LIVE: Next 40 days crucial, India may see Covid rise in Jan, say officials

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10:14 PM

7 killed in stampede at Chandrababu rally in Kandukuru

Seven people were killed and some others injured in a stampede at a public rally of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu Kandukuru in erstwhile Praskasam district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. As milling crowds jostled, a few of them slipped into a canal. In the stampede that ensued, two persons were killed and five others were injured. The bodies and the injured persons were shifted a hospital. Chinna Kondaiah of Gudlur mandal and Kakumanu Raja of Kandukur town died on the spot when they fell in an open drain.

 

 

7:31 PM

Serum Institute to provide 2 crore Covishield doses to central govt free of cost

The Serum Institute of India (SII) has offered two crore doses of Covishield vaccine to the central government free of cost amid a rise in Covid-19 cases in some countries, official sources said on Wednesday. According to an official source, Prakash Kumar Singh, Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at the Serum Institute, has written to the Health Ministry offering the doses worth Rs 410 crore free of cost.It is learnt that Singh has sought to know from the ministry how the the delivery can be made.

 

6:22 PM

Centre has no plan to bring back mask mandate as of now: Report

The Centre reportedly has no plan to bring back the mask mandate as of now, despite the surge in Covid cases in some countries, including neighbouring China.Mirror Now, quoting sources, claimed that the government will now focus more on awareness.India reported a total 188 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday in the last 24 hrs, against 157 cases reported the previous day.

 

5:52 PM

Serum Institute to provide 2 crore Covishield doses to central govt free of cost; Sources

The Serum Institute of India (SII) has offered two crore doses of Covishield vaccine to the central government free of cost amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in some countries, official sources tell PTI.

According to an official source, Prakash Kumar Singh, director of government and regulatory affairs at the Serum Institute, has written to the health ministry offering the doses worth Rs 410 crore free of cost.

It is learnt that Singh has sought to know from the ministry how the delivery can be made.

SII has so far provided more than 170 crore doses of Covishield to the government for the national immunisation programme.

Amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in some countries, including China and South Korea, the government has sounded an alert and asked states and Union territories to prepare for any eventuality.

 

5:40 PM

Boundary row: Mumbai belongs to Maharashtra, not to anyone's father, says Fadnavis

Strongly condemning remarks by some Karnataka leaders amid a raging boundary dispute with Karnataka, Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says Mumbai belongs to the state and "not to anyone's father".

Speaking in the legislative assembly, Fadnavis says state's feelings will be conveyed to the Karnataka government and Union home minister Amit Shah.

Raising the issue in the House, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party said, "Law minister (of Karnataka) Madhu Swamy has demanded that Mumbai be made a Union territory. (BJP's) Laxman Savadi said Mumbai belongs to Karnataka and has rubbed salt on the Marathi people's wounds," Pawar said.

5:36 PM

SC to hear on January 2 plea against forced religious conversions

The Supreme Court will hear on January 2 a fresh plea seeking directions to the Centre and states to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversions by "intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits".

A bench of justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar is likely to take up the plea filed by advocate Ashutosh Kumar Shukla which has also sought creation of a special task force to keep check on deceitful religious conversions.

Contending that the State is obliged to protect fundamental rights of the citizens, the plea said the right to propagate one's religion does not give a right to convert any person to one's own religion.

5:20 PM

Former Maha minister Anil Deshmukh walks out of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai

Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, who has been granted bail by the Bombay high court in a corruption case,  walked out of the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai on Wednesday evening after a special CBI court issued the release order.

A vacation bench of the high court had on Tuesday rejected the CBI's plea seeking extension on the stay to Deshmukh's bail order.

Justice M S Karnik had granted bail to the NCP leader on December 12, but stayed the order for ten days as the CBI sought time to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

"I have full faith in judiciary. The high court has observed that I was implicated in a false case," Deshmukh said, as senior NCP leaders including Ajit Pawar welcomed him outside the jail.

In April this year, the CBI arrested him in a corruption case.

 

5:14 PM

Mallikarjun Kharge wishes speedy recovery to PM Narendra Modi's mother

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday wished a speedy recovery to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother after she was admitted to a hospital in Ahmedabad.

"We wish for the good health of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's mother. Hope she gets well soon," Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.

 

4:42 PM

'Next 40 days crucial as India may see surge in Covid cases in January'

The next 40 days are going to be crucial as India may see a surge in Covid-19 cases in January, official sources tell PTI, citing the pattern of previous outbreaks.

"Previously, it has been noticed that a new wave of Covid-19 hits India around 30-35 days after it hits East Asia...This has been a trend," an official said.

The health ministry sources, however, said the severity of the infection is less. Even if there is a wave, deaths and hospitalisation will be very low, they said.

 

4:39 PM

Home Minister Amit Shah reviews security situation, development programmes in JK

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday reviewed the security situation and development issues in Jammu and Kashmir, where four heavily-armed terrorists who had come from Pakistan were killed early this morning, officials said.

In the pre-scheduled meeting, the home minister reviewed the prevailing security situation in the Union Territory and steps taken to deal with the Pakistan-backed terrorists and maintain peace.

The development programmes being carried out in the UT were also discussed threadbare at the meeting, an official said.

The meeting was attended by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, senior officials of the ministry, paramilitary forces, the Jammu and Kashmir administration and police.

4:38 PM

Rahul wishes speedy recovery to PM Modi's mother, says 'love between mother and son eternal, priceless'

Rahul Gandhi has wished speedy recovery to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother, Hiraben, who was admitted to a hospital in Ahmedabad following health issues.

"The love between a mother and a son is eternal and priceless," Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

"Modi ji, my love and support is with you in this difficult time. I hope your mother gets well soon," he said.

Hiraben Modi, 100, has been admitted to U N Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre. Her condition is stable, the hospital has said.

3:15 PM

ED attaches assets worth Rs 1.88 crore of former Odisha govt cleaning staffer in PMLA case

Assets worth Rs 1.88 crore of a former cleaning assistant working with the Odisha government have been attached under the anti-money laundering law, the Enforcement Directorate says.

The properties belong to Lingaraj Jena, a former 'safei mohareer' (cleaning assistant) in the office of the additional sub-collector (settlement) in Puri district.

The money laundering case of the ED stems from a case of alleged possession of disproportionate assets filed by the Odisha vigilance directorate against Jena.

 

3:05 PM

Andhra CM Jagan Reddy meets PM Modi, discusses Polavaram project

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed state issues and reiterated his demand for the release of pending funds for the Polavaram irrigation project.

In the nearly 50-minute meeting held at Modi's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi, Reddy underlined that his state has already spent about Rs 2,900 crore on the Polavaram project so far which the central government has not yet reimbursed.

He said his government is facing a resource crunch and requested the Centre to provide Rs 10,000-crore fund on an ad hoc basis for early completion of the project, official sources said.

The chief minister also sought early approval of the revised cost estimate of the Polavaram project pegged at Rs 55,548.87 crore.

2:30 PM

Air India not govt controlled; no longer amenable to writ jurisdiction: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has refused to entertain a plea against Air India by the Indian Airlines Officers Association seeking pay and allowance arrears, saying the airline has ceased to be a government-controlled company and is no longer amenable to its writ jurisdiction.

Justice Jyoti Singh observed that the petition was undoubtedly maintainable when it was filed in 2016 on account of Air India then being a public body but with the change of circumstance with respect to its ownership, the court is precluded from granting the relief sought in the present proceedings.

It is an admitted position that during the pendency of the present writ petition, on 27.01.2022, 100 per cent shareholding of Air India has been acquired by M/s. Talace Pvt. Ltd. and Air India having ceased to be a Government controlled company, is no longer amenable to the writ jurisdiction of this Court.The writ petition cannot be entertained, said the court in its recent order.

 

2:17 PM

No other option but to implement IMF deal: Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his government has no other option but to implement the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme to revive the cash-starved economy.

He regretted that if the government wanted to give any subsidy in any sector, it had to go to the IMF "which is a factor and a painful reality", the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan quoted Sharif as saying during a meeting on Tuesday.

The prime minister also said that the agreement with the IMF was blatantly breached by the Imran Khan-led PTI government in the past.

 

2:15 PM

PM Modi's mother admitted to hospital in Ahmedabad, condition stable

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Hiraben Modi (100) was on Wednesday admitted to a hospital in Ahmedabad following health issues.

The UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre, where she has been hospitalised, said her condition is stable.

Security around the hospital has been beefed up amid reports that PM Modi will be reaching there to meet his ailing mother.

2:06 PM

Cong alleges security breach during Bharat Jodo Yatra, writes to HM Amit Shah

The Congress on Wednesday wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah, alleging security breaches in the Bharat Jodo Yatra which entered Delhi on December 24.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said in in the letter that the Delhi police behaved like "mute spectators" and completely failed to control the surging crowd and maintain a perimeter around Rahul Gandhi, who is assigned Z+ security.

"Moving forward. Bharat Jodo Yatra is slated to enter the sensitive state of Punjab and J&K in the next phase starting from January 3, 2022. In this regard, I request you to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of Rahul Gandhi, a Z+ protectee and of all the Bharat Yatris and leaders joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Venugopal wrote.

1:59 PM

EAM Jaishankar to visit Cyprus, Austria from December 29 to January 3

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit the Republic of Cyprus and Austria from December 29 to January 3.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement that Jaishankar will be in Republic of Cyprus (RoC) from December 29 to December 31 to mark  60 years of the bilateral diplomatic relations.

In Austria, he will meet Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg. This will be the first EAM-level visit from India to Austria in 27 years, and it takes place against the backdrop of 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2023.

 

1:50 PM

Court extends CBI custody of Chanda Kochhar, Deepak Kochhar, Venugopal Dhoot

A CBI court on Wednesday granted two days more of custody to the invegation agency of the accused Chanda Kochhar, Deepak Kochhar and Venugopal Dhoot in the alleged ICICI Bbank-Videocon money laundering case.

The CBI had sought extension of custody of Videocon chairman Dhoot, former managing director and CEO of ICICI Bank Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak. It had got three-day custody of the three accused on Monday.

The case is related to alleged irregularities and corrupt practices in the sanction of a Rs 1,875 crore loan disbursed by ICICI Bank to the Videocon group between 2009 and 2011.

 

1:46 PM

Maharashtra Assembly passes Lokayukta Bill; Fadnavis terms it historic legislation

Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday passed the Lokayukta Bill 2022, which brings the chief minister and council of ministers under the ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman.

The bill was passed without discussion as the opposition staged a walkout over the alleged scam in the Teachers Entrance Test.

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the bill a historic legislation, adding Maharashtra is the first state to have such a law.

 

1:12 PM

"Jab tak chal rahi hai...": Rahul Gandhi says on wearing T-shirt as Delhi shivers

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was once again spotted wearing a tee shirt at the party's 138th Foundation Day celebrations in the national capital even as a cold wave sweeps north India.

As he entered the venue, a reporter asked a question related to the T-shirt. Rahul Gandhi replied, "T-shirt hi chal rahi hai aur jab tak chal rahi hai chalayenge" (will wear it as long as I can)."

The former Congress chief was on Monday seen similarly dressed in a T-shirt as he visited the memorials of Mahatma Gandhi and several former prime ministers to pay his tributes.

1:03 PM

AAP councillors will ensure landfill sites are cleared of garbage: Delhi deputy CM Sisodia

Work at landfill sites in Delhi need to speed up and the Aam Aadmi Party will ensure that once the MCD councillors take oath next month, deputy CM Manish Sisodia said on Wednesday.

Sisodia visited the Okhla landfill site to inspect the progress of work.

"AAP councillors have started working even before taking oath. We visited the Okhla landfill site and inspected the progress here so far. Work needs to speed up and I am hopeful that after January 6, AAP councillors will ensure the same. We need to visit the landfill sites every week to ensure the height of the garbage mountains reduce," Sisodia said.

 

12:56 PM

Dense fog over the past 3 days delayed 100 flights at Delhi airport

As many as 100 flights have been disrupted in Delhi alone as the city continues to reel under severe cold conditions with a thick layer of fog.

 

"Due to bad weather (fog) for three days, over 100 flights are reported delayed from and to Delhi airport, some have also been diverted to the nearest airport," a Delhi airport official told ANI.

 

Air travellers faced problems due to the delays amid a busy year-end holiday season.

The Delhi airport official said some airlines have not deployed their CAT-III-compliant pilots yet so they are facing delays.

 

12:42 PM

Update: 4 terrorists hiding inside a truck killed after gunfight in Jammu

A senior police official says four heavily armed terrorists have been killed after a gunfight in Jammu ear;y Wednesday. He says the terrorists were travelling in a a truck to Kashmir after infiltrating from Pakistan, terming it a "major success" ahead of Republic Day.

Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh said the gunfight took place around 7.30 am amid intense fog near Tawi Bridge in the Sidhra bypass area on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

"Seven AK assault rifles, one M4 rifle, three pistols and a large quantity of ammunition were recovered from the slain terrorists," Singh said.

The driver of the truck managed to escape. 

12:35 PM

Helicopter joyrides over Sam sand dunes started in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer

Tourists visiting Jaisalmer in Rajasthan will now be able to enjoy helicopter joyrides over the popular Sam sand dunes in the desert town.

A private company has started the service, in association with the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), on an experimental basis.

RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore said the helicopter joyride has been started from Samdhani, Jaisalmer, and the service will be expanded at a later stage by connecting other tourist destinations with the service.

"There is an ambitious plan to make a tourism circuit by connecting other tourist places of the state through the service. Religious, wildlife and heritage places will be added to this circuit, which will facilitate domestic and foreign tourists to visit more tourist places in less time," he said.

12:26 PM

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to skip Namami Gange event chaired by PM Modi

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will skip the National Ganga Council meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kolkata on December 30. In place of Kumar, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav will attend the event.

The chief ministers of all northern and eastern Indian states have been invited to the Namami Gange meeting.

"Last time when it happened in Uttar Pradesh, Sushil Modi attended it as he was seeing the concerned department. This time Tejashwi Yadav is handling this department, so we requested him to go," said Kumar.

 

11:21 AM

Three Indian Americans die after falling in frozen lake in Arizona: Officials

In a tragic incident, three Indian-Americans, including a woman, have drowned after they fell through the ice while walking on a frozen lake in the US state of Arizona. The incident occurred on December 26 at Woods Canyon Lake in Coconino County, Arizona.

"The missing men are located deceased and identified as Narayana Muddana, 49 and Gokul Mediseti, 47. The female victim has been identified as Haritha Muddana (age unknown). The three victims resided in Chandler, Arizona, and are originally from India," Coconino County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) said in a statement on Tuesday.

Woods Canyon Lake is located east of Payson in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. It is an area popular among hikers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts.

 

11:10 AM

Some relief from cold expected from Wednesday till January 1: IMD

Days after witnessing cold wave and dense fog, Delhiites may get some relief from the chilly period from Wednesday till January 1 following western disturbance, said an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official.

The city residents on Wednesday woke up to a thin layer of fog and a cold day with Palam weather station in Delhi recording a minimum temperature of 7.8 degree Celsius while Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 8.4 degree Celsius.

 

11:08 AM

Congress Foundation Day: Kharge attacks govt, says society being divided by hate

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday attacked the government, saying the fundamentals of India are being constantly attacked and the society is being "divided by hate".

Addressing party leaders and workers at the 138th foundation day of the Congress at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, he said the people of the country are being hit by price rise and unemployment but the government is not bothered.

He also said that India progressed due to Congress' approach of inclusion and taking everyone along.

10:37 AM

Fire erupts in 20 shops in Mumbai's Kurla area; no injuries reported

A fire broke out in around 20 shops where scrap material and vehicle spare parts were kept in Kurla area of Mumbai on Wednesday, a civic official said.

The fire brigade received a call at around 2.30 am about the blaze and managed to douse the fire by 8.30 am, he said.

There was no report of injury to anyone.

The fire was confined to the electric wiring and installations, scrap material and vehicle spare parts in an area of 400 to 500 square feet in 20 to 25 shops, the official said.