LIVE: Maharashtra sees 26 more cases of Omicron; night curfew in Kerala

10:07 PM

Maharashtra logs 1,426 new Covid cases, 21 deaths; 26 more Omicron patients found

Maharashtra on Monday reported 1,426 fresh coronavirus cases, including 26 new Omicron patients - daily count down 222 from a day ago - while 21 more persons succumbed to the infection in the the state, the health department said.

 

The health department said the state recorded 21 fresh fatalities in the last 24 hours, taking the COVID-19 toll to 1,41,454. The case fatality rate is the state stands at 2.12 per cent. With 1,426 new cases, the statewide tally of those infected with COVID-19 reached 66,59,314, it said in a bulletin. The count of active cases crossed the 10,000-mark to stand at 10,441, reflecting a widening gap between new and recovering patients. On Sunday, Maharashtra had recorded 1,648 COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths.

The state had also reported 31 new cases of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, a day ago. The state has so far recorded 167 Omicron cases. On Monday, 776 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the tally of those recovered so far to 65,03,733, the department said.

The coronavirus recovery rate in the state stands at 97.66 per cent. The bulletin said 93,819 coronavirus tests were carried out in the last 24 hours, pushing their cumulative number to 6,85,49,133. Currently 91,464 people are in home quarantine and another 880 in institutional quarantine, it added.

9:26 PM

India sees highest single day rise of Omicron infections; Goa, Manipur report first cases

India reported over 150 fresh Omicron infections with Goa and Manipur on Monday registering their first cases as the total tally of this latest variant of COVID-19 touched nearly 600. With the surge in cases, the Centre issued a fresh advisory to all states and union territories, asking them not to let the guard down.

 

According to Union Health Ministry data updated in the morning, 156 fresh cases of Omicron were logged, taking the tally of such cases to 578. However, 151 out of the 578 people, who contracted the infection, have recovered or migrated.

 

The 578 cases have been detected across 19 states and union territories with Delhi recording the maximum number of 142 cases followed by Maharashtra at 141, Kerala 57, Gujarat 49, Rajasthan 43 and Telangana 41.

9:03 PM

Covid vaccination: CoWIN registration for those in 15-18 age group to start on January 1

Children aged between 15 and 18 years would be able to register on the CoWIN portal from January 1 and the vaccine option for them would only be Covaxin, officials said on Monday as preparations are underway to start inoculating children against COVID-19 from January 3.

 

"Children aged between 15 and 18 years would be able to register on the CoWIN portal from January 1," CoWIN chief Dr RS Sharma said on Monday.

 

The vaccine option for those in the 15-18 age group would only be Covaxin, according to the "Guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination of children between 15-18 years and precaution dose to HCWs, FLWs and 60+ population with comorbidities" issued by the Union health ministry on Monday.

8:43 PM

'No public events/gatherings to celebrate New Year's Eve shall be allowed anywhere in Bengaluru'

8:31 PM

Telangana reports 12 new Omicron cases in the last 24 hours

7:51 PM

Belur Math shall remain closed for devotees and visitors on Jan 1

7:40 PM

An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 occurred today at 146km NNW of Kargil

7:32 PM

FCRA registration has been neither suspended nor cancelled: Missionaries of Charity

7:12 PM

Akali leader Majithia seeks anticipatory bail

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, booked under the NDPS Act, on Monday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The politician’s plea said the cases against him "to target the applicant/petitioner is one of the major election planks of the current government" led by the Congress in Punjab.

6:34 PM

Kerala announces night curfew from Dec 30

Kerala said on Monday it will implement a night curfew from December 30 to January 2 (10pm to 5 am), becoming the latest Indian state to implement such a measure to contain rising coronavirus cases. No New Year celebrations will be allowed after 10pm on December 31, said the state government.

6:27 PM

Mumbai logs 809 new coronavirus cases

Mumbai records 809 new cases of the coronavirus and 3 deaths from the disease in 24 hours.

6:18 PM

Govt's paddy procurement reaches 443.49 lakh tonnes in Oct-Dec

The government has collected 443.49 lakh tonnes of paddy at minimum support price (MSP) in the ongoing marketing year that started in October. More than 47 lakh farmers have benefited from the MSP value of Rs 86,924.46 crore so far, said the food ministry Monday.

5:58 PM

Uttarakhand imposes night curfew

Uttarakhand is imposing an 11 pm to 5 am curfew from Monday for an indefinite number of days, citing rising number of coronavirus cases. Essential services like health, movement of vehicles carrying health personnel, ambulances, postal services are exempt from the curfew.

5:31 PM

China tightens scrutiny of offshore listings in certain sectors

The Chinese government will require that domestic firms in sectors off-limits to foreign direct investment, such as Internet news and publishing, receive clearances from regulators before they can list their shares outside the mainland. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced the new rules on the clearances on Monday in a statement that also included an updated annual "Foreign Investment Negative List" that outlines business sectors where foreign direct investment is banned or restricted, Reuters reported.

5:22 PM

Torrent Pharma recalls over 27k bottles of BP drug in US

Torrent Pharma is recalling more than 27,000 bottles of its generic drug, used in lowering high blood pressure, in the US market. As per the latest enforcement report by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the Ahmedabad-based company is recalling 27,312 bottles of the Telmisartan and Hydrochlorothiazide tablets, PTI reported.

5:09 PM

Delhi logs 331 news cases of Covid-19

Delhi reports 331 news cases of Covid-19 and one death from the disease in 24 hours, says the state government’s daily health bulleting, marking a 14% increase in daily infections since Sunday.

4:46 PM

Over 4.51 cr ITRs for FY'21 filed till Dec 26

More than 4.51 crore Income Tax returns for 2020-21 were filed till December 26, the I-T department said on Monday. This includes over 2.44 crore ITR-1 and over 1.12 crore ITR-4. ITR Form 1 (Sahaj) and ITR Form 4 (Sugam) are simpler forms that cater to a large number of small and medium taxpayers, PTI reported.

4:21 PM

AAP leader in Chandigarh municipal polls

New entrant Aam Aadmi Party came top in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation polls, winning 14 of 35 wards on Monday. The BJP, which enjoyed a majority in the previous MC House, came a close second registering win in 12 wards while the Congress bagged eight seats and the Shiromani Akali Dal one, PTI reported about parties that will clash in assembly elections next year. 

3:56 PM

More than 279 mn people infected by coronavirus: Reuters story

More than 279.07 million people have been reported to be infected by the coronavirus globally and 5,694,135 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

3:47 PM

EC holds meeting of 5 states holding elections next year

The Election Commission on Monday assessed the Covid-19 situation in the five poll-bound states with the Union health secretary and asked the top brass of the Narcotics Control Bureau to check the influence of drugs in elections. PTI quoting sources said Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan briefed the commission for nearly an hour on the Covid situation in the country, especially the poll-bound Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

3:33 PM

Delhi records in 2021 most dengue deaths in 6 years

As many as 23 people died of dengue in Delhi this year: the highest number in the last six years, reports ANI quoting government data. The city recorded 9,545 cases in total this year.

3:15 PM

Maharashtra assembly passes resolution to defer local body polls

 

The Maharashtra Legislature on Monday unanimously passed a resolution on the postponement of local body elections in the state in the absence of 27 per cent reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar moved the resolution in the state Assembly that the upcoming local body elections be postponed until the OBC reservation is restored, PTI reported.

 

2:52 PM

Applications sought for Union Bank of India MD post

The Banks Board Bureau (BBB), which selects top executives for state-owned banks and financial institutions, has invited applications for the post of managing director and chief executive director of Union Bank of India for a three-year term. The post of MD and CEO would fall vacant at Mumbai-based Union Bank of India upon retirement of Rajkiran Rai G in May 2022.

2:35 PM

AAP leads Chandigarh municipal polls

2:12 PM

Russia logs 23,210 new coronavirus cases

Russia reports 23,210 new coronavirus cases and 937 deaths from the disease in past 24 hours, reports Reuters.

2:05 PM

Omicron likely three times more transmissible: Central govt advisory

"The country has witnessed an overall decline in active cases. However, the new variant, Omicron is reported to be at least three times more transmissible than the Delta VOC, and is posing a new challenge for the Covid containment measures," says Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla in advisory to states and union territories.

1:31 PM

Cloud is India's best bet to aid faster innovation at scale in 2022

What the world, and each one of us, experienced in the past two years, has taught us important life lessons. At the same time, it has demonstrated development and progress, which will have a long-term positive impact on society, industry and governance.

 

As a result of the ongoing economic and humanitarian crises, we have all been witness to a major shift to digital as organisations showed resilience and realignment in their businesses. Now, as the country advances its agenda of building a digitally knowledgeable economy, it must also look to create a self-sustaining model of development and progress.

1:27 PM

Pinarayi Vijayan to go to people with controversial K-Rail project

With both the principal Opposition parties Congress-led UDF and the BJP-led NDA vehemently opposing his pet dream project K-Rail, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has decided to reach out to the people to win their confidence.

 

If completed, the flagship railway project will set up a 529.45 km corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod covering the distance within four hours. The estimated cost is in excess of Rs 64,000 crore.

 

Vijayan, on Saturday, had publicly said that he will not be cowed down by the threats but he will explain to the people and win their confidence similar to what happened in the GAIL pipe line project.

1:23 PM

Kerala best state on health parameters, UP worst

Kerala has again emerged as the top ranking state in terms of overall health performance among larger states, while Uttar Pradesh is the worst, according to the fourth Health Index launched by Niti Aayog.

The fourth round of the Health Index took into account the period 2019-20 (reference year).

The report by the government think tank said Tamil Nadu and Telangana have emerged as the second and third best performers, respectively, on health parameters.

1:15 PM

PM Modi lays foundation of projects worth over Rs 28,000 crores in Mandi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attended the ground breaking ceremony for 287 investment projects worth over Rs 28,197 crores in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi to mark the fourth anniversary of the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in the state.

The prime minister is also expected to address a rally at the Paddal ground in Mandi, the home district of Chief Minister Thakur.

Earlier, Modi, accompanied by Union minister Anurag Thakur, visited an exhibition put up by various departments of the state government.