to develop a COVID-19 testing method, is planning to give non-exclusive open licence to companies for commercialising the test but with a price rider. While over 40 companies have reached out to the premiere institute after it got an approval from the ICMR for the test, IIT will be giving the licence to the companies which meet its quality criteria and the test is expected to be in market within three weeks. "Over 40 companies, including a few big names, have reached out to us to commercialise the test. We will be giving open licences to companies which meet the quality criterion set by us. We also will be giving the licence with a price rider so companies do

Travel by rail, air, metro and even inter-state movement by road will continue to be restricted. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed. There will be zone-wise relaxations for areas that fall into the orange or green zones.The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the nationwide lockdown in India has been extended by another two weeks. Instead of relaxations kicking in on May 3 — the lockdown regulation will remain in place until May 17. The decision has been made after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers and other top government functionaries met yesterday (April 30).Travel by rail, air, metro and even inter-state movement by road will continue to be restricted. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed. This

Two out of the top three military spenders in the world are India and China – and Pakistan was among the top ten countries in terms of military spending as a portion of the GDP in 2019 – and that says something about the tension in the region. Even as the world is struggling to tame the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, India and Pakistan are exchanging fires across the Line of Control in Kashmir. Most recently, two Indian soldiers including a Colonel lost their lives. The appeal for peace from United Nations' chief Antonio Guterres has not eased the tensions so far. From the Korean Peninsula to the South China sea, to the India-Pakistan border, there are many hotspots in Asia involving the three major nuclear powers. So here's a look at how India and its two bitter neighbours have increased

By Gurdip Singh Singapore, May 4 () Nearly 4,800 Indian nationals, most of whom are living in dormitories for foreign workers, have been tested positive with the novel coronavirus in Singapore till the end of April, the Indian High Commissioner here said on Monday.The total number of coronavirus cases in Singapore are 18,205 with 18 deaths, according to the figures released by Singapore Health Ministry on Sunday."Almost all of the infection among Indian workers is mild and their conditions are improving," Jawed Ashraf, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, told .Over 3,500 Indian nationals, including students, have also registered with the High Commission to return home or to seek assistance for accommodation and food due to their unexpectedly long stay here, he said.Over 90 per cent of the

Poynter Institutes International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) on Monday launched its chatbot on WhatsApp to help two billion users of the Facebook-owned instant messaging platform to check veracity of information related to COVID-19.The IFCN's bot connects people with independent fact-checkers in more than 70 countries and also with the largest database of debunked falsehoods related to the new coronavirus.75343540By using the IFCN's bot on WhatsApp, citizens from all over the world will be able to easily check whether a piece of content about COVID-19 has already been rated as false by professional fact-checkers.Since January, more than 80 fact-checking organisations from 74 countries have identified more than 4,000 hoaxes related to the novel coronavirus.All this information now forms the

The International Fact-Checking Network has launched a WhatsApp chatbot to fact check information about Coronavirus.The chatbot allows users to check whether the information received by them is authentic or not.Users can also use the IFCN chatbot to identify fact checkers near them.The Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life across the world and over 3.6 million people have been infected. Misinformation has also been a huge problem as social media platforms have been used to spread fake news about Coronavirus.WhatsApp has over 2 billion monthly active users and there have been several instances where the messaging app has been used to spread fake news. To help users stay safe during the Coronavirus pandemic, the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has launched a

Columbia UniversityDar Yasin, Mukhtar Khan and Channi Anand captured the life inside Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of article 370. Pulitzer Prize is the highest honour US-based journalists can get.On August 5, Modi-government revoked Article 370 of the Indian constitution that gave Jammu and Kashmir a special status and formed two separate Union Territories.Three photojournalists — Dar Yasin, Mukhtar Khan and Channi Anand — who work at Associated Press in India have won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in feature photography. The three photojournalists won the prize “for striking images of life in the contested territory of Kashmir as India revoked its independence, executed through a communications blackout,” said the Pulitzer website. Thank you Colleagues, friends, brothers. I would just

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus/TwitterThe World Health Organisation has been caught in controversies amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.US has accused the multi-lateral platform for health initiatives for acting as China’s ‘proxy’. In a conversation with Business Insider, Parag Khanna, Managing Partner at Future Map and Samir Saran, President of Observer Research Foundation explained the kind of reforms WHO needed to bring to become politically unbiased. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been under fire from the West ever since the coronavirus outbreak. US President Donald Trump accused the WHO of siding with China and even threatened to hold back its funding. There are more experts chiming in and calling for a fixed term for the WHO chief to avoid political partisanship in the future⁠—

Coronavirus conspiracies are being spread by far-right groups across the world – from blaming 5G technology to targeting Muslim and other minority communities.Some of the Coronavirus conspiracy theories also say that this pandemic is a population control tool.In India, the Tablighi Jamaat incident has been used by far-right groups to target Muslims using hashtags like #CoronaJihad, using the pandemic to suggest that it is a form of terrorism.Other Coronavirus conspiracies in India suggest that hot weather, clove and herbs, and alcohol can help people avoid contracting Covid-19.The Coronavirus pandemic has forced the Indian government to announce a nationwide lockdown since March 24, but it’s not just the deadly disease that we need to worry about. There have been many conspiracy theories,

ICICI Bank is scheduled to announce its fourth-quarter results on May 9.It's share price inreased by over 2% today morning during early trade.The private sector bank’s retail-focused lending puts it at higher risk of bad loans due to the effects of the coronavirus lockdown than its counterparts.Last quarter, ICICI Bank managed to post a profit of 158% and its provisions were down by 58%.ICICI Bank is set to post its fourth-quarter results on May 9 and the outlook seems grim with the banking sector bearing the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic. “Banking is the first sector to get hit and the last one to recover. We’re already in a phase of credit issues,” Siddarth Purohit, a banking analyst with Angel Broking, told Business Insider.ICICI Bank is one of top ten stocks to buy, according to Maquarie,

Xiaomi has launched the Mi 10 flagship smartphone, Mi Box 4K streaming device and Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 in India.The Mi Box 4K will take on the Amazon Fire TV Stick and the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Xiaomi has re-entered the flagship segment in India with its new Mi 10 series, with high-end hardware and features like a 108MP camera and 5G support. It was announced in China in February this year. Apart from this, Xiaomi also launched several products in an online event, including the Mi Box 4K and the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2. It had to postponed the launch event earlier due to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.Here are the prices of the Xiaomi products announced today –ProductPriceXiaomi Mi 10 8GB + 128GB₹ 49,999Xiaomi Mi 10 8GB + 256GB₹ 54,999Xiaomi Mi Box 4K₹ 3,499Xiaomi

Shay Mitchell spoke with Insider about the challenges and rewards of raising her and Matte Babel's 7-month-old daughter Atlas at home during the pandemic.The 33-year-old "Dollface" actress said that although she misses spending time with her friends and family, she and Babel have been able to witness many of Atlas' milestones. And to make sure that other parents don't feel alone during this time, the new mom has teamed up with Pampers to acknowledge and applaud parents' efforts leading up to Mother's Day on Sunday. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.Shay Mitchell, the 33-year-old "Dollface" actress, has adjusted to raising her 7-month-old daughter Atlas at home during the pandemic.Although the new mom has said that FaceTime helps her keep in touch with friends or family, Mitchell is

Thanking his well-wishers and BJP workers for enquiring about his health, he said that he has "no hatred towards those who spread the rumours".

Debarati Sen, Vice President & General Manager, 3M Abrasive Systems Division shares leadership advice to get through difficult times such as the present COVID pandemic

Instacart recruited 300,000 new gig workers in just a month — and has plans to hire another 250,000 — as demand for grocery delivery surges during the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced in April.Instacart's CEO told Bloomberg business has been so good that the company has already hit its sales goals through 2022.But veteran shoppers told Bloomberg a different story — that the influx of new workers and Instacart's push for efficiency has exacerbated existing issues around poor working conditions.Instacart workers have staged multiple protests since the pandemic began, demanding everything from hazard pay to more protective gear.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.Instacart is one of the lucky businesses that have boomed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. CEO Apoorva

The unemployment rate for US veterans jumped to 11.7% last month as over 1 million former service members found themselves out of work.In April, as the coronavirus shuttered businesses across the country, the US unemployment rate climbed to 14.7%, with the loss of 20.5 million jobs.During the coronavirus pandemic, the US veteran community has seen over 10,000 coronavirus cases and over 800 related deaths.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.As the coronavirus pandemic continued to take its toll on the US economy, more than 1 million veterans found themselves without a job in April as the unemployment rate for this group rose to 11.7%, Military Times first reported, citing information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics out Friday.The rise in veteran unemployment, which was only

Vice President Mike Pence stopped by a nursing home to help deliver personal protective equipment on Thursday. Notably, Pence didn't wear a mask or gloves while interacting closely with others. After carrying a few boxes of supplies to the door of the facility, Pence jokingly asked to continue carrying empty boxes "just for the cameras."Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel wrongly accused Pence of carrying the empty boxes as a publicity stunt and a shortened clip of the interaction was widely shared online.Democratic critics quickly piled on. "I see Mike Pence is full of shit as usual" James Carville, a veteran Democratic strategist, tweeted.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.Vice President Mike Pence visited a Northern Virginia nursing home on Thursday to help deliver essential personal

Trump's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Friday morning that the United States may not impose sweeping stay-at-home orders during a possible second wave of COVID-19. Kudlow said a member of the White House coronavirus task force told him "we won't have to reshut down because first of all we know more, we have more experience, and second of all we are much better equipped with the right tools."Despite Kudlow's optimism, the US still has a long way to go in terms of ramping up testing and scaling up contact tracing networks to be able to reopen the economy while combatting the virus. CDC Director Robert Redfield has also warned that a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall or winter on top of the regular seasonal flu could devastate healthcare systems and cause further economic damage.

Stanford Law School professor Pamela Karlan hypothesized a scenario last year in which President Trump conditioned disaster assistance to states on them giving in to his personal demands during a national crisis."Wouldn't you know in your gut that such a president has abused his office?" Karlan said while testifying at Trump's impeachment hearings in December.Karlan's testimony catapulted back into the spotlight this month as Trump suggested a quid pro quo similar to the one she laid out.Specifically, he implied the federal government would only send urgently needed financial aid to Democratic-led states grappling with the coronavirus if they gave in to his political demands regarding tax policy and sanctuary cities."Professor Karlan correctly envisioned this scenario, where an out-of-control

Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary, Katie Miller, reportedly has coronavirus. President Donald Trump on Friday said a woman named "Katie," whom he described as a "press person," had tested positive. Miller is also the wife of a top adviser to the president, Stephen Miller.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to confirm that Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary, has tested positive for coronavirus. After the White House said that a top staffer on Pence's team had tested positive, Trump said a woman named "Katie," whom he described as a "press person," was infected. Politico also reported that the staffer Miller is the staffer who tested positive. Miller is also the wife of one of Trump's senior advisers, Stephen

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on Friday offered a message in honor of the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day).The 93-year-old monarch spoke of the parallels between the Second World War that left more than 50 million dead, and the ongoing efforts to battle the coronavirus."The war had been a total war: it had affected everyone, and no one was immune from its impact," she said.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on Friday offered a tribute and a message of hope in honor of the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day).In a video message, the 93-year-old monarch drew a parallel between the Second World War that left more than 50 million dead, and the ongoing efforts to battle the coronavirus.VE Day is remembered as the day when

Former President Barack Obama excoriated Justice Department over its decision to drop its case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn, during a private call with the Obama Alumni Association, Yahoo News reported."There is no precedent that anybody can find" in which "someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free," Obama said, though he misstated the crime Flynn pleaded guilty to.The former national security adviser pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI as part of the Russia probe. After initially cooperating with prosecutors, Flynn hired a more combative defense team that called for a judge to dismiss the case after alleging prosecutorial misconduct."That's the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that basic — not just institutional

Hamish Macdonald suffered from an awkward slip of the tongue while co-hosting The Project on Monday night.  

Comedian Anne Edmonds stormed off The Project on Wednesday after screaming erratically, verbally abusing hosts and slamming the Royal family in bizarre appearance.

Comedian Anne Edmonds has been slammed on social media for staging a bizarre rant and storming off set during an appearance on The Project this Wednesday. 

Fans of The Project won't soon forget the moment comedian Anne 'Eddo' Edmonds descended into a hysteric rant about the Royal Family this Wednesday. 

Lisa Wilkinson dedicated an article to Germaine Greer thanking her for her early work but suggesting it was time she hung up her boots after Wednesday's contentious interview about rape.

Lisa Wilkinson garnered huge amounts of support when she quit her high-profile role on the TODAY show following a gender pay dispute. 

Ousted MasterChef Contestant Jenny lam revealed, on Friday's The Project, that having Gordon Ramsay yell at her during the show was high on her bucket list.

Sylvia Jeffreys has revealed that she misses her old Today show colleague, Lisa Wilkinson. 

The Project has been slammed by viewers after they mocked the voice of mining executive Geoff Summers speaking in Tasmania. One viewer labelled the hosts 'a bunch of bullies'.

On Saturday, the 37-year-old revealed she's previously had two miscarriages that she kept largely private to spare herself the agony of answering prying questions.

The Project's Waleed Aly was left redfaced after his co-hosts made fun of his manhood on Friday night's installment

Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody has regaled the moment a young Ed Sheeran once stole his spotlight while supporting his Irish band on tour.  

NBA basketball superstar Ben Simmons, 22, has opened up on what it's like to deal with being spotted everywhere he goes amid rumoured romance with Kendall Jenner.

Gene Simmons has spoken candidly about his treatment of women in an interview with The Project on Wednesday night.

Network Ten offered former Channel Nine star Lisa Wilkinson a rumoured $2million contract to anchor its new show, The Sunday Project.

Nick Cummins shocked the nation when he dumped both Brittany Hockley and Sophie Tieman on Thursday's finale episode.

She's just reprised her role as Laurie Strode in the new Halloween installment, which has achieved box office success in the US. 

Channel Nine has issued a withering statement after a report claimed Ten's Lisa Wilkinson has 'irritated' executives at rival networks by constantly landing A-list interviews.

He's a Hollywood favourite thanks to his rippling muscles and beefy frame.

English-Australian actress Miriam Margolyes, 77, is adored by young fans across the globe thanks to her roles in family-friendly films such as as Babe, Mulan and Harry Potter. 

Lisa Wilkinson made headlines last year for her 'intense' interview with Serena Williams on The Project, following the tennis star's meltdown at the US Open.

Rugby star Quade Cooper, 31, is hoping to sell his four-bedroom home in Bulimba, Brisbane for $2million.

WORLD CUP DIARY: Scotland winger Sean Maitland spent Saturday night with his cousin, controversial Australian playmaker Quade Cooper. The pair met up in Kobe.

The 31-year-old Bajan pop diva has been wearing baggier clothing in South Korea