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Latest live news: Health ministry says 27 districts need to be 'monitored very closely' for coronavirus positivity rates.
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1 min read Last Updated : Dec 12 2021 | 8:18 PM IST
8:18 PM
Villagers here accorded a rousing reception to farmers who returned to their homes from protest sites on Delhi's borders following the suspension of their agitation against the Centre's three agriculture laws.
The farmers were felicitated with Siropas' (robe of honour). The villagers showered flower petals on them and distributed sweets for the "victory" of their protest against the three contentious laws, repealed by the central government recently.
Victory processions were taken out at Cholang Toll Plaza, near Tanda, and Mehtiana after convoys of tractor-trolleys carrying farmers reached the district.
A number of people from all walks of life reached Cholang Toll Plaza, Tanda on Jalandhar-Pathankot GT Road and Mehtiana on Hoshiarpur-Phagwara Road on scooters, motorcycles, cars, jeeps and tractors to welcome the farmers.
8:18 PM
Villagers here accorded a rousing reception to farmers who returned to their homes from protest sites on Delhi's borders following the suspension of their agitation against the Centre's three agriculture laws.
The farmers were felicitated with Siropas' (robe of honour). The villagers showered flower petals on them and distributed sweets for the "victory" of their protest against the three contentious laws, repealed by the central government recently.
Victory processions were taken out at Cholang Toll Plaza, near Tanda, and Mehtiana after convoys of tractor-trolleys carrying farmers reached the district.
A number of people from all walks of life reached Cholang Toll Plaza, Tanda on Jalandhar-Pathankot GT Road and Mehtiana on Hoshiarpur-Phagwara Road on scooters, motorcycles, cars, jeeps and tractors to welcome the farmers.
8:14 PM
Telangana on Sunday recorded 146 fresh coronavirus cases taking the total infection count to 6,78,288 while the toll climbed to 4,007 with two more fatalities.
The number of active cases in the state stood at 3,846, a state government bulletin said. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 72, followed by Ranga Reddy 20.
A total of 189 people recovered from the disease, taking the cumulative number till date to 6,70,435, the bulletin said. As many as 26,625 samples were tested today, taking the total number tested till date to 29 million.
The Case Fatality Rate in Telangana was 0.59 per cent whereas the recovery rate was 98.84 per cent.
7:46 PM
Sonia Gandhi and several top Congress leaders attended the Jaipur rally, held as a show of strength by the party just months ahead of the Assembly polls in five states.
Party leaders hoped that the rally held against rising inflation will send a strong message against the Narendra Modi-led Union government.
Sonia Gandhi did not speak at the rally, which was addressed by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi could not make to the rally venue on time. He met Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at the airport at the time of their departure, party sources said.
7:45 PM
The mortal remains of Army Havildar Satpal Rai, who died in the helicopter crash along with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 10 others, arrived at Bagdogra airport here on Sunday.
BJP MP Raju Bista, former Bengal minister Gautam Deb and state government officials paid tribute to the deceased soldier, following which his remains were taken to his native village in Takdah, near Darjeeling town, in a flower-bedecked Army truck.
Family sources said that the last rites of Rai, who was a part of the personal security detail of General Rawat, will be held on Monday.
The soldier, who joined the Army in 2001, died in the helicopter accident in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on Wednesday.
7:44 PM
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday said since law and order is a state subject, a decision on withdrawal of the cases registered against farmers during their anti-farm laws protest will be taken by the respective state governments.
Talking to reporters, he also welcomed the farmers' decision to call off the agitation.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an amalgamation of various farmer unions that spearheaded the protest against the three contentious farm laws, had on Thursday announced the suspension of its over a year-long agitation after they received a formal letter from the central government accepting their key pending demands including withdrawal of police cases against the protesters and on MSP.
"The issue of law and order falls under the jurisdiction of state governments. So they will take a decision in this regard," Tomar said when asked about the withdrawal of cases registered against the farmers during their agitation.
6:01 PM
Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls that are scheduled to be held next year, Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Sunday said that regional parties do not have any ideology and urged people to vote for a national party.
As the assembly elections are approaching, the regional parties in Uttar Pradesh are exploring opportunities considering the political prospects.
Apna Dal president Anupriya Patel had recently said that politics is a game of possibilities and all options are open to her.
Reacting to Patel's remarks, Congress leader Rashid Alvi said that the regional parties do not have any ideology, so the people should vote for the national party in the interest of the country.
5:58 PM
The BJP on Sunday hit out at the TMC over its promise to dole out Rs 5,000 a month to a woman member of a family in poll-bound Goa, stating that the Mamata Banerjee-led camp was giving "false assurance" to people there with an eye on electoral gains.
The saffron party also pointed out that the TMC, however, "did not say much about job generation" in the western coastal state.
The TMC on Saturday announced that it will launch 'Griha Lakshmi' scheme in Goa, if voted to power, much like 'Lakshmir Bhandar' in Bengal, and a woman member of every family will be provided an income support of Rs 5,000 per month.
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari and BJP National Vice-President Dilip Ghosh wondered why the TMC was willing to give Rs 5,000 per month to the women of Goa when the party is doling out just Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 for the beneficiaries of Bengal.
5:27 PM
Britain's health authorities said on Sunday that bookings for the COVID booster vaccines for everyone aged 30 and over in England will be open from Monday, as one of the key actions aimed at tackling the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.
There are around 7.5 million people aged 30 to 39, and 3.5 million of those are eligible for boosters from Monday, NHS England said. It comes as early analysis shows booster jabs being effective against the Omicron variant, the first cases of which have started being hospitalised now.
There is no reported death from the variant in the UK yet, but experts warn that it is set to take over from Delta as the dominant coronavirus variant by the end of this year.
"The COVID-19 booster programme is accelerating rapidly and more than 22 million people in the UK have already received their top-up, securing vital protection ahead of Christmas, said UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
5:24 PM
The Congress in Maharashtra on Sunday alleged that the AIMIM and BJP are two sides of the same coin, a day after AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the grand old party and the NCP at a rally in Mumbai for "failing" to implement a 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in the state.
Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan on Sunday wondered why the Owaisi-led All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) remained "silent" on the Muslim quota issue when the BJP government was in power in Maharashtra from 2014 to 2019.
Khan, who had served as a minister in the then Congress-NCP government till 2014, said the quota for Muslims in jobs and education had been upheld by the Bombay High Court but not implemented by the erstwhile Devendra Fadnavis government.
"When Congress was protesting against the Fadnavis government's inaction on quota implementation, the AIMIM remained silent. The AIMIM and the BJP are two sides of the same coin," Khan alleged in a statement.
5:23 PM
The Taliban that has grabbed power in Afghanistan for more than 100 days have proven to be ineffective against terror activities in their country as some blasts by ISIS have caused heavy casualties, sending a clear message to the world that the Taliban are not serious towards the pledges they had made in Doha, a media report said.
All the world leaders who held more than one dozen conferences on Afghanistan looked away when they (the Taliban) pleaded for recognition of their government because they would not keep any of their promises made during talks in Doha with the United States during 2019-20, reported Greek City Times.
Further, the Greek publication stated that perhaps the Taliban took these talks as a big joke. Perhaps they knew the execution of the promise, about inclusive government, human rights and the rights of women and their education and jobs will denude them of all which they claim to stand for.
Over the Taliban's inactivity against terror, the world has taken note that the Afghan group has so far failed to keep its promises to keep terrorist organisations out of Afghanistan.
5:21 PM
One death and 201 recoveries brought the active Covid-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh down to 1,912 even as the State saw 160 fresh infections in 24 hours ending 9 am on Sunday.
The gross Covid-19 positives now touched 20,74,868, recoveries 20,58,490 and deaths 14,466, according to the latest bulletin.
Chittoor district reported 37 fresh cases, East Godavari 29, Krishna 19, Anantapuramu 15, West Godavari 14, Guntur and Visakhapatnam 12 each and SPS Nellore 11.
Srikakulam added nine and Kurnool two to the tally while Kadapa, Vizianagaram and Prakasam logged zero in 24 hours.
Krishna district continued to report a fresh fatality in a day.
4:20 PM
The main opposition AIADMK on Sunday listed 'achievements' made during its regime in increasing the number of MBBS seats in the Tamil Nadu government run medical colleges and hit out at the DMK dispensation for 'portraying' such progress as its own.
During the 2011-21 AIADMK rule, as many as 3,000 more MBBS seats were added in the public sector, of which 1,650 were from 11 new medical colleges, the sanction for which was obtained in 2019 from the central government, party top leader O Panneerselvam said. As many as 700 seats were added by setting up six other medical colleges and creation of 650 more medical seats in existing state-run institutions further increased the availability of seats by 3,000 in the government sector, the AIADMK coordinator and former Chief Minister said.
This is the factual position, Panneerselvam said and accused the DMK government of 'publicising' such progress as an achievement in view of the steps taken by Chief Minister M K Stalin.
4:17 PM
State-owned Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) on Sunday announced a cut in interest rate on home loans to an all-time low of 6.40 per cent, from the existing 6.80 per cent under the 'Retail Bonanza-Festive Dhamaka' offer.
Besides, the bank has also lowered interest rate on car loans to 6.80 per cent, from 7.05 per cent in line with market competition.
The new rates would be effective from December 13, BoM said in a statement.
4:16 PM
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan said compulsory vaccination against Covid-19 became mandatory from Sunday and asked the people to carry with them the cerfificates of vaccination as there would be checking by the health authorities.
Talking to reporters after visiting a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in neighbouring Villianoor to see for herself the implementation of the vaccination drive, she said, "The government is keen to ensure that Puducherry emerges as a fully vaccinated Union Territory."
She said no stone was left unturned to reach the goal and vaccination was aimed at protecting the people against pandemic and also to prevent the occurrence of the new variant of the virus - Omicron.
4:03 PM
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday hinted that the draft of the anti-conversion bill would be approved by the state cabinet and it may be introduced in the winter session of the assembly in Belagavi.
The cabinet is expected to meet during the Belagavi assembly session, which begins from December 13.
"A majority of people want to ban religious conversion. The law department is reviewing it (draft bill). After the review, it will be cleared in the cabinet meeting," he told reporters here.
"In all probabilities, the draft rule proposed by the law department would be approved and the subject may come up for discussion (in the assembly session)," Bommai said.
Claiming that religious conversion was not good for the society, the CM said the downtrodden people should not succumb to it.
4:01 PM
Three-year-old Fatehdeep on Sunday lit the funeral pyre of his father Naik Gursewak Singh, who died in the IAF chopper crash in Tamil Nadu, in his village Dode Sodhian here.
Fatehdeep was dressed in clothes similar to the Army uniform that his mother had recently bought for him as Gursewak had once expressed the wish to see his son in Army fatigues. Singh was among the 13 people, including Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and his wife, killed in the chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8.
A large number of people lined up on both sides of a road near Singh's house as his mortal remains, wrapped in the Indian tricolour, were brought home from neighbouring Amritsar district. He was accorded a gun salute as locals chanted 'Amar Rahe'.
4:00 PM
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt and the chiefs of the armed forces on Sunday paid their last respects to Lt Colonel Harjinder Singh, who was among the 13 people killed in a helicopter crash in Coonoor in Tamil Nadu last week.
Singh laid a wreath on the mortal remains of Lt Col Singh at the Brar Square in Delhi Cantonment before his cremation.
Army chief General M M Naravane, Air chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, and other military officers paid tributes to Lt Col Singh, who is survived by his wife Maj Agnes P Manezes (retd.) and daughter Preet Kaur.
India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Lt Colonel Harjinder Singh and 10 others, all from the armed forces, were killed in the helicopter crash in Coonoor on December 8.
Lt Col Singh, who served as Staff Officer to the CDS, belonged to 11 Gorkha Rifles, the same regiment as Rawat.
3:13 PM
Attacking the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday charged that the BJP government wants to sell to its industrialist friends whatever her party had built in 70 years.
She said when elections come, BJP leaders talk of China or other countries, casteism, communalism but not about the struggles of the people and asked what the Modi government has done in seven years of its rule.
It is your responsibility to make the government accountable, it is your responsibility to ask why there is so much inflation, she said while addressing a national level rally against inflation here.
Gandhi alleged that the government is working for select industrialist friends instead of working for the good of the people and farmers of the country.
2:55 PM
The plight of international students pursuing higher education in China is now under question as they felt let down as they struggle to continue their studies.
As the world stands facing the threat of yet another COVID-19 variant, Omicron, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced as a variant of concern, the future of international students studying in China continues to be in question with no concrete answer in sight, according to Just Earth News.
However, while most countries have made strategic concessions in the restrictions imposed due to the epidemic, China has refused to make any notable relaxations.
Earlier, by 2018, China had 492,185 foreign students studying in the country from over 196 countries and ranked third for having the largest body of international students in a country. Further, China tried to secure foreign students to increase its international influence.
2:54 PM
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said India is a country of Hindus and not Hindutvadis, who want to be in power in any condition.
He said if there is inflation in the country and there is suffering, then this has been done by Hindutvadis.
"This is a country of Hindus, not Hindutvadis. If there is inflation in the country and there is suffering, then this has been done by Hindutvadis. Hindutvadis want power in any condition," Gandhi said addressing a rally against rising inflation here.
He targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his friends have "ruined" the country during the NDA dispensation.
"Modi ji and his three-four industrialist friends ruined the country in seven years,"Gandhi alleged.
"I am Hindu and not Hindutvadi," he said.
2:48 PM
Scaling up the inter-state spat on school education, AAP leader and Delhi Chieff Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said government schools in Punjab are in a bad shape and sought people's support to bring his party to power in the state to improve the condition of the educational institutions.
"In Punjab, the state of education is very bad. Government schools are in a bad shape. There is no study at all in government schools. Punjab's teachers are very good, but they are sad. In government schools in Punjab, 24 lakh students from poor, Dalit, SC community study. Think about what is the future of these children? Kejriwal said in a video message.
Punjab goes to polls early next year and Aam Aadmi Party is looking to wrest power from the ruling Congress.
Notably, ruling Congress and AAP leaders have in recent weeks exchanged barbs on the state of education in their schools in Punjab and Delhi.
2:21 PM
Chandigarh reported its first case of Omicron after swab samples of a fully vaccinated 20-year-old male passenger from Italy, who had tested COVID-19 positive on December 1, revealed the presence of the new variant of the novel coronavirus.
Earlier today, Andhra Pradesh detected its first case of Omicron and Karnataka detected its fist case of the new COVID-19 variant. With this the tally of Omicron cases in India has gone up to 36.
And the third case of Omicron was detected in Karnataka. "A 34-year-old returnee from South Africa has tested positive and is being isolated and being treated in a government hospital. Five primary and 15 secondary contacts traced and their samples sent for testing," Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K said today.
On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'.
2:19 PM
Chandigarh reported its first case of Omicron after swab samples of a fully vaccinated 20-year-old male passenger from Italy, who had tested COVID-19 positive on December 1, revealed the presence of the new variant of the novel coronavirus.
Earlier today, Andhra Pradesh detected its first case of Omicron and Karnataka detected its fist case of the new COVID-19 variant. With this the tally of Omicron cases in India has gone up to 36.
Meanwhile, the third case of Omicron was detected in Karnataka. "A 34-year-old returnee from South Africa has tested positive and is being isolated and being treated in a government hospital. Five primary and 15 secondary contacts traced and their samples sent for testing," Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K said today.
On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'.
2:19 PM
Chandigarh reported its first case of Omicron after swab samples of a fully vaccinated 20-year-old male passenger from Italy, who had tested COVID-19 positive on December 1, revealed the presence of the new variant of the novel coronavirus.
Earlier today, Andhra Pradesh detected its first case of Omicron and Karnataka detected its fist case of the new COVID-19 variant. With this the tally of Omicron cases in India has gone up to 36.
Meanwhile, the third case of Omicron was detected in Karnataka. "A 34-year-old returnee from South Africa has tested positive and is being isolated and being treated in a government hospital. Five primary and 15 secondary contacts traced and their samples sent for testing," Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K said today.
On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'.
2:19 PM
Chandigarh reported its first case of Omicron after swab samples of a fully vaccinated 20-year-old male passenger from Italy, who had tested COVID-19 positive on December 1, revealed the presence of the new variant of the novel coronavirus.
Earlier today, Andhra Pradesh detected its first case of Omicron and Karnataka detected its fist case of the new COVID-19 variant. With this the tally of Omicron cases in India has gone up to 36.
Meanwhile, the third case of Omicron was detected in Karnataka. "A 34-year-old returnee from South Africa has tested positive and is being isolated and being treated in a government hospital. Five primary and 15 secondary contacts traced and their samples sent for testing," Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K said today.
On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'.
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Topics :Bipin RawatOmicronCoronavirusToday NewsIndia GDP
First Published: Dec 12 2021 | 6:57 AM IST
