Human
trials of HIV vaccine to begin in India in January
Pune:
After the US, Europe, Africa and South America, India
is also going to start human trials of an HIV vaccine, the
Pune-based National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) said
today. Expected to begin in January, the human trial would
focus on sub- type C of the virus. The first phase of testing
of the vaccine, named Adeno Associated Virus based HIV sub-type
`C', will be conducted on about 30 adult volunteers. "Conducting
a vaccine trail and that too vaccine for HIV is a very sensitive
matter. We have to take the community into confidence and
also we have to have facilities and training of an international
level and that we have achieved. This is an Adeno associated
virus based vaccine and it has been developed using subtype-C
strain. This has been safe and immunogenic in animals,"
NARI Deputy Director Ramesh Paranjape said. The NARI scientists
will monitor the 30 volunteers for over one year to detect
side effects and the immune system's response to the vaccine.
The country has over 5.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS
and experts say the number could quadruple by 2010. In August
the World Bank had warned that the disease would become
the single largest cause of death in the world's second
most populous country unless there was a change in treatment
policy and progress on prevention.
Kanshi's
mother moves SC seeking his `freedom' from Mayawati (Go
To Top)
New
Delhi: BSP leader Kanshi Ram's mother Bishan Kaur today
moved the Supreme Court seeking his release from the "illegal
confinement" of party chief Mayawati. In her petition she
alleged that Kanshi Ram was under the "illegal confinement
of Mayawati" and that he was being "drugged and sedated"
to the extent that he had lost consciousness and was unable
to form an independent opinion. By moving the SC, the 95-year-old
lady challenged a Delhi High Court order which came to the
conclusion that Kanshi Ram was "living at the residence
of Mayawati on his free will and without any pressure".
Seeking release of her son from Mayawati's custody, Kaur
stated in her petition that the HC had declined to interfere
with her request to constitute a Commission of doctors and
experts to ascertain the medical condition of her son. The
Delhi HC had appointed a court officer who recorded the
statement of Kanshi Ram in which the BSP leader stated that
he was living at C-1/11, Humayun Road without anybody's
pressure. After taking note of the officer's report, the
HC had dismissed Kaur's petition.
BJP
urges Biharis to oust Lalu (Go
To Top)
Patna:
The main Opposition party the BJP today held a public
rally in Patna to protest worsening law and order in Bihar,
one of the states that goes polls early next year. Top BJP
leaders, including party chief LK Advani, gave fiery speeches
targeting the Congress and its ally the RJD. "Your anger
is of 15 years. That anger should reflect in the elections
likely to be held in January or February next year. My request
to you is that you should not remain a mute spectator then,"
said Advani while addressing the party workers. Other senior
BJP leaders who participated in the rally included former
union ministers Shahnawaz Hussain and Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Visitors
unhappy with arrangements at Goa Film Festival (Go
To Top)
Panaji:
The ongoing 35th International Film Festival of India
(IFFI) in Goa is attracting a large number of film buffs,
but they have been put off by poor arrangements. The journalists
covering the 12-day event, which kicked off on November
29, said they were finding it hard to grapple with the problems.
Annoyed at the poor transportation services, the scribes
complain that they are made to sit for long hours before
allowed to view films. The unreasonably high rates of food
items add salt to their wounds. Chandrakant Shinde, a journalist,
said: "By showing four movies in a multiplex is not a film
festival. There is no eating provision. For one meal we
have to pay 400 rupees which normal people cannot pay. There
are absolutely no facilities," said. Vijaya Khanna, another
journalist, said the venue lacked even basic facilities.
"We do not have basic facilities here. If we see the last
show then there is no transportation. We have to eat out
there is no hotel and no transportation facility," said
Khanna. More than 200 films are due to be screened during
the festival and organisers are expecting 5000 delegates
and invitees to witness the gala event. Top Indian movie
stars -- Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan
-- are set to attend the event while dozens of foreign film
lovers are also due to turn up, adding international flavour.
This is the first time the festival is being held in Goa,
after it was decided as the permanent venue last year.
Parliament:
Fuel price hike dominates second day (Go
To Top)
New
Delhi: The issue of hike in prices of petrol, diesel
and LPG dominated the second day of the ongoing winter session
of the Parliament. The Left parties and the BJP-led NDA
carried out loud protests against what they described "government's
inflationary policies". As soon as the Lok Sabha began its
proceedings, the NDA constituents first carried out protests
and then staged a walkout during the question hour. Thereafter,
replying to a spate of supplementaries, Minister for Petroleum
and Natural Gas Mani Shankar Aiyar said prices of petrol
and LPG varied from state to state. This was because of
the sales tax levied by concerned state governments, he
added. He further said that imported crude price composed
of `Indian basket' rose from 28 dollars per barrel in 2002
to 37.50 dollars this year, causing the government to hike
prices of petroleum products. Meanwhile, the Left made amply
clear that in case voting is held under Rule 184 over the
price-hike issue, they will not vote with the BJP. However,
they would take part in the nationwide agitation being planned
by the BJP against the price rise, they added.
SC
orders CBI probe into Beur jail incident (Go
To Top)
Patna:
The Supreme Court today ordered a CBI probe into Wednesday's
incidents in Beur jail whereby Madheupura MP Pappu Yadav
was "holding a darbar with his visitors" while the Jail
Superintendent PK Jha stood watching. The newly-elected
Yadav is lodged in Beur in judicial custody for his alleged
involvement in the Ajit Sarkar murder case. The Apex Court
also ordered the Prison IG to submit a report on the incident
by December 13. The IG then ordered the police to throw
out Yadav's men, who had entered the jail without proper
identity. He also recommended action against Jha. Reacting
to the incident, State Law Minister Raghavendra Pratap Singh:
"For whatever happened inside Beur jail, I can assure you
be it Pappu Yadav or anyone that person is not above law.
If he tried to break the law steps will be taken." He added:
"But what I am also trying to find out is how come PK Jha
was there in Beur jail as the Superintendent when he was
transferred out by the court."
