News in Short

• Tocilizumab, a drug that was recommended by the Indian Council for Medical Research ( ICMR) for emergency use in coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, has been found to be ineffective in reducing the associated pneumonia.
• Originally developed for rheumatoid arthritis, Actemra/RoActerma, the brand name under which the drug is sold, was first approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration.
• Tocilizumab works by suppressing the action of interleukin 6, a pro-inflammatory chemical that the immune system relies on to recruit a host of cells that can destroy the Sars-Cov-2 virus. However, an excess of this commandeering can damage healthy cells and even kill the patient.

• Natesa, a rare sandstone idol in the 9th-century Prathihara style of Rajasthan, is returning to the country after 22 years.
• The Natesa icon, currently at the Indian High Commission, London, was originally from the Ghateswara Temple, Baroli, Rajasthan.
• Stolen in 1998, the icon has had a tortuous journey to the present. The suspected thieves had replaced it with a fake and smuggled the original out of the country.
• The sandstone Natesa figure stands tall at almost 4 ft. in a rare and brilliant depiction of Shiva in the late 9th century Prathihara style of Rajasthan. A beautiful depiction of Nandi is shown behind the right leg of the Natesa icon.

• Seasoned allrounder Rajat Bhatia announced his retirement from all forms of cricket after a bright domestic career.
• Bhatia, who started his First-Class career with Tamil Nadu 21 seasons ago, turned out for Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand in domestic cricket.
• In the Indian Premier League, he was part of the title-winning Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012, besides playing for Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants.
• Part of the Delhi squad which won the Ranji Trophy in the 2007-2008 season, he hit 139 in the final against Uttar Pradesh.

• Marathi actor Ashutosh Bhakre allegedly died by suicide at his home in Nanded town in Marathwada region.
• Ashutosh Bhakre was the husband of Marathi actress Mayuri Deshmukh, who attained fame after her role in Marathi serial Khulta Kali Khulena. He had acted in Marathi films like Bhakar and Ichar Tharla Pakka.
• The reason behind the actor’s suspected suicide is not yet known. He was reportedly suffering from depression.

• West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra passed away in Kolkata due to a cardiac arrest. He was 78.
• A three-time president of the Congress' West Bengal unit from 1992-1996, 1996-1998 and then again from September 2018, Mitra was a seven-term MLA from the Sealdah assembly constituency.
• He left Congress in 2008 to form his political outfit Pragatisheel (Progressive) Indira Congress. He later merged his outfit with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and won the election on a TMC ticket from the Diamond Harbour parliamentary seat that year. Mitra quit the TMC in 2014 to rejoin the Congress.