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REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff reviewers said on Tuesday Amgen's (AMGN.O) late-stage study might not be sufficient to confirm the effectiveness for its lung cancer drug, as the firm pursues a traditional nod for the treatment. Amgen's drug was granted accelerated approval by the U.S. FDA in 2021 for advanced lung cancer patients with KRAS mutations whose disease has worsened after treatment with chemotherapy or other medicines. The U.S. health regulator grants the so-called accelerated approval based on data that show therapies are likely to work, and requires confirmatory trials later to give them traditional approval. Data from the study showed Lumakras reduced the risk of disease progression in patients with advanced lung cancer by 34%, compared with chemotherapy in a clinical trial. The agency is expected to make a decision on traditional approval for the drug by Dec. 24.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Amgen's, William Blair, Matt Phipps, Lumakras, Bhanvi Satija, Shounak Dasgupta, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, U.S, FDA, Thomson Locations: U.S, Bengaluru

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An alternative mental health court program designed to fast-track people with untreated schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders into housing and medical care — potentially without their consent — kicked off in seven California counties, including San Francisco, on Monday. San Francisco officials said in a statement that about 10% of more than 2,500 beds are open for new people. The National Alliance on Mental Illness in California, a grassroots organization supporting people with a mental illness and their families, pushed for the new mental health program. San Francisco, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Glenn counties launched the new program Monday. The rest of the state has until December 2024 to establish mental health courts.

Persons: —, Gavin Newsom, it's, ”, Michael Begert, Mark Ghaly, Tal Klement, Judge Begert, Veronica Kelley, Samuel Jain, Jessica Cruz Organizations: FRANCISCO, Democratic, CARE, Lawmakers, San Francisco, CARE ”, WHO, California, Human Services Agency, Disability Rights, National Alliance, Mental, Glenn, Los Locations: California, San Francisco, Orange County, Francisco , Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles

☆ Australia's Hancock Inches Towards Blocking Stake in Liontown Amid Albemarle Bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting increased its stake in lithium miner Liontown Resources, the company said, moving it closer to being able to block a $4.3 billion bid by U.S.-based Albemarle for Liontown. Hancock said on Friday it raised its stake from 10.7% last month to 12.4%, paying no more than A$3.00 per additional share. Hancock would be able to block the Albemarle deal with a 15% position. Last month, Liontown accepted Albemarle's revised $4.3 billion bid, or A$3 a share. The offer is part of a surge of interest in Australian lithium assets amid the clean energy transition.

Persons: Gina Rinehart's Hancock, Hancock, Liontown, Rinehart, Echha Jain, Melanie Burton, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Patriot, Metals Locations: Resources, Albemarle, Liontown, Bengaluru

☆ EV startup Fisker raises $150 mln from existing investor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Electric-vehicle maker Fisker Inc. introduces the PEAR electric vehicle in Huntington Beach, California, August 3, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 29 (Reuters) - Fisker Inc (FSR.N) has raised $150 million from an existing institutional investor through the issue of convertible bonds with an additional $550 million in funding available, the electric-vehicle startup said on Friday. The EV company expects to use the proceeds to ramp up deliveries. Fisker earlier this month reiterated its plan to increase deliveries of its flagship Ocean sports utility vehicle to 300 units per day later this year. The new investment follows a previously announced convertible notes offering of $340 million in July to the unnamed investor.

Persons: Mike Blake, Tanya Jain, Sriraj Organizations: Fisker Inc, REUTERS, Fisker, EV, Ocean, Thomson Locations: Huntington Beach , California, Bengaluru

☆ HSBC says buy this delivery giant that can jump more than 25%
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Parcel delivery giant FedEx is better-positioned than its competitors, according to HSBC. The bank forecasts single-digit growth in global parcel volumes over the next five years, compared to double-digit growth pre-pandemic. To be sure, there has been improvement in monthly volume growth trends for FedEx, Jain noted. E-commerce is a key driver of parcel delivery volumes, Jain noted. In 2022, Amazon managed to top FedEx and establish itself as third in the U.S. for parcel delivery volumes.

Persons: Prash Jain, Jain, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: FedEx, HSBC, UPS, DHL, Teamsters, Amazon Locations: Thursday's, EMEA, U.S

☆ United Airlines' pilots accept new labor contract
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

United Airlines pilots protest for a new contract in downtown Chicago, Illinois, U.S, April 19, 2023. REUTERS/Caroline Stauffer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 29 (Reuters) - United Airlines' (UAL.O) pilots have ratified a new four-year contract that includes a significant pay increase and other benefits, the union representing the pilots said on Friday. A committee represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) reported 82% of the airline's pilots voted in favor of a new comprehensive working agreement that adds more than $10 billion of value to the existing contract. Pilot shortages in the United States have been persistent and are expected to last for years after many aviators left the industry during the pandemic. Analysts at Jefferies estimate the United States has a shortage of about 10,000 pilots.

Persons: Caroline Stauffer, ALPA, Aishwarya Jain, Shivansh, Shinjini Organizations: United Airlines, REUTERS, Air Line Pilots Association , International, Jefferies, United, Delta Air Lines, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Chicago, United States

"Indefinite curfew had to be implemented in Imphal and in some other districts," L. Kailun, a senior police official based in the state capital, told Reuters. He added that the situation was "extremely tense" after armed mobs vandalised an office of the ruling political party and hurled petrol bombs at two police sites. More than half the state's population of 3.2 million belongs to the Meitei community, while the Kuki community, who make up about 43%, live mostly in the hills. Protests re-ignited over the alleged kidnapping and killing of two students of the Meitei community who had gone missing in July, after their bodies were found this week. Leaders of the opposition Congress party have accused the Modi government of failing to control the violence in a state governed by his nationalist party.

Persons: Stringer, Biren Singh, Narendra Modi's, Kuki, Modi, Rupam Jain, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Riot, REUTERS, Reuters, Mobile, Thomson Locations: Imphal, Manipur, India, DELHI, Myanmar, Kuki

☆ India's BJP, the world's biggest party, plots election drive of epic scale
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

[1/5] FILE PHOTO-Partha Chaudhury, 39, a worker of India's ruling Bharatiya Janarta Party (BJP), speaks with Reuters during the party's outreach program in Kolkata, India, May 30, 2023. "We want people to remember that the BJP knocked on their doors much before any opposition party worker did." "The BJP's challenge as the dominant national party is to manage voter fatigue and to sustain the enthusiasm among its cadres after two terms in power," Mehta added. "This time, the world's biggest party has launched the biggest-ever outreach to win the world's biggest elections." The BJP was beaten by a regional opposition party four years ago, even though it had strong support there, winning roughly 600,000 of the total 1.5 million votes cast.

Persons: Partha Chaudhury, India's, Avijit Ghosh, PM Modi, Chaudhury, Narendra Modi, It's, Tamoghna Ghosh, Modi, J.P, Nadda, Nalin Mehta, Mehta, isn't, Moitra, Mallikarjun Kharge, Long, Rupam Jain, Pravin Organizations: Bharatiya Janarta Party, BJP, Reuters, REUTERS, Party, PM, Bharatiya Janata Party, archrival Congress, UPES School of Modern Media, Trinamool, Krishnanagar, Pravin Char, Thomson Locations: Kolkata, India, KOLKATA, West Bengal, New Delhi, Uttarakhand, INDIA, India's, Calcutta

Demonstrators hold placards next to a banner as they attend a protest against the sharing of Cauvery river water with neighbouring Tamil Nadu state, in Bengaluru, India, September 26, 2023. Schools and colleges were shut in the capital of the southern state of Karnataka, home to more than 3,500 tech companies. "I can shed my blood but I don't want to give water to Tamil Nadu," said one protester, Ravi Mallikarjuna. The delay provoked small demonstrations near a railway station in Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery river originates in the Karnataka region of Talakaveri, flowing through Tamil Nadu into the Bay of Bengal.

Persons: Dhanya, Santosh Babu, Ravi Mallikarjuna, Shivakumar, Ramachandra, Rupam Jain, Miral Fahmy, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Inc, Walmart, Police, Farmers, Google, Schools, Supreme, Tamil, Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Thomson Locations: Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru, India, BENGALURU, India's, Karnataka, Farmers, Bengal

☆ Investors want to know when Philip Morris' smoke-free shift will pay off
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Anticipation should be building as Philip Morris prepares to bring iQOS back to the U.S. market. Philip Morris had partnered with Altria when iQOS was first launched in a handful of U.S. markets in 2019. Eventually, Philip Morris agreed to buy back the commercialization rights from Altria, and that deal is effective April 30, 2024. And this strategy is partly why, Herzog said, Philip Morris is one of Goldman's top picks. Last week, Philip Morris CEO Jacek Olczak spoke on X via ReutersPlus about its harm reduction efforts.

Persons: Philip, Goldman Sachs, Bonnie Herzog, Philip Morris, iQOS, Herzog, mgmt, Gaurav Jain, Jain, FactSet, Jacek Olczak, Jefferies, Owen Bennett, Bennett Organizations: Philip Morris International, Drug Administration, Altria, Barclays, Swedish Match, Bank of America, Rogue, Street Journal, Concordia, United Nations General Assembly Locations: U.S, Altria, New York

☆ Goldman expects 'healthy' growth at these 3 Indian banking stocks – giving one nearly 50% upside
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Goldman Sachs forecasts "healthy" growth in new lending at three major Indian banks over the next six months, which it says could lead to a significant upside for these stocks. The Wall Street bank noted that Indian bank stocks have broadly outperformed the MSCI India index over the past year, but have underperformed over the last three to six months. Goldman Sachs said that valuation multiples for Indian banks have declined the most despite earnings per share (EPS) upgrades. HDB KOTAKBANK-IN,SBIN-IN YTD mountain However, Goldman Sachs expects operating profit to bottom out in the December quarter of 2023 as margins and growth rates stabilize. Goldman's view on the Indian banks Kotak Mahindra Bank Price target: 2,624 Indian rupees ($31.6).

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Rahul Jain, Hardik Shah, Goldman, ROA, ROE, CNBC's Naman Tandon Organizations: Mahindra Bank, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Mahindra Bank Price, SBI, HDFC Locations: India, United States

☆ China Evergrande defers scheme meeting to reassess terms of proposed restructuring
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The company logo is seen on the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China September 26, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 22 (Reuters) - China Evergrande (3333.HK) said on Friday it would not be conducting the scheme meeting scheduled on Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 as the embattled property developer considers it necessary to reassess the terms of the proposed restructuring. Evergrande on March 22 announced plans for the restructuring of its $22.7 billion in offshore debt. But since then, sales of the group has not been as expected by the company, it said. With more than $300 billion in total liabilities, including offshore debt, Evergrande has been at the centre of a property debt crisis, in which multiple Chinese developers defaulted over the past year, forcing many to enter debt restructuring talks.

Persons: Aly, Evergrande, Echha Jain, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: China Evergrande Group, REUTERS, HK, Sunday, Thomson Locations: China, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Hong Kong, Bengaluru

☆ Condom-shy India arouses interest of global contraceptive makers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Kashish Tandon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Such is the trend that the market is set to more than double to $1.7 billion by 2030, showed data from GrandView Research. By contrast, 19% of U.S. men use condoms every time they have sex, showed data from the National Center for Health Statistics. World Bank data showed that, in 2021, per capita gross domestic product crossed $2,000 - a threshold at which, in China in 2006, consumption jumped. Britain's Reckitt Benckiser Group (RKT.L) has launched new products under its Durex brand and expanded its "Birds and the Bees" rural marketing campaign. SOCIAL MEDIAIndia's market leader is domestic manufacturer Mankind Pharma (MNKI.NS) with a 33% share, ahead of Reckitt Benckiser at 14%, TechSci data showed.

Persons: Kazuhiro Kamio, Okamoto, Arvind Singhal, Miah Kiat Goh, Dwight, Mankind, Ashita Aggarwal, Kashish Tandon, Sumit Khanna, Rocky Swift, Dhanya Skariachan, Christopher Cushing Organizations: GrandView Research, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Okamoto Industries, National Center for Health Statistics, Technopak Advisors, Reuters, United Nations, Benckiser, ., Mankind Pharma, Social, Jain Institute of Management & Research, HDFC Securities Institutional, View Research, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, India, Europe, Japan, China, U.S, S.P, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Rocky, Tokyo

☆ India Stops New Visas for Canadians, Asks Ottawa to Downsize Missions as Spat Worsens
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

A blanket suspension of new visas by India for a Western country is unheard of and marks the lowest point of India-Canada relations. But Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Ottawa had been asked to reduce numbers at its diplomatic missions in India to bring parity between the missions of the two countries. Bagchi said India suspended issuing new visas to Canadian citizens due to "security threats" to its staff in its consulates in Canada. "You are aware of the security threats being faced by our high commission and consulates in Canada. Industry estimates show the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Canada and India could boost two-way trade by as much as $6.5 billion.

Persons: Krishn Kaushik, Rupam Jain, Rajesh NEW DELHI, Justin Trudeau's, Trudeau, Arindam Bagchi, Bagchi, Dominic LeBlanc, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Narendra Modi's, Sakshi Dayal, Shivam Patel, YP Rajesh, Alex Richardson Organizations: Rajesh NEW, Industry, YP Locations: India, Ottawa, New Delhi, Canada, Delhi, British Columbia, United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Washington, London, Canberra, Punjab

☆ India suspends visa services for Canadians as stand-off escalates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A security personnel stands guard outside the Canadian High-Commision in New Delhi, India, September 19, 2023. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 21 (Reuters) - India on Thursday suspended visa services for Canadian citizens, a foreign ministry spokesperson said, citing security threats to its staff in its consulates in Canada. BLS International(BLSN.NS), an Indian company offering visa facilities, said the notice from the Indian mission in Canada cited "operational reasons" for suspension of visa services "till further notice". Canadian officials have so far declined to say why they believe India could be linked to Nijjar's murder. Industry estimates show the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Canada and India could boost two-way trade by as much as $6.5 billion.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Narendra Modi's, Justin Trudeau, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Dominic LeBlanc, Sakshi Dayal, Shivam Patel, Rupam Jain, Krishn Kaushik, Shri Navaratnam, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Canadian, REUTERS, BLS, Global Affairs Canada, Canadian Bureau of International Education, Industry, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Canada, Ottawa, British Columbia, Punjab

☆ Indian banks are at an inflection point, Goldman Sachs says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIndian banks are at an inflection point, Goldman Sachs saysRahul Jain of the investment bank explains why it's constructive on India's banking sector.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Rahul Jain

The Sikh religion was founded in Punjab in the late 15th century and currently has about 25 million followers worldwide. Sikh separatists demand that their homeland Khalistan, meaning "the land of the pure", be created out of Punjab. The Khalistan movement is considered a security threat by the Indian government. In April this year, India arrested a self-styled preacher and Sikh separatist Amritpal Singh for allegedly reviving calls for Khalistan, sparking fears of new violence in Punjab. Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng is postponing a planned trade mission to India.

Persons: Nanak, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Chris Helgren, Justin Trudeau, Indira Gandhi, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Gandhi, Amritpal Singh, Narendra Modi, Trudeau, Mary Ng, Rupam Jain, Shivam Patel, YP Rajesh, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Canadian, Air, Air India Boeing, Indian, India . Canadian Trade, YP, Thomson Locations: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, DELHI, India, Punjab, New Delhi, Air India, Britain, Australia, U.S

☆ Indian Lawmakers Bid Farewell to British-Era Parliament Building
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

"Today is an occasion to recollect and reminisce the parliamentary journey of 75 years of India before the proceedings are shifted to the newly inaugurated building," Modi told a special session before Tuesday's move. "It is a very emotional moment to bid farewell to the old parliament building ... Its glory also belongs to us," Modi told lawmakers in the lower house of the old parliament. His speech marked the start of a five-day special session called by the government, but there was no immediate confirmation on bills up for discussion. Indian lawmakers usually meet thrice a year: a budget session, a monsoon session and a winter session. While opposition leaders questioned the significance of the special session, they bid farewell to the old building and looked forward to better logistics, security and technology.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Edwin Lutyens, Herbert Baker, Modi, Tuesday's, Rupam Jain, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: DELHI Locations: India, Central, New Delhi

☆ GE HealthCare gets $44 mln grant to develop AI-assisted ultrasound tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 18 (Reuters) - GE HealthCare Technologies Inc (GEHC.O) has received a grant of more than $44 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop AI-assisted ultrasound technology, the company said on Monday. The grant will facilitate development of AI-assisted ultrasound imaging auto-assessment applications and tools to help address maternal and fetal health and respiratory diseases. The X-ray and ultrasound machine maker added that the grant is aimed at expanding access to high quality care around the world with an emphasis on low- and middle-income countries. Caption Health, acquired by GE HealthCare earlier this year, will design the technology to run across a range of ultrasound devices and probes, including lower-cost handheld devices. Reporting by Pratik Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil and Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Melinda Gates, Pratik Jain, Dhanya Ann Thoppil Organizations: REUTERS, GE HealthCare Technologies Inc, Melinda Gates Foundation, GE HealthCare, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Indian lawmakers bid farewell to British-era parliament building
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A view shows India's new (L) and old parliament buildings during the first day of the five-day long special session in New Delhi, India, September 18, 2023. "It is a very emotional moment to bid farewell to the old parliament building ... Its glory also belongs to us," Modi told lawmakers in the lower house of the old parliament. His speech marked the start of a five-day special session called by the government, but there was no immediate confirmation on bills up for discussion. Indian lawmakers usually meet thrice a year: a budget session, a monsoon session and a winter session. While opposition leaders questioned the significance of the special session, they bid farewell to the old building and looked forward to better logistics, security and technology.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Narendra Modi, Edwin Lutyens, Herbert Baker, Modi, Tuesday's, Rupam Jain, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Central

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 14 (Reuters) - National Australia Bank (NAB) (NAB.AX) said on Thursday it would shut its Hong Kong branch, as offices in Singapore, Tokyo and Shanghai were its preferred customer outreach hubs in Asia. The move is likely to impact about 50 roles in the Hong Kong, however, the lender said in a statement that its "too early" to confirm the impact of the branch closing. "The decision probably reflects that foreign businesses are not finding operating conditions in Hong Kong as conducive as they once were," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. The office shutdown comes after Finance Sector Union said earlier this month that the bank was planning to cut 222 back-office jobs.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, Tim Waterer, NAB's, Navya Mittal, Subhranshu Sahu, Rashmi Organizations: National, REUTERS, National Australia Bank, NAB, KCM, Westpac, Finance Sector Union, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai, Asia, Bengaluru

☆ India's Nipah virus trackers gather samples from bats, fruit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Members of a medical team from Kozhikode Medical College carry areca nut and guava fruit samples to conduct tests for Nipah virus in Maruthonkara village in Kozhikode district, Kerala, India, September 13, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsNew Delhi, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Experts have fanned out in India's southern state of Kerala to collect samples of fluid from bats and fruit trees in a region where the deadly Nipah virus has killed two people and three more have tested positive. Samples of bat urine, animal droppings and half-eaten fruit were collected from Maruthonkara, the village where the first victim lived, set beside a 300-acre (121-hectare) forest home to several bat species. Fruit bats from the area had tested positive for the Nipah virus during an outbreak in 2018, the state's first. Kerala's first Nipah outbreak killed 21 of the 23 infected, while subsequent outbreaks in 2019 and 2021 killed two people.

Persons: Stringer, Veena George, George, Kerala's, Rupam Jain, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Kozhikode Medical College, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Kozhikode district, Kerala, India, Delhi, Maruthonkara, state's, Kozhikode, Karnataka, Tamil, Malaysia, Singapore, South Asia

☆ India's Kerala shuts some schools, banks to curb deadly Nipah virus
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Staff members install a sign reading "Nipah isolation ward, entry strictly prohibited" at a hospital where a ward is being prepared for suspected Nipah virus patients in Kozhikode district, Kerala, India, September 12, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - India's southern state of Kerala shut some schools, offices and public transport, authorities said on Wednesday, as they scrambled to rein in the spread of the rare and deadly brain-damaging Nipah virus that has killed two people. The victim's daughter and brother-in-law, both infected, are in an isolation ward, with other family members and neighbours being tested. The Nipah virus was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak of illness among pig farmers and others in close contact with the animals in Malaysia and Singapore. In Kerala's first Nipah outbreak, 21 of the 23 infected died, while outbreaks in 2019 and 2021 claimed two more lives.

Persons: Stringer, Veena George, Rupam Jain, Michael Perry, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, state's, National Virology Institute, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Kozhikode district, Kerala, India, DELHI, Kozhikode, district's, Marutonkara, Malaysia, Singapore

☆ ICON to partner with US govt agency to test COVID vaccine candidates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Vials labelled "VACCINE Coronavirus COVID-19" and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed U.S. flag in this illustration taken December 11, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Icon Plc FollowBioNTech SE FollowModerna Inc Follow Show more companiesSept 13 (Reuters) - Contract research firm ICON Plc (ICLR.O) said on Wednesday it is partnering with the U.S. government for a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of next generation COVID-19 vaccine candidates. As part of the collaboration with Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, ICON will conduct a mid-stage trial of 10,000 participants to assess the efficacy of a next generation COVID-19 vaccine relative to currently available shots. The U.S. agency will select the vaccine candidate for the trial. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday authorized updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer (PFE.N)/BioNTech (22UAy.DE) and Moderna (MRNA.O) that target the XBB.1.5 subvariant of the virus.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Pratik Jain, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Shounak Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Research, Development Authority, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Pfizer, Moderna, Thomson Locations: U.S, Bengaluru

☆ India's Kerala state reports two deaths from Nipah virus
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Staff members install a sign reading "Nipah isolation ward, entry strictly prohibited" at a hospital where a ward is being prepared for suspected Nipah virus patients in Kozhikode district, Kerala, India, September 12, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 12 (Reuters) - India has recorded two deaths from the rare Nipah virus in the state of Kerala, an official from the National Institute of Virology said on Tuesday. One person died this month while another death occurred on Aug. 30, said the official, who declined to be named. Mass testing will begin in the area where the latest cases were found and some quarantine measures have been put in placeThis is the fourth Nipah outbreak in Kerala since 2018. A Reuters investigation published in May identified parts of Kerala as among the places most at risk globally for outbreaks of bat viruses.

Persons: Stringer, Nipah, Rupam Jain, Deborah Nelson, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, National Institute of Virology, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Kozhikode district, Kerala, India, DELHI, Malaysia, Singapore

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