News in Short

• Bhaskar Menon, who was also the first Asian man to run a major Western record label, died in Beverly Hills, California. He was 86.
• In 1957, Menon joined the Gramophone Co. of India, an EMI subsidiary. He became managing director in 1965 and chairman in 1969. Later in 1969, he was named managing director of EMI International.
• He became the label’s new chief in 1971 and quickly turned its finances around, driving a gargantuan hit in 1973 with Pink Floyd’s album “The Dark Side of the Moon.” He later ran EMI’s vast worldwide music operations.

• Germany, France and other European nations announced plans to resume using AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine after EU and British regulators moved to shore up confidence in the shot, saying its benefits outweigh the risks.
• Reports of rare brain blood clots had prompted more than a dozen nations to suspend use of the shot.
• The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) investigation into 30 cases of unusual blood disorders was that the vaccine’s benefits in protecting people from coronavirus-related death or hospitalisation.
• Safety concerns had led at least 13 European countries to stop administering the shot. The World Health Organization this week also reaffirmed its support for the shot.

• Rajya Sabha has approved a bill that permits the termination of pregnancy up to 24 weeks from the existing 20 weeks for special categories of women such as survivors of rape, victims of incest and other vulnerable women.
• The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 was passed by Rajya Sabha. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on 17 March, 2020.
• According to the proposed legislation, opinion of only one provider will be required up to 20 weeks of gestation and of two providers for termination of pregnancy of 20-24 weeks of gestation.

• The Punjab and Haryana High Court has allowed registration of marriage through video-conferencing as it set aside a decision of a single Bench.
• The court overruled the judgment of the single Bench that refused to permit registration of marriage through videoconferencing.
• The certificate of marriage can be issued on doing verification of facts as contemplated under Sections 15 and 16 of the Special Marriage Act.
• Once the marriage certificate is issued, it can be made part of the public record under Section 47 of the Act by entering it into the marriage certificate book.

• Samia Suluhu Hassan made history when she was sworn in as Tanzania's first female president in Dar es Salaam.
• She is the only other current serving female head of state in Africa alongside Ethiopia's President Sahle-Work Zewde, whose role is mainly ceremonial.
• She was named Magufuli's running mate in the 2015 presidential campaign. The pair were re-elected in October last year in a disputed poll marred by allegations of irregularities.