LIVE updates: Fed hikes key lending rate by 25 bps as widely expected

9:40 PM Mar 23

Maharashtra reports one Covid death, 334 new cases in last 24 hours

Amid rising Covid-19 cases in the country, Maharashtra on Wednesday reported one Covid death and recorded 334 new cases, the state Public Health Department said on Wednesday. With the fresh infections, the active cases in the state stand at 1,648. According to the bulletin, the recovery rate in the state is 98.16 per cent.

 

Out of 86,563,502 laboratory samples, 8,140,479 have tested positive (09.40 per cent) forCOVID-19 until today.

 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today chaired a high-level meeting to assess the Covid-19 and influenza situation in the country in terms of preparedness of health infrastructure and logistics, the status of the vaccination campaign, the emergence of new Covid-19 variants and influenza types and their public health implications for the country.

9:39 PM Mar 23

Zelensky visits frontline

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he visited military positions near the frontline town of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, as a Russian strike battered a residential building leaving dozens injured.At least one person was killed and 32 more injured in the block of flats in Zaporizhzhia, a city near the frontline, just before Zelensky announced his visit to the front, the mayor said.And officials announced the death toll from a separate overnight drone attack by Russia on a school south of the capital Kyiv had risen to seven, with another nine injured.

 

9:37 PM Mar 23

Amritpal's mentor Papalpreet helped him escape police dragnet

The brains behind pro-Khalistan fugitive Amritpal Singh's escape from the police dragnet was 38-year-old Papalpreet Singh, who was in close contact with Pakistan's ISI and was taking instructions from it, officials said on Wednesday. They said Papalpreet Singh is considered one of Amritpal Singh's mentors who had been advising him on various issues. Papalpreet had been working with Amritpal closely since he returned to India last year and took over the reins of 'Waris Punjab De', an organisation founded by actor Deep Sidhu, who died in a road accident in 2021

 

9:36 PM Mar 23

A giant Tricolour put up by the Indian High Commission team atop the High Commission building in London, UK

9:36 PM Mar 23

Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets Padma awardees as he hosts a dinner for them

8:39 PM Mar 23

President Murmu confers the Padma Bhushan award on Kumar Mangalam Birla in the field of Trade & Industry

President #DroupadiMurmu confers the Padma Bhushan award on Kumar Mangalam Birla in the field of Trade & Industry#PeoplesPadma#PadmaAwards2023 pic.twitter.com/yg04hfCeRL

— PIB India (@PIB_India) March 22, 2023

8:20 PM Mar 23

PM Modi's meet to assess Covid-19, Influenza situation

PM directed officials to enhance Whole Genome Sequencing of Positive Samples with the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories. This will support tracking of newer variants, if any, and timely response: PMO

 

PM emphasized Covid appropriate behaviour including wearing of masks in hospital premises by both patients, health professionals and health workers. He also stressed that wearing of masks is advisable when senior citizens and those with co-morbidities visit crowded areas: Prime Minister's Office (PMO)

 

He directed that effective monitoring of IRI/SARI cases, and testing for Influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and Adenovirus be followed up with States. Further, Prime Minister stressed the need to ensure availability of required Drugs & Logistics for Influenza & Covid-19 across Health Facilities along with availability of sufficient beds & health human resources: PMO

 

He highlighted that Covid-19 pandemic is far from over and there is a need to monitor the status across the country on regular basis. Prime Minister advised to continue focusing on 5-fold strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination & Covid Appropriate Behaviour, enhance Lab Surveillance & testing of all Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases. Mock drills should be conducted regularly to ensure that our hospitals are ready for all exigencies: PMO

8:20 PM Mar 23

The month of Ramzan to begin on 24th March 2023, announces Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali

The month of Ramzan to begin on 24th March 2023, announces Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali pic.twitter.com/UmNIekKs6U

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 22, 2023

8:18 PM Mar 23

Boris Johnson faces high-stakes grilling over 'partygate'

Boris Johnson is back where he likes to be: at the center of attention. But he's not so happy about the reason. Britain's former prime minister faces a grilling Wednesday by a committee of lawmakers over whether he misled Parliament about rule-breaking parties in government buildings during the coronavirus pandemic

 

8:18 PM Mar 23

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shares on Twitter, the resolution adopted by Assam Assembly against BBC

2:58 PM Mar 23

Chandrayaan 3, Aditya L1 will be possibly launched in middle of 2023: ISRO chief

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman S Somanath on Wednesday said the launch of Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar mission, and the first solar mission Aditya L1 will possibly happen by the middle of 2023.

He was delivering the inaugural talk on "Indian Capabilities for Space and Planetary Exploration" at the 4th Indian Planetary Science Conference organised at Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) here.

2:29 PM Mar 23

Delhi Budget: Focus on infra; Rs 8,241 cr assistance to local bodies

Presenting the budget for the national capital on Wednesday, Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot said that it focuses on enhancing the city's infrastructure, sanitation and transportation facilities besides the health and education sectors.

Gahlot announced that the local bodies will be given financial assistance of Rs 8,241 crore in the financial year 2023-24.

He proposed Rs 722 crore for new flyover projects and Rs 320 crore for the double-decker flyover in the city.

2:04 PM Mar 23

No barter on JPC, Rahul's case is matter of distortion: Jairam Ramesh

The Congress on Wednesday said that there could not be barter on the demand for a JPC in lieu of Rahul Gandhi's apology.

While addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh, said, "There could be no middle path. The opposition will not back down from the demand of a JPC in Adani Group. There cannot be a barter on the JPC as Rahul Gandhi's case is a matter of distortion."

He said Rahul Gandhi has already written to the Lok Sabha Speaker to allow him to speak in the Parliament under rule 357.

1:54 PM Mar 23

Congress making fake promises, says CM Bommai as campaigning intensifies

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday hit out at the Congress for "trying to fool people" by making "fake" promises in its bid to return to the helm of the state after a gap of five years.

Karnataka is expected to go to the polls in May this year to elect representatives from 224 assembly seats.

"Rahul Gandhi came here many times. He did Bharat Jodo Yatra, but nothing happened. He also made a bogus announcement a few days ago but nothing will happen," CM Bommai told media at his Hubballi residence in the wake of poll promises made by the grand old party.

1:28 PM Mar 23

MP Cabinet approves establishment, upgradation of 184 health institutions

A cabinet meeting, chaired by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Tuesday evening approved the establishment and upgradation of 184 health institutions with an aim to improve the health facilities in the state.

Of these health institutions, there are 10 Civil Hospitals, 6 Community Health Centres, 11 Primary Health Centres, and 157 Sub Health Centres.

The cabinet also approved the formation of nine new project implementation units by Madhya Pradesh Jal Nigam. The approval was given for the formation of new project implementation units in Rewa, Sagar, Barwani, Chhindwara, Sehore, Alirajpur, Chhatarpur, Katni and Mandla district headquarters.

1:20 PM Mar 23

Amritpal fallout: Akali Dal takes on AAP; sets up hotlines to provide aid

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said that the party is ready to provide legal assistance to all the Sikh youth who are arrested by Punjab Police in their ongoing search hunt for fugitive Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh.

Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal took to Twitter and said, "Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to provide complete legal assistance to all Sikh youth arrested in the ongoing extra-constitutional crackdown in Punjab and ensure their rights are not trampled upon by AAP Punjab".

12:58 PM Mar 23

I want to contribute Rs 5.11 cr for inmates' welfare: Sukesh Chandrashekhar

Incarcerated conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar on Wednesday wrote a letter to the Director General of Prisons, seeking permission to contribute a demand draft of Rs 5.11 crore from him towards the welfare of inmates and their families who are not able to pay for their bail bonds and are lodged in jail for many years.

The letter said, "As a human being who is in the same situation of being away from loved ones and with good intentions, I humbly request you to accept the demand draft of Rs 5.11 crore towards the welfare of inmates. I would be very happy if the contribution is accepted on 25th March, as it's my birthday, and it would be the best gift for me".

12:41 PM Mar 23

Delhi Budget: Work done by Sisodia will be carried forward at double speed, says CM Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that Delhiites are "missing" Manish Sisodia on the day of budget presentation, and asserted that the work started by the former minister will be carried on at double the speed.

This time, the budget will be presented by Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot, who was given charge of the finance department after resignation of deputy chief minister Sisodia.

12:20 PM Mar 23

SC to hear batch of petitions on criminalisation of marital rape on May 9

The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed May 9 for a detailed hearing on a batch of petitions pertaining to criminalisation of marital rape.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.

She told the bench that the order of arguments and common compilation in the case is ready.

11:57 AM Mar 23

EU condemns gender-based discrimination by Taliban in Afghanistan

As gender-based discrimination continues to remain prevalent in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, the European Union (EU) in an official statement has said that the decision of the Taliban to deny education to females and work at NGOs has hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid in the country, TOLOnews reported.

In its official statement, the EU said, "large-scale and systematic gender-based discrimination by the Taliban who, through their discriminatory decision to ban women from working for national and international non-governmental organisations, are impeding the delivery of humanitarian assistance and basic needs support to the Afghan people."