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Covid third wave likely in August, may peak in October: Report

The Indian researchers have predicted that the country is likely to experience a surge in Covid-19 cases building into a new, though smaller virus wave that may peak in October.

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Delhi Covid cases

The Indian researchers have predicted that the country is likely to experience a surge in Covid-19 cases building into a new, though smaller virus wave that may peak in October.

India will witness a worsening of its Covid-19 outbreak as soon as this month, with the next wave peaking with a minimum of 100,000 infections a day or nearly 150,000 at the maximum, as estimated by the researchers led by Mathukumalli Vidyasagar and Manindra Agrawal at the Indian Institute of Technology in Hyderabad and Kanpur respectively.

Vidyasagar said that the country’s worst-hit states like Kerala and Maharashtra could skew the picture. The upcoming third wave may be far smaller than the second wave that reached a record of 4lakh plus daily cases and thereafter declined sharply. However, the forecast still emphasizes the need for the country to ramp up its vaccination campaign, deploy surveillance methods to catch emerging hotspots and stay observant through genome sequencing given the potential for new variants to emerge.

In October last year, India has first identified the delta strain that has caused the prolonged outbreaks across the world. The experts believe that people becoming complacent and resuming social and business activity is concerning amid the waning infection. During the first outbreak, the country had suffered less damage, however, with the quick resumption of local travel and large-scale festival, it had a devastating second wave that killed as many as 5 million people.

The second wave in March has also led to high levels of natural immunity in the country’s nearly 1.4 billion people. The Indian Council of Medical Research serosurvey has found that two-thirds of Indians above the age of six had been exposed to the coronavirus.

Over the past few days, the southern state of Kerala has been registering roughly half of the new Covid cases, becoming potentially the next hotspot in the country. Paul Kattuman, professor in the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, who has developed a Covid-19 tracker for India, has said that the Covid daily cases have grown persistently through July in Kerala and a few smaller north-eastern states. However,  a few states also saw short-lived flare-ups in July which declined relatively quickly, putting the country overall in a steady-state, for now, he said.

Kattuman said that if infection begins to increase in a few large states, the present balance will tip, and cases are likely to begin growing again in the country as a whole. The country might expect to see a slow burn for a duration that can be expected to last till vaccination coverage is sufficiently high to induce herd immunity, he added.

Read Also: After BJP leader’s remark on Shiv Sena Bhavan, Uddhav Thackeray says language of intimidation won’t be tolerated

According to Bloomberg, India India has so far administered 470.3 million vaccine doses, but only 7.6% of the population is fully vaccinated. This also adds up to concerns that the country may not be fully geared for the next wave with such slow uptake. However, the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that it is now better prepared for further outbreaks and that future waves will not have the same impact on the economy as before.

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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