LIVE: Droupadi Murmu surges ahead of Yashwant Sinha in Presidential polls

Of total 748 votes of MPs, NDA's Droupadi Murmu gets 540, Opposition's Yashwant Sinha gets 208, says Returning Officer

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Droupadi Murmu will be elected as the President: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

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Prez poll: 15 votes of MPs found invalid during counting, says Returning Officer

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Droupadi Murmu surges ahead of Yashwant Sinha in Presidential polls

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Nearly 159,000 people recruited for govt jobs during COVID-19 pandemic period: Centre

Nearly 159,000 people were recruited for government jobs during the coronavirus pandemic period of the last two years, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

 

Recruitment in central government is a continuous process. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) have been conducting their examinations duly complying with all COVID-19 safety protocols, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply.

 

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AstraZeneca, Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines offer high protection 6 months after second dose: Study

Two doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines provide high protection against severe COVID-19 up to six months after the second shot, according to a study published in The BMJ.

 

The team led by researchers at the University of Bristol, UK, analysed the National Health Service (NHS) health record data on over seven million adults, finding protection in people aged over 65 years, and in clinically vulnerable adults.

 

They also analysed how quickly vaccine effectiveness waned over time in adults without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and who received two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine compared with unvaccinated individuals.

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Stay or go? Ronaldo's future uncertain at Manchester United

The weekly social media posts published by Cristiano Ronaldo this offseason typically have shown the soccer superstar half-dressed, muscles bulging, either working out or promoting one of his many brands.

 

Remaining relevant and highly visible is clearly so important to the player who, along with Lionel Messi, is the greatest of his generation. That also extends to the final years of his career on the field, too.

 

It's why, for the 37-year-old Ronaldo, playing for Manchester United — still one of the world's most famous sports teams, despite their recent trophy drought — just isn't enough. He wants to be competing on the biggest stage, winning the biggest trophies while he can.

 

Hence the current standoff with United, which is becoming more damaging and disruptive as the days go by and the new season looms.

2:44 PM

Mario Draghi resigns as premier, throwing Italy into political chaos

Prime Minister Mario Draghi offered his resignation to Italy’s president, in a move that will raise the prospect of snap elections as soon as early October.

 

The former European Central Bank chief announced his decision to President Sergio Mattarella in a meeting Thursday morning, according to a statement by the president’s office. The government will continue as a caretaker to handle ongoing business. 

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'Can't deny abortion if woman is unmarried', SC allows plea to terminate 24-week pregnancy

In a significant decision, the Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the examination of a 24-week pregnant unmarried woman by an AIIMS medical board to determine whether the pregnancy can be safely terminated without endangering her life.

 

A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said letting an unmarried woman suffer an unwanted pregnancy will be contrary to the object and spirit of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.

 

The top court noted that after the 2021 amendment, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act uses the word "partner" instead of "husband" in the explanation to Section 3. It added that it shows legislative intent to cover unmarried women under the Act.

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Kejriwal promises up to 300 units of free electricity in Gujarat if AAP comes to power

Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday promised that his party will provide free electricity up to 300 units per month if voted to power in Gujarat where polls are due this year.

 

Addressing people at a town hall meeting in Surat, the Delhi chief minister also guaranteed uninterrupted power supply without any cuts.

 

"I am giving you a guarantee. If you find any fault later, you are free not to vote for AAP in the next election. We will fulfil all the guarantees once we come to power in the state," he said.

 

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Those who had no role in country's Independence struggle are now trying to rewrite India's history: Mamata

Those who had no role in country's Independence struggle are now trying to rewrite India's history: Mamata Banerjee at TMC rally.