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1 min read Last Updated : May 29 2022 | 10:44 PM IST
10:44 PM
Sri Lanka's prime minister said on Sunday that protesting youth groups will be invited to be part of governance under political reforms he is proposing to solve the country's political crisis triggered by an economic collapse.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that under proposed constitutional reforms, powers of the president will be clipped and those of Parliament strengthened. In a televised statement to the nation, he said that governance will be broad-based through parliamentary committees where lawmakers, youth and experts will work together.
"The youth are calling for a change in the existing system. They also want to know the current issues. Therefore, I propose to appoint four youth representatives to each of these 15 committees," Wickremesinghe said.
Protesters consisting of mainly young people have camped out outside the president's office for more than 50 days. They're demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, holding him and his family responsible for the country's worst economic crisis. They also want an overhaul of a system of governance, saying successive administrations since independence from Britain in 1948 have misruled the country leading to economic and social crises.
10:44 PM
Pakistan on Sunday rejected the notion that any delegation from Islamabad had visited Israel, days after Israeli President Isaac Herzog said a group from South Asia that included Pakistani citizens met him in the Jewish state.
During a special address at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting on May 26 in Davos, Israel President Herzog said that he recently received a delegation of Pakistani-Americans, calling it an "amazing experience".
"Responding to media queries, the (FO) Spokesperson categorically rejected the notion of any delegation from Pakistan visiting Israel," the Foreign Office said.
It, however, added that the reported visit in question was organised by a foreign NGO which is not based in Pakistan.
Pakistan's position on the Palestinian issue is clear and unambiguous and there is no change whatsoever in our policy on which there is complete national consensus," the FO said.
10:24 PM
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery and Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena called on Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday.
The three, who have taken over their new posts recently, met Naidu separately.
The Vice President Secretariat tweeted pictures of the three meetings.
The meetings were described as courtesy calls.
10:24 PM
Twenty-six Rohingyas, including 12 children and 8 women, coming from Jammu were detained in southern Assams Cachar district on Sunday and the police are now verifying their UNHCR cards, officials said.
Cachar district superintend of police Ramandeep Kaur said that three Rohingya Muslim families comprising 26 members came to Guwahati from the Jammu refugee camp via Delhi.
"We are now verifying their UNHCR cards and their motive of visiting the northeastern region. We are also probing who guided them to move from their Jammu refugee camp to Assam and why," Kaur told the media.
On May 2, 24 Rohingyas, including 10 children and 8 women, all coming from the Jammu camp, were detained in Tripura's Unakoti district. They were subsequently released as they were holding UNHCR cards.
On April 27, six Rohingyas, including a woman and two children, were detained in Tripura's Dharmanagar after they arrived there from Delhi.
Rohingya Muslims often enter the northeastern states illegally from Bangladesh in search of jobs and for other purposes.
During the past two years, over 270 Rohingyas, all citizens of Myanmar, have been detained in different northeastern states by the Border Security Force and other security agencies.
Since 2016, over 860,000 Rohingyas fled from Myanmar to evade violence and were sheltered in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.
10:20 PM
The BJP on Sunday blamed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and his party colleague Raghav Chaddha for the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, saying "anti-national and subversive elements are having free play" in Punjab under the AAP govt
Moosewala was shot dead Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the state government withdrew his security cover.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, party spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the secret list which had the names of those whose security was removed was made public, exposing those people to mortal threat.
"In a way, it was an open invitation to murderers, that you can do you work...
Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for this murder," Patra said.
Along with Kejriwal, Patra held AAP's Raghav Chaddha too responsible for the gruesome murder.
"Both these people should apologise and explain what is happening in Punjab today," he said. Chaddha was the party's co-in charge for the latest Punjab polls, in which the AAP was swept to power in the border state.
10:11 PM
Even as politicians began sparring over the killing of Punjabi rapper and celebrity Sidhu Moosewala on Sunday evening, people from the entertainment industry reacted to the death with shock and disbelief.
Comedian and TV star Kapil Sharma, who is from Amritsar, called the incident "very shocking" and "very sad". "Satnam Shri Waheguru very shocking n very sad, a great artiste n a wonderful human being, may God give his family strength #sidhumoosewala," Sharma tweeted.
Former 'Bigg Boss' contestant Shehnaaz Gill wrote: "Kise da jawaan dhee ya putt es duniya toh chala jaave, es toh vadda dukh koi nahi ho sakda duniya te. Waheguruji mehar kareyo #sidhumoosewala." Her tweet roughly translates to, "Nothing is more painful in the world than someone losing their young child. God, please show your mercy."
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also took to Twitter to make a political statement: "Well-known Punjabi singer #SidhuMoosewala Shot Dead in Mansa district. Security was withdrawn yesterday. Heartfelt condolences to the aggrieved family and fans. It's an intelligence failure & the @ArvindKejriwal Govt. should own the responsibility."
Music composer and singer Vishal Dadlani called it a "sad day". VJ and actor Rannvijay Singha expressed his shock in a tweet, where he wrote, "Shocking news about #sidhumoosewala, can't believe it."
10:10 PM
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday took stock of preparations for the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Maghar on June 5, officials said.
Maghar is a town in Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Kabir, the 15th-century mystic poet, disappeared and flowers were found in his place that were buried in Maghar.
Adityanath inspected Sant Kabir Samadhi Sthal, mazar, cave, newly constructed Sant Kabir Academy and Research Institute and Sant Kabir mural painting gallery interpretation centre and exhibition hall.
He also laid flowers at the mazar/samadhi of Sant Kabirdas, they said.
10:09 PM
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday expressed grief over the killing of famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and said tampering with security "for the sake of publicity" is absolutely wrong.
Moosewala was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government withdrew his security cover.
"The news of the murder of eminent singer and Congress candidate in the Punjab Assembly elections, Sidhu Moosewala, is sad. May God give peace to his soul and courage to his family members. His contribution in the field of music will be remembered," Gehlot tweeted in Hindi.
Moosewala had fought on the Congress ticket from Mansa assembly seat in the recent assembly election and was defeated by AAP's Vijay Singla.
"The Punjab government should ensure the safety of all the citizens of Punjab. Tampering with security for the sake of publicity is absolutely wrong. Punjab has lost thousands of people including Chief Minister Shri Beant Singh. To maintain peace in Punjab, the government should take all necessary steps in time," Gehlot said in another tweet.
10:08 PM
Chhattisgarh on Sunday recorded three COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 11,52,431, while the death toll remained unchanged at 14,034, an official said.
The three cases, at a positivity rate of 0.29 per cent, were reported from Raipur, Kabirdham and Koriya, while 11 districts have no active case currently, he said.
The recovery count increased by nine to touch 11,38,345, leaving the state with 52 active cases, the official said.
With 1,027 samples examined during the day, the number of tests carried out so far in Chhattisgarh went up to 1,77,34,990, he added.
Chhattisgarh's coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 11,52,431, new cases 3, death toll 14,034, recovered 11,38,345, active cases 52, today tests 1,027, total tests 1,77,34,990.
10:07 PM
Punjab Director General of Police V K Bhawra Sunday said the killing of famous singer Sidhu Moosewala seems to be a fallout of an inter-gang rivalry and that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was involved in it.
He further said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be set up to investigate the Sunday evening killing.
In a media statement, the state police chief said Moosewala's security cover was scaled down to free personnel for deployment during the Operation Bluestar anniversary next month.
Two of the four Punjab police commandos deployed with Moosewala were withdrawn, he said.
He said Moosewala did not take the two of his remaining commandos with him when the incident happened in Mansa district.
10:00 PM
The high-decibel campaign for May 31 by-polls to Brajrajnagar assembly segment in Odisha's Jharsuguda district came to an end on Sunday, with the chief electoral officer (CEO) stating that all arrangements were in place for carrying out free and fair voting.
The by-election was necessitated following the demise of BJD MLA Kishore Mohanty in December last year.
Although 11 candidates are in the fray, the constituency is set to witness a triangular contest among the ruling BJD, the opposition BJP and the Congress.
The three parties have campaigned vigorously for their respective candidates.
Several star campaigners had hit the roads over the past few days to seek votes from people, including Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bisheswar Tudu for BJP nominee Radharani Panda, and AICC general secretary in-charge of Odisha, A Chellakumar, for Congress candidate Kishore Patel.
At least eight ministers and 30 MLAs of the BJD have campaigned for Alaka Mohanty, wife of the deceased legislator.
Addressing a press meet here, CEO S K Lohani said as many as 2,14,261 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the constituency, where polling would be held from 7 am to 6 pm. Counting of votes will take place on June 3.
9:58 PM
The Indian Navy Ship (INS) Gomati was decommissioned on May 28 from the naval dockyard in Mumbai, informed the Ministry of Defence in an official release.
The ship was paid off under the command of Captain Sudip Malik in a poignant ceremony.
"After INS Gomati's decommissioning, the ship's legacy will be kept alive in an open-air museum being set up on the picturesque banks of the eponymous river Gomti in Lucknow where several of her combat systems will be displayed as military and war relics," read the statement.
INS Gomati derives her name from the vibrant river Gomti and was commissioned on 16 April 1988 by then defence minister,KC Pant, at Mazagon Dock Limited (Mumbai).
The third ship of the Godavari class guided-missile frigates, INS Gomati was also the oldest warrior of the western fleet when decommissioned.
During her service, she participated in numerous operations including Cactus, Parakram and Rainbow, and several bilateral and multinational naval exercises.
IMS Gomati was twice awarded the coveted Unit Citation, in 2007-08 and again in 2019-20, for remarkable spirit and stellar contribution to national maritime security.
9:57 PM
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced the list of 16 candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections which are scheduled to take place on June 10. Polling will be held for 57 seats spread across 15 states.
Among the prominent names, the list includes Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from Karnataka and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal from Maharashtra who are up for re-election as their terms are set to end.
The BJP has fielded a total of six candidates from Uttar Pradesh where the maximum number of seats (11) are lying vacant, including Laxmikant Vajpayee, Radha Mohan Agarwal, Surendra Nagar, Baburam Nishad, Darshana Singh, and Sangeeta Yadav.
Former Uttar Pradesh BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai will contest against Samajwadi Party leader Surendra Nagar who got a repeat term.
Former MLA from Gorakhpur urban Radhe Mohan Agarwal who gave up his seat for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to contest has been brought to the Rajya Sabha. Baburam Nishad Darshana Singh and Sangeeta Yadav are the other candidates from Uttar Pradesh.
A sitting member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha from Bihar, Satish Chandra Dubey also got a repeat term whereas party worker and OBC face, state secretary Shambhu Sharon Patel will be making his debut in the upper house.
Farmer Leader and former irrigation minister of Maharashtra Dr Anil Sukhdevrao Bonde has been brought to the Rajya Sabha.
Incidentally, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who is a member of Parliament in the Upper House from Jharkhand has not found a place on this list.
It can be said that the BJP has decided to field young faces and state leaders and office bearers to the Upper House.
9:56 PM
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday presided over a review meeting ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Shimla visit, informed the officials on Sunday.
The meeting headed by Thakur was conducted between the senior state government officials with an agenda to take note of the preparedness of PM Modi's visit slated for May 31.
Thakur stressed the government's focus on PM Modi's visit to Himachal Pradesh on completion of his 8 years as the Prime Minister.
"I held a meeting with officials of the state government regarding the Prime Minister's event. Took note of the arrangements. Tourist season is at its peak and no one should face difficulty due to traffic. We had a detailed discussion to make the event successful," Thakur told ANI.
He also highlighted that the people in the northern state await PM's visit and directed the officers to ensure that all possible arrangements are made to make the event a historic one.
CM Thakur on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually interact with all the Chief Ministers of the states on May 31 from Himachal Pradesh on the occasion of the completion of eight years of the BJP-led Central government.
9:55 PM
Union Minister Kailash Choudhary on Sunday said the Centre had placed a ban on wheat exports to ensure adequate availability of the food grain in the country.
The ban was put in place on May 14 in order to control domestic prices amid concern that wheat output may be hit due to a prevailing heatwave.
"For us the country is first and our priority is to make available adequate wheat to our citizens, We have banned wheat export so that people don't face shortage," the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare told reporters here.
India's wheat exports stood at an all-time high of 7 million tonnes, valued at USD 2.05 billion, in 2021-22, with over 50 per cent being bought by neighbouring Bangladesh.
Queried on whether the Centre would provide financial relief to farmers facing losses due to the sudden ban on exports, Choudhary only said the government buys produce at minimum support price.
Listing the Narendra Modi government's schemes for the farming sector, Choudhary said, "The budget for agriculture was Rs 23,000 crore in 2013, which has been raised six times, taking it to Rs 1.32 lakh crore.
9:54 PM
The Jayant Chaudhary-led RLD on Sunday organised a social justice conclave which was attended by leaders of several opposition parties, including the RJD, JD(U) and the TMC, and where the demands for caste census and establishing a social justice commission were raised.
On the 35th death anniversary of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, a 'Samajik Nyay Sammelan (social justice conference) was organised at the Vigyan Bhawan where RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary said there will be no equality in the country until the caste census is carried out.
On the subject of the Supreme Court barring reservation over and above 50 per cent, he said, "If there is a problem of figures, then why does the government not get the count done and tell who is how much and who has what?"
"Social justice is my legacy and it is my moral responsibility to eliminate economic social inequality by conducting caste census and I will not back down," he asserted.
RJD leaders Sharad Yadav, Manoj Jha, JD(U) leader K C Tyagi, AAP leader Sanjay Singh, CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, TMC leader Sukhendu Shekhar Roy and Apna Dal-K leader Krishna Patel, among others, participated in the conference.
According to a resolution passed at the conclave, a demand was made for a new economic policy focused on job creation rather than wealth creation and one that incentivises agricultural sector and small and medium businesses that have been badly hit following the demonetisation exercise and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Immediate implementation of the caste census to enable targeted affirmative action for those communities that have been left behind," the resolution said.
9:42 PM
Karnataka saw a spike in COVID-19 cases with 241 fresh infections reported on Sunday taking the total number of affected people to 39,51,739, the state health department said.
The state had recorded 196 cases on Saturday.
There were zero fatalities due to COVID-19 in the state during the last 24 hours.
Of the new infections, Bengaluru urban district contributed 232, while Dakshina Kannada reported four, Tumakuru three and Belagavi two cases.
There were zero infections and fatalities in 27 districts of the state.
The department said 98 people were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 39,09,592 till date. The number of active cases stood at 2,041.
The positivity rate for the day was 1.29 per cent.
As many as 18,579 tests were conducted, including 14,053 RT-PCR tests. The total number of tests conducted till date were 6.63 crore.
There were 7,298 inoculations, taking the total vaccination count to 10.85 crore so far, the department said.
9:40 PM
Bangladesh Minister of State for Planning Shamsul Alam on Sunday said he is in favour of visa-free travel for students in the BBIN countries, as the neighbouring nation strives to become illiteracy-free by 2041.
Addressing the valedictory session of the two-day Natural Allies in Development and Interdependence' conclave here, the renowned Bangladeshi economist also stated that his country will become hunger-free by 2041.
Let us open up doors in the countries for the students. I am not talking about government centres or the scholarship programmes. I am talking about the private sector, too, Alam said.
He noted that the South Asia region does not have a visa-free regime like that of the European Union, where no visa is required to visit a country that is part of the block.
But for the students, we can have free access to the educational institutes. Let us allow the students to go freely for education as well as for tourism. We can start with the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) countries, Alam said.
9:27 PM
Asserting that India is progressing in all spheres under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said no discussion on the global platform is considered as complete unless Modi's opinion is taken into account - be it on Russia-Ukraine war, COVID-19 vaccines, economy or environment.
Shah also said that with international-standard sports complexes being set up in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, the city will be equipped with facilities to prepare for the Olympic games.
The prime minister has worked to enhance India's position in the world, Shah said after laying the foundation stone for the new international class sports complex, a Rs 632-crore project spread over 1.15 lakh square metres of land in Naranpura locality of Ahmedabad that falls within his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
"On May 30, the Modi government will complete three years of its second term. Overall, this government has completed eight years in office. In these eight years, PM Modi has worked to take the country forward globally," Shah said.
"Whether it is about making vaccines for COVID-19 or decisions to be taken regarding economy, discussions regarding environment, or Russia-Ukraine war, unless the opinion of PM Modi is taken, the discussion is seen as incomplete. Modi has worked to establish India's position in the world," he said.
He said that before Modi became the chief minister of Gujarat, it was lagging behind other states in two fields - filling its Army recruitment quota and sports.
9:20 PM
Ghanshyam Tiwari, who has been named the BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate from Rajasthan, was a vocal critic of Vasundhara Raje before he quit the party in June 2018 and later rejoined it in 2020.
Tiwari, a five-time legislator, had floated Bharat Vahini Parthi after resigning from the BJP due to his growing differences with the party's state and central leadership.
He merged the Vahini with the Congress in 2019 in the presence of then Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He had then alleged that crony capitalism had increased under the Modi government's tenure.
In the BJP, Tiwari had in 2017 opened a front against the then chief minister Vasundhara Raje and was served a notice for indiscipline. He resigned from the party in June 2018.
He had openly accused Raje of corruption and made several complaints against her to the party high command. However, he claimed that the party did not hear his grievances.
Tiwari floated Bharat Vahini Parthi ahead of the December 2018 assembly elections and contested from the Sanganer seat, where he lost and even forfeited his security deposit.
In 2020, he joined the BJP again after talks with the central leadership.
9:12 PM
Former Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh on Sunday condemned the broad daylight murder of prominent Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala.
Expressing condolences to the bereaved family, he said, this loss was too shocking and quite irreparable.
Amarinder blamed the continuously deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab for the brutal murder of the young singer.
"This government has been a complete failure on the law and order front and I have been saying it right since the beginning," he said in a statement here.
The former Chief Minister alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state was completely clueless as to what was happening here.
"Moosewala's murder was not the first during last two months and I am afraid this might not be the last one," he said, adding, the criminals have no fear of law as the government has ceased to exist and there was total anarchy.
He criticised the Punjab government's mindless decision to withdraw Moosewala's security without assessing his threat perception.
9:11 PM
Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday recorded eight new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection tally to 4,54,242 while no death was reported in the last 24 hours, officials said.
Six of the fresh cases were from the Jammu division while two were from the Kashmir division, they said.
Seventeen of the total 20 districts did not report a single new case.
There are 67 active Covid cases in the Union Territory, while the number of recovered patients is 4,49,423, officials said.
The death toll due to the pandemic stands at 4,752.
There are 51 confirmed cases of mucormycosis (black fungus) in the Union Territory as no fresh case was reported since Saturday evening.
8:38 PM
Calling Punjabi singer and politician Sidhu Moosewala's murder on Sunday shocking, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said culprits will be given the harshest punishment.
Moosewala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in a village in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the state government withdrew his security cover.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Mansa) Gobinder Singh said Moosewala, 27, was shot several times. He was in his car, a Mahindra Thar, in village Jawahar Ke when he was attacked.
The Aam Aadmi Party national convener urged public to maintain peace.
"Sidhu Moosewala's murder is saddening and shocking. I just spoke to Punjab CM Mann sahib. Culprits will be given the harshest punishment. I request everyone to remain strong and maintain peace. May God give peace to his soul," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
Kejriwal's tweet came in response to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's tweet on the incident.
"I am shocked and deeply saddened by the gruesome murder of Siddhu Moosewala. Nobody involved will be spared. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fans across the world. I appeal everyone to stay calm," Mann said in his tweet.
Leaders of the Congress and other political leaders expressed shock and anger over the daylight gunning down of famous singer, and attacked the AAP government for withdrawing his security cover a day before.
8:30 PM
Mizoram on Sunday reported 22 new COVID-19 cases, eight more than the previous day, with the tally rising to 2,28,291, a health department official said.
The death toll remained at 698 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported during the day, he said.
Thirteen people recuperated from the infection on Sunday, raising the total number of recoveries to 2,27,439.
The daily positivity ratio stood at 10 per cent as the fresh cases were detected from 220 sample tests, the official said.
Mizoram now has 154 active cases.
The northeastern state has so far tested more than 19.30 lakh samples for COVID-19.
According to state immunisation officer Lalmuanawma Jongte, over 8.59 lakh people have been inoculated till Saturday with 7 lakh of them having received both doses of vaccines.
At least 46,282 people got the precautionary dose of COVID vaccines.
8:20 PM
The fate of 22 people, including four members of an Indian family, on board a Nepalese airlines plane remained unclear as bad weather and blankets of clouds made it difficult to locate the aircraft that went missing on Sunday in the mountainous region of the Himalayan nation minutes after taking off from the tourist city of Pokhara, officials said.
The condition of the plane belonging to Tara Air that took off at 10:15 am from Pokhara, 200 kilometers east of Kathmandu, is unknown till now, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said in a statement.
The turboprop Twin Otter 9N-AET plane had four Indian nationals, two Germans and 13 Nepali passengers besides a three-member Nepali crew, said Sudarshan Bartaula, a spokesperson at the airlines.
The plane was flying from the city of Pokhara to Jomsom, a popular tourist town in central Nepal.
The airline issued the list of passengers which identified four Indians as Ashok Kumar Tripathy, his wife Vaibhavi Bandekar (Tripathy) and their children Dhanush and Ritika. The family is currently residing in Thane city near Mumbai.
8:08 PM
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday batted for the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, saying it will curb the president's unlimited powers while enhancing the role of parliament in policy matters once the key amendment is passed.
Making a special televised statement on the current constitutional reforms programme in motion, Wickremesinghe said the 21A would help Sri Lanka, facing an unprecedented financial crisis, in several ways.
The 21st Amendment is expected to annul the 20A to the Constitution, which gives unfettered powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after abolishing the 19th Amendment that will strengthen Parliament.
The 21st Amendment to the Constitution will be passed and the parliament will be strengthened. The move is to make parliament stronger while holding the presidency accountable to the assembly, he said in his statement.
The government has launched a move to introduce 21A in order to restore the 19A of 2015.
Powers of parliament will be increased by the proposed 21A, Wickremesinghe said.
8:07 PM
Former BJP MLA Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal who left his Gorakhpur Urban constituency for Yogi Adityanath to contest in the recent assembly polls was nominated for the Rajya Sabha elections as the party named six candidates from Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.
Aggarwal had represented Gorakhpur Urban in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly since 2002, but made way for Chief Minister Adityanath in the recent polls.
The BJP has also fielded former state unit chief Laxmikant Vajpayee and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Surendra Singh Nagar.
Bauburam Nishad, who is currently the chairman of the UP Pichhrha Varg Vitt Vikas Nigam (UP Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation), has also been given a ticket by the party.
The BJP gave tickets to two women -- Darshana Singh and Sangeeta Yadav -- from the state.
Singh is a former state head of the party's women wing, while Yadav is a former party MLA from Chauri Chaura assembly constituency in Gorakhpur.
7:59 PM
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday said her party, the TMC, will organise protests on June 5 and 6 in various blocks, seeking an explanation from the Centre for the alleged non-payment of funds that it owed to the state.
Banerjee, who will be attending administrative meetings in Bankura and Purulia districts on Monday and Tuesday, was talking to reporters on her arrival at Durgapur in Paschim Bardhaman district.
"The Centre is playing a dirty political game. For the past five months, poor people employed through 100-day work scheme are having trouble getting their payments. The Centre is not releasing Rs 6,000 crore that it owes to the state under the scheme," the CM said.
She maintained that the "state wasn't asking for favours from the Centre".
"All we want is the money that has already been allocated to us. The Centre is not releasing our dues under Bangla Awas Yojana.
7:58 PM
Pope Francis' Sunday announcement that 21 churchmen, including two from India, will be elevated to the rank of cardinal in a ceremony at the Vatican this summer was greeted with great joy among the faithful in the country.
The two names from India the Pope announced are Filipe Neri Antonio Sebastao di Rosario Ferrao, Archbishop of Goa and Daman, and Anthony Poola, Archbishop of Hyderabad.
Senior journalist Camil Parkhe said the announcement is a great honour for the Indian Christian community and is also an acknowledgement of the presence of a significant number of Church institutions in this country as well as the role the Indian Church has to play in the Universal Catholic Church.
7:53 PM
Turns out that fears about asymptomatic Covid spread were overblown. A novel study has claimed that people infected with SARS-CoV-2 but had no symptoms are two-thirds less likely to pass virus to others.
Asymptomatic people were feared to be silent spreaders of Covid pandemic, which has so far claimed six million lives, and almost 15 million excess mortality.
But a review of 130 different studies, published in the open access journal PLOS Medicine, found that the proportion of asymptomatic infection were 50 per cent or lower in most studies.
The studies published through July 2021 showed that most SARS-CoV-2 infections were not persistently asymptomatic, and asymptomatic infections were less infectious than symptomatic infections.
"If both the proportion and transmissibility of asymptomatic infection are relatively low, people with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection should account for a smaller proportion of overall transmission than pre-symptomatic individuals," Diana Buitrago-Garcia of the University of Bern, Switzerland and her team wrote in the paper.
The team included 130 studies, with data on 28,426 people with SARS-CoV-2 across 42 countries, including 11,923 people defined as having asymptomatic infection. An estimated 14-50 per cent of infections were asymptomatic.
Topics :CoronavirusMann Ki BaatToday NewsRussia Ukraine ConflictNarendra ModiDelhi
First Published: May 29 2022 | 7:08 AM IST
