LIVE updates: Delhi records 1,151 new Covid cases; 2,298 in Rajasthan

Live news updates: Charanjit Singh Channi will be Congress's chief ministerial candidate in Punjab; Adani Group forms a new subsidiary to set up data centres

9:35 PM

Tamil Nadu logs 5,104 new Covid cases, 13 deaths

Tamil Nadu continued to record a decline in fresh Coronavirus positive cases registering 5,104 new infections on Monday, taking the caseload to 34,15,986, while the death toll went up to 37,772 with the addition of 13 more fatalities. The state had recorded 6,120 fresh cases and 26 deaths on Sunday.

 

The cumulative recoveries, including 21,027 COVID-19 positive patients getting discharged after treatment today, rose to 32,72,322. The total active cases as of today further decreased to 1,05,892 from 1,21,828 yesterday.

 

Exactly a month ago, the state had recorded 6,983 new infections and 11 deaths. And from then onwards the infection rose by thousands and breached 30,744 cases on January 22. However, since January 23, the fresh cases have been declining steadily to 6,120 a day ago and to 5,104 today.

9:26 PM

Covid maintains downward trend in Bengal

West Bengal's COVID-19 graph maintained its downward trend on Monday registering 641 new cases of the contagion compared to 835 the previous day, taking the tally to 20,06,513, the health department said.

 

The maximum number of 105 new cases of the disease was reported in North 24 Parganas district, while there were 75 cases in the city, a bulletin issued by it said.

 

With 29 fatalities due to COVID-19, the toll in the state on Monday increased to 20,852. North 24 Parganas district saw 10 deaths and the city seven, it said.

9:09 PM

Govt cancels auction of all securities scheduled for 11 Feb as yields spike

India cancelled auctions of government securities to be held on Feb. 11, a government statement said on Monday, following a sharp rise in bond yields after the announcement of record borrowing program.

 

The government said it had decided to cancel the auction post review of cash position.

 

8:51 PM

Madhya Pradesh sees 3,945 Covid cases, two deaths; positivity rate dips to 5.5 pc

The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh reached 10,09,698 on Monday after the detection of 3,945 cases, while the toll increased to 10,664 with two more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, a health department official said.

 

The positivity rate, or cases detected per 100 tests, dipped to 5.5 per cent on Monday from 6.7 per cent on the previous day, he said.

 

The recovery count stood at 9,58,443 after 8,130 people were discharged during the day, leaving the state with an active tally of 40,591, the official said. Bhopal and Indore, the two worst coronavirus-hit cities of Madhya Pradesh, registered 836 and 391 cases, respectively, during the past 24 hours, he said.

8:51 PM

Madhya Pradesh sees 3,945 Covid cases, two deaths; positivity rate dips to 5.5 pc

The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh reached 10,09,698 on Monday after the detection of 3,945 cases, while the toll increased to 10,664 with two more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, a health department official said.

 

The positivity rate, or cases detected per 100 tests, dipped to 5.5 per cent on Monday from 6.7 per cent on the previous day, he said.

 

The recovery count stood at 9,58,443 after 8,130 people were discharged during the day, leaving the state with an active tally of 40,591, the official said. Bhopal and Indore, the two worst coronavirus-hit cities of Madhya Pradesh, registered 836 and 391 cases, respectively, during the past 24 hours, he said.

8:43 PM

Italy clinches its first-ever Olympic curling medal

Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini clinched Italy's first-ever Olympic curling medal on Monday, and they did it with one of the most dominating performances in Winter Games history.

 

The Italian mixed doubles team beat Sweden 8-1 in seven ends in the semifinals, improving their record in Beijing to 10-0.

 

Mosaner, who was also on the men's team at the Pyeongchang Games, and Constantini, an Olympic rookie, earned points in each of the first five ends of the match, the latter four despite Sweden having the last-rock advantage, called the hammer.

8:33 PM

At 356, Mumbai logs lowest daily Covid cases after Dec 21 last year; 949 recover

Mumbai on Monday recorded 356 new COVID-19 cases- the lowest daily rise after December 21, 2021- and five fatalities, the city civic body said. The tally of infections now stands at 10,50,194 and the COVID-19 death toll at 16,654, as per a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) bulletin.

 

Around 88 per cent or 313 cases out of the 356 are asymptomatic, it said.

 

The case positivity rate of Mumbai has come down to 1.19 per cent. On December 21 last year, when the third wave of the pandemic began according to a senior official, Mumbai had reported 321 cases and one fatality due to the infection. A day before Mumbai had reported 536 COVID-19 cases and three deaths due to the infection.

8:28 PM

Congress strengthening separatism, has become 'leader of tukde-tukde gang': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a no-holds-barred attack on the Congress, saying the Britishers have gone but the party has made the "divide and rule" policy its character and has become the "leader of the tukde-tukde gang".

 

Replying to the debate in Lok Sabha on Motion of Thanks to President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the Parliament, Modi said the Congress' "arrogance" has not gone away despite multiple electoral defeats and its "misdeeds" seem to indicate that it has made up its mind not to come to power for the next 100 years.

 

The Prime Minister said the Congress "crossed all limits" during the COVID pandemic.

 

During the first wave, when people were following lockdowns and COVID norms, the Congress was standing at Mumbai Station and scaring innocent labourers into fleeing to their native states, he said. "You have committed a big sin," he added.

8:21 PM

India, ASEAN can develop entire ecosystem for renewable energy: R K Singh

Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh on Monday said India and ASEAN together can develop the entire ecosystem for renewable energy (RE) and explore the joint initiative for building RE manufacturing hubs in the region.

 

At the ASEAN-India High-Level Conference on Renewable Energy, in his keynote address, Singh said India and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) can work together to develop an entire ecosystem for renewables that promotes knowledge sharing, capacity building and technical assistance; and also explore joint initiatives for the development of renewable energy manufacturing hubs in the region.

 

The ASEAN-India High-Level Conference on Renewable Energy, being organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Ministry of External Affairs of Government of India on February 7-8, 2022, commenced on Monday.

8:14 PM

6,151 fresh coronavirus cases, 49 deaths in Karnataka

Daily COVID-19 infections in Karnataka declined to 6,151 on Monday, taking the total positive cases to 39,02,309, according to the health department. The cumulative fatalities stood at 39,396 as the state reported 49 deaths, the health department said.

 

The data shared by the department showed that 99,254 tests were conducted today, whereas the state had been conducting over one lakh tests ever since the outbreak of the third wave of COVID-19. The state had reported 8,425 fresh infections on Sunday.

 

On Sunday also the state had tested 1,29,337 samples including 99,023 RT-PCR tests. In its daily bulletin, the department said 16,802 people were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 37,75,799. Active cases stood at 87,080.

7:59 PM

Rajasthan sees 12 new coronavirus deaths, 2,298 cases

Twelve more people succumbed to COVID-19 in Rajasthan, raising the death toll to 9,391, while 2,298 fresh infections were reported on Monday, official data showed.

 

A total of 403 new cases were recorded in Jaipur, 239 in Jodhpur, 131 in Jhunjhunu, 123 in Alwar, 114 in Rajsamand, 105 in Bhilwara, 104 in Pali.

 

According to the Health Department data, 7,299 more people recoveredfrom the infection, while the count of active COVID-19 cases stands at 40,880 in the state.

 

Of the 12 new coronavirus-related fatalities, two each were in Jaipur-Jhalwad-Sikar and one each in Ajmer, Alwar, Banswara, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Kota.

7:50 PM

Congress have made up mind not to come to power for the next 100 years: PM Modi

7:43 PM

Uttarakhand polls fight between creators of state and those who conspired to block it: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the upcoming Assembly election in Uttarakhand is a fight between those who created the state and those who "conspired to block its creation".

 

Addressing a rally in Haridwar virtually, he accused the previous Congress governments in Uttarakhand and at the Centre of not allowing development in the state as it was "created against the party's wishes".

 

"On one hand, there is BJP which under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee created Uttarakhand and on the other there are people who hatched all sorts of conspiracies to block its creation. "Do you think that those who were against the creation of Uttarakhand will ever bring development here?" Modi asked.

 

He termed the previous Congress dispensations in the state and at the Centre as "double-brake" governments.

7:41 PM

Delhi govt used microphones, went to residential areas telling people to leave: PM

Delhi govt used microphones, went to residential areas telling people to leave; till when will such politics continue: PM Modi in Lok Sabha

7:39 PM

Congress gave free tickets in Mumbai helping spread of Covid: PM

When health experts were advising people to stay wherever they are, Congress gave free tickets in Mumbai helping spread of Covid: PM Modi

7:38 PM

Covid was a global pandemic but it was used for partisan politics, Cong crossed all limits during 1st wave: PM

Covid was a global pandemic but it was used for partisan politics, Cong crossed all limits during first wave, says PM Modi

7:32 PM

Would have been better if Opposition had talked of inflation when in power: PM Modi

Addressing the Parliament Budget session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that the Opposition had raised the issue of inflation and quipped that it would have been better if had raised that matter while their govt was in power. He asserted that his government had tried to rein in inflation even during the pandemic and stated that during 2014-2020, the inflation rate was below the 5 per cent marl. 

 

Modi reminded the house that Jawaharlal Nehru had blamed the Korean war for inflation decades ago and had said that any disturbance in America would have an impact on inflation. He (Nehru) also gave up on inflation, Modi said.

 

PM Modi was also critical of Congress leader P Chidambaram's articles on the economy that have been making their way to the newspapers recently. Modi reminded the house that in 2012, Chidambaram had said that members of the public were not complaining about having to spend Rs 15 on a water bottle and Rs 20 on ice cream but were not able to tolerate a one rupee increase in the prices of wheat and rice.

 

7:28 PM

Congress attempted to hurt Tamil sentiments, it wants to divide and rule the country: PM Modi

7:28 PM

People of India committed to democracy for centuries, blind opposition insult to democracy, says PM Modi

People of India committed to democracy for centuries, blind opposition insult to democracy, says PM Modi in Lok Sabha

7:27 PM

Despite facing so many electoral losses, you have not lost your arrogance: PM targets Congress in Lok Sabha

Despite facing so many electoral losses, you have not lost your arrogance: PM Modi targets Congress in Lok Sabha

7:25 PM

Targeting Congress, PM says in Lok Sabha that people in several states have rejected the party for decades

Targeting Congress, PM Modi says in Lok Sabha that people in several states have rejected the party for decades

7:23 PM

It is true that India has made several developmental strides in the last few years, says PM Modi in Lok Sabha

It is true that India has made several developmental strides in the last few years, says PM Modi in Lok Sabha

7:23 PM

'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' perfect time to think about how India can play global leadership role in future: PM

'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' perfect time to think about how India can play global leadership role in coming years: PM Modi in Lok Sabha

7:23 PM

PM Modi slams Congress, says it is indulging in 'blind opposition'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, saying the party has failed to secure people's mandate in several states for decades but is still indulging in "blind opposition".

 

He said the statements and the actions of the opposition party suggest that it has resigned itself to staying out of power for 100 years.

 

"We are firm believers in democracy. And we also believe that criticism is an essential part of democracy. But, blind opposition to everything is never the way ahead," Modi said while replying to the debate on the president's address to the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. READ MORE...

 

7:21 PM

President had spoken about self-reliant and aspirational India in his address to Parliament: PM

President had spoken about self-reliant and aspirational India in his address to Parliament: PM Modi in Lok Sabha

6:53 PM

Modi blames Cong for fometing migrant crisis during Covid

Launching a scating attack on the Congress in the Parliament Budget session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Grand old party of aggravatimg the migrant crisis during the Covid period. He was also critical of the Opposition mindset that vested all power in the hands of the government and said that his party does not believe that only governments can solve all problems. He said his governmnt believes in the people of the nation, the youth of the nation.

To buttress his point he referred to the startup ecosystem in the country, more specifically at the growth in the number of unicorns in his space.

Modi was also critical of the disdain with which the opposition treated the idea of 'Make in India' and asserted that there has been a huge turnaround in this mindset since 2014. He added that self-reliance in the defence sector is of the top national priorities.

5:46 PM

SP fields late BJP man's wife from Yogi bastion Gorakhpur in UP polls

The Samajwadi Party on Monday released a list of 24 candidates, naming Subhawati Shukla, wife of BJP leader, late Upendra Dutt Shukla, from Gorakhpur.

Subhawati Shukla's husband was known to be against Yogi Adityanath and had lost the 2018 by-election after Yogi Adityanath resigned from the seat after he became chief minister.

By fielding Subhawati Shukla, the SP is clearly aiming at making a dent in BJP votes since Upendra Dutt Shukla was party vice president and had a good following among party cadres.

Besides, Subhawati is sure to get the backing of Brahmin voters since the Thakur-Brahmin hostility in the region is well known.

The SP list also named Nandita Shukla, widow of former BJP leader Ghanshyam Shukla, from Mehnon in Gonda, Vikrama Yadav from Kushinagar, H.N. Patel from Sagdi in Azamgarh, Saurabh Singh from Vishwanathganj in Pratapgarh and Kaushal Singh from Nautanwa in Maharajganj.

The list named Akhilesh Yadav (not SP president) from Mubarakpur in Azamgarh, Narad Rai from Ballia, Sushma Patel from Jaunpur and Kriti Kol from Mirzapur.

5:40 PM

Pak PM Imran Khan set to make first trip to Russia later this month: Report

Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to undertake a crucial visit to Russia later this month - the first by a Pakistani premier in over two decades for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, a media report said on Monday.

Khan is expected to visit Russia from February 23 to 26, The Express Tribune reported, quoting diplomatic sources.

His planned visit to Russia is expected to take place after his visit to China where he attended the Beijing Olympics and held talks with top Chinese leadership including President Xi Jinping. President Putin also attended the opening ceremony which was diplomatically boycotted by the US, European Union and several western countries over China's alleged human rights policies in its restive Xinjiang province.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry refrained from confirming the report on Khan's planned visit to Russia, saying the foreign affairs ministry should be approached for this purpose, the report said.

Khan's visit to Moscow is believed to be a clear signal to the West, especially after he clearly said no to the US on giving military bases to it in Pakistan following America's withdrawal from Afghanistan and not receiving a phone call from US President Joe Biden since he assumed office in January 2021.

 

5:36 PM

Mamata leaves for Lucknow to campaign for SP, calls for defeating BJP

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday left for Lucknow on Monday evening to campaign for Samajwadi Party (SP) and gave the call to defeat BJP in the coming Uttar Pradesh assembly poll.

She will be holding a joint press conference with Akhilesh Yadav, the national president of SP and a virtual rally in Lucknow on February 8, according to sources in the party.

"Akhilesh Yadav has invited me to go there and to campaign for SP. We (TMC) want BJP to be defeated and Akhilesh to win Uttar Pradesh. All of us should support him in the fight against the BJP. That is the reason we have decided not to contest in Uttar Pradesh this time," Banerjee, also the TMC president, told reporters before leaving for Lucknow.

Banerjee said she will also visit Varanasi later in February but the date is yet to be fixed.

The fiesty TMC chief said though the party is contesting only in Goa in the February-March assembly poll in five states, it will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Punjab.

5:34 PM

Shah urges Owaisi to accept Z category protection, cites security threat

Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday requested AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi to accept Z category protection, offered by the government after a recent attack on his car, saying he still faces security threat.

Making a statement in Rajya Sabha, Shah said the Hyderabad MP has refused to take the CRPF protection.

The minister said that Owaisi had been offered security in the past too and a government assessment has found that he still faces security threat.

"We have reassessed the security of Owaisi. We have provided him in Delhi a bullet-proof car under all India level Z category security of Central Reserve Police Force on the basis of assessment,'' he said.

"As per the verbal information sent by Owaisi to us, he has refused to take security. I request Shri Owaisi through this House to take the security immediately and address our concern (about his safety)," Shah said in the Upper House.

He also told the House that the Ministry of Home Affairs has received a report from the state government on the attack.

"The central government has issued directions to provide security to Owaisi many times earlier also. Telangana Police and Delhi Police remained unsuccessful in providing security to Owaisi due to his unwillingness for that," the minister said.

Shots were fired at the car of the president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), on February 3, 2022 in Uttar Pradesh following which two persons were arrested and arms were also recovered. Owaisi had reached Delhi safely after the incident.