** ISRO engineer’s labour of love turns old car into backhoe

He says old vehicles can be transformed into something useful at low cost

Old car means quick disposal for most people. Not for Ben Jacob. Rather than consign his old hatchback to the scrap heap, the young scientist with Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) here chose to convert it into a backhoe/excavator.

Ben Jacob.

** SII to sell first 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine at ₹200 per dose

Mr. Poonawalla said the company been barred from exporting the vaccine for several months.

Serum Institute of India will be selling the first 100 million doses of its coronavirus vaccines to the Union government at a “special price” of ₹200, the comapny’s CEO Adar Poonawalla has said.

The Pune-based vaccine major has entered into a collaboration with the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine.

** Bangladesh military unit to take part in Republic Day parade

122-member team to join parade on 50th anniversary of 1971 liberation war.

A 122 member triservice contingent of the Bangladesh armed forces will participate in the Republic Day parade this year, a defence source said. This coincides with the 50th anniversary celebrations of the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh.

** Bharat Biotech setting up 4 vaccine manufacturing facilities

We are planning around 200 million doses (per annum) in Hyderabad, 500 million doses in other cities, says Krishna Ella, chairman of Bharat Biotech

Bharat Biotech, which has been accorded Emergency Use Authorisation from the drug regulator for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, on Monday said they are setting up four vaccine manufacturing facilities with a combined capacity of 700 million doses per annum.