US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday said that the country is still "months away" from the COVID-19 vaccine, adding that Americans need to continue to practice social-distancing and mask-wearing to combat the virus.

"Today's news of a second vaccine is further reason to feel hopeful. What was true with the first vaccine remains true with the second: we are still months away. Until then, Americans need to continue to practice social-distancing and mask-wearing to get the virus under control," Biden tweeted. 

This comes after US biotech company Moderna on Monday announced a potential Covid-19 vaccine, which has been shown to be 94.5 per cent effective at protecting people from coronavirus, according to interim results from late-stage clinical trials.

"Once again, I congratulate the brilliant women and men who produced this breakthrough and have brought us one step closer to beating this virus. I am also thankful for the frontline workers who are still confronting the virus around the clock," Stephane Bancel, Moderna's CEO said.

This statement followed announcements by US giant Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech who last week had said their vaccine, was found to be more than 90 per cent effective.

This development comes as the US continues to be the worst affected country by the pandemic with over 11 million cases of coronavirus. 

Mumbai on Monday reported 409 fresh COVID-19 cases, its lowest single-day addition since May, taking the tally to 2,70,113, the city civic body said.

With 12 patients succumbing to the viral infection during the day, also lowest since May, the overall toll went

up to 10,582, as per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

In another good news, the number of active cases fell below 10,000 to 9,807 during data reconciliation, it said.

With 529 people getting discharged in the day, the count of recoveries in the city rose to 2,45,774, which is

about 91 per cent of the tally of the total COVID-19 cases.

The average doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in the city has jumped to 273 days, while the average growth rate

stands at 0.25 per cent, the BMC said.

A total of 16.89 lakh samples have been tested so far in Mumbai, it added.

At least 75 doctors and 250 paramedics from the paramilitary forces are on their way from different parts of the country to serve the people of Delhi which is facing a spike in coronavirus cases and manpower shortage.

 

A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah stepped in to rev up the fight against the pandemic in the national capital, several meetings were held on Monday in different wings of the government here for the smooth implementation of his 11 directives.

Seventy five doctors and 250 paramedics will join the health workers of Delhi to handle the COVID-19 patients as early as possible, an official privy to the development.

The doctors and paramedics of the paramilitary forces are coming from as far as Assam and Tamil Nadu besides Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, etc.

Arrangements are being made to enhance the number of oxygen beds by strengthening the 10,000 bedded Chhatarpur covid care centre as decided at a high-level meeting chaired by the union home minister on Sunday.

At present, officials said, 10 percent of the beds at the Sardar Patel COVID care centre are oxygen supported and it is called the dedicated COVID healthcare centre.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, authorities of the Indian Council of Medical Research, the DRDO, the Delhi government and the city's municipal corporations held separate meetings for smooth implementation of the 11 directives given to fight the recent spike of COVID-19 cases in the capital, the official said.

The arrangements are also being made for the accommodation of the paramilitary doctors and paramedics who will be arriving in Delhi in the next few days.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal's public takedown of the party leadership after its Bihar defeat has received a sharp rebuttal from Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who said in a series of tweets today that there was "no need" for Mr Sibal to mention internal issues in the media.

"There was no need for Kapil Sibal to mention our internal issue in media, this has hurt the sentiments of party workers across the country," Mr Gehlot said in his tweets.

He also said the party had improved with each and every crisis under Sonia Gandhi and would this time too. "Everytime we came out stronger due to our ideology, programs, policies and firm belief in party leadership. We have improved with each and every crisis and also formed UPA government in 2004 under the able leadership of Soniaji, we shall overcome this time too," the Congress veteran wrote.

Sibal, in a no-holds-barred interview to the Indian Express, said that the party must recognise it was in decline and "experienced minds, experienced hands and those who understand political realities" were needed to revive the organisation.

US biotech company Moderna on Monday announced a new potential Covid-19 vaccine, which has been shown to be 94.5 per cent effective at protecting people from coronavirus, according to interim results from late-stage clinical trials.

This announcement followed announcements by US giant Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech who said their vaccine, was found to be more than 90 per cent effective.

Both shots rely on a technology called messenger RNA, which is designed to transform the body's own cells to making the vaccine.

Stephane Bancel, Moderna's chief executive termed it as a "pivotal" moment in the development of the vaccine, on which the company had been working since early this January.

"This positive interim analysis from our Phase 3 study has given us the first clinical validation that our vaccine can prevent COVID-19 disease, including severe disease," said Bancel in a statement.

Moderna also said it expected its vaccine to remain stable when refrigerated at between 2C and 8C for 30 days, significantly longer than the shot developed by BioNTech-Pfizer, which can survive in a normal fridge for only up to five days and must otherwise be stored at minus 75C.

Congress leader Manish Tewari has tested positive for COVID-19.

Tewari, who is MP from Anandpur Sahib, advised all those who have been in contact with him over the past few days to stay cautious. "I have tested positive for COVID -19 today. I got up with mild fever around 2 am last night. I got myself tested. No other symptoms are seen so far. All those who have been in contact with me over the past few days are advised to stay cautious," he said in a tweet. 

"Best wishes to the Nitish Kumar on being nominated as the Chief Minister of Bihar. I hope that instead of the ambition of the chair, he will make the government's priority in the 19 lakh jobs and jobs of Bihar's Janakaksha and NDA and positive issues like education, medicine, earning, irrigation, hearing," says RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

The Grand Alliance on Monday decided to boycott the oath-taking ceremony of Nitish Kumar, claiming the mandate in the elections was "against the National Democratic Alliance" which has been changed by a "fraud".

Rashtriya Janata Dal, which is spearheading the five-party Mahagathbandhan, alleged in a tweet, "The RJD boycotts oath-taking ceremony of this puppet government. The mandate is for a change, and against the (ruling) NDA. The peoples verdict has been changed by the rulers order."

The RJD, which emerged as the single largest party in Bihar with 75 seats, also claimed the state is getting a "helpless government by the two helpless parties".

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor took a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday after he took the oath of office for the seventh time, saying he was "nominated" to the post by the BJP and the state should brace for a few more years of lacklustre governance with a "tired and politically belittled" leader at the helm.

  

Once a close aide of Kumar, Kishor was made the JD-U vice president by the party chief, but his independent and often adversarial views soured their relations and he was expelled from the party.   

"Congratulations to Nitish Kumar for taking oath as BJP-nominated chief minister. With a tired and politically belittled leader as CM, #Bihar should brace for few more years of lacklustre governance," Kishor said in a tweet.

The tweet was his first in nearly four months as he used to be very active on the microblogging website.

PM Modi was extending his wishes after Nitish Kumar took the oath of office for the seventh time in 20 years. 

Along with him, BJP's Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi took the oath as the deputy chief ministers of Bihar.

LJP leader Chirag Paswan, who ran a fierce campaign against Nitish Kumar in the recently concluded Bihar election, offered his congratulations to the JDU chief this evening, minutes after he was sworn in as chief minister.

The "congratulations", though, was immediately followed by swipes at the veteran politician, with Paswan indicating Nitish Kumar ought to thank the BJP for "making (you) the chief minister".

"Congratulations to Nitish Kumarji for becoming Chief Minister again. I hope the government will complete its tenure and you will continue to be the Chief Minister of the NDA," Chirag Paswan wrote in his first tweet.

"Made by 4 lakh Biharis, I am sending the vision document (the LJP's election manifesto - Bihar First, Bihari First) to you... whatever work you can complete from it, do it. Congratulations once again on becoming Chief Minister and (to) the BJP for making you chief minister," he added.

Nitish Kumar was sworn in as CM of Bihar on Monday evening, five days after the JDU-BJP alliance scored a narrow win in state elections. The BJP secured 74 seats in the 243-member assembly, relegating Kumar's JD-U - which won only 43 - to second place in the alliance.

Captain Sir Tom Moore has achieved yet another record-breaking accolade, becoming the oldest-ever cover star for British GQ magazine.

The 100-year-old war veteran who won the nations hearts with his fundraising walk to help the National Health Services, will be honoured with the Inspiration Of The Year award at the annual GQ Men Of The Year Awards later this month.

Ahead of the digital ceremony, which is scheduled for 26 November, the former British Army Officer graces the January/February 2021 issue cover of the magazine, making him the oldest cover star in GQs 32-year history.

Upon finding out he is magazines oldest cover star, Captain Sir Tom said: Well, thats something special, isnt it?

The Second World War veteran initially set out to raise 1,000 for NHS charities in March by walking 100 laps of his garden during the first national lockdown. However, on his 100th birthday, his appeal surpassed 32 million.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister  K Palaniswami on Monday greeted his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar on assuming office for a record fourth straight term and wished him all success.

    

"I congratulate you on your assumption of charge as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record fourth time (term) and wish you a successful tenure," Palaniswami said in his congratulatory message sent to Nitish Kumar.

     

Kumar, who helms the JD-U, was sworn in as CM of Bihar for the seventh time in two decades.

     

The 69-year old took over as Bihar chief minister for a fourth straight term at a ceremony in Patna which was attended by top BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda.

Almost 20 years after he first took oath as the chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar is shortly going to be sworn-in as the 23rd CM of the state. Though his first CM stint, in March 2000, lasted only seven days, Nitish Kumar came back to power in 2005 and has been in the driving seat of Bihar politics ever since.

If he finishes his fourth straight term, Nitish could go down in history as the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar.

The second phase of the multilateral naval exercise Malabar, in which India, US, Japan and Australia are participating, will be held in the Arabian Sea from November 17 to November 20. This is the first time in over a dozen years that the four countries are participating in such a large war-gaming naval exercise.

The first phase was conducted off the Visakhapatnam shore earlier this month. The exercise involves aircraft carriers, fighter jets, submarines and other ships participating together.

The second phase of Exercise Malabar 2020 will be conducted in the Northern Arabian Sea from 17 to 20 November 2020, the Navy said, adding that it will take forward the synergy achieved in the recently concluded Phase 1 of Exercise Malabar 2020, which was conducted in the Bay of Bengal from November 3 to November 6.

This phase will involve coordinated operations of increasing complexity between the navies of Australia, India, Japan and the United States, the Navy said.

The four participating nations are also members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, and their coming together for a major war-gaming exercise sends a strong message to China at a time when India and China are involved in an over-six-month military standoff in eastern Ladakh.

Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram on  Monday said it was time for introspection and consultation in the party, days after its's poor showing in the Bihar assembly elections.

    

Karti, son of former union minister P Chidambaram, in a tweet said: "Its time we introspect, ideate, consult & act @INCIndia."

   

The Lok Sabha MP from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu made the cryptic comment while tagging a tweet by senior party colleague Kapil Sibal on his interview to English daily "Indian Express" about the Bihar poll outcome.

    

Karti's comment comes a day after senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar said delay in finalising seat sharing for the Bihar election adversely impacted the grand alliance's poll performance.

After helping several migrants amid the coronavirus pandemic, actor Sonu Sood came to the rescue of a six-year-old boy, Harshvardhan, who had to undergo a liver transplant at Apollo Hospital in Telangana. The actor-producer extended a helping hand to the boy's family and took care of all the finances required for the operation.

The six-year-old has been keeping ill since he was six months old, told the mother. "It was only a month ago that the doctor had said that my son's liver has been damaged completely and that he needs to undergo surgery which would cost somewhere around Rs 20 lakh and that his life would be in danger if no treatment received," said Harshvardhan's mother.

The family sought help through the chief minister's fund and Arogyasri scheme but to no avail, as per the six-year-old's mother.

"Sonu sir met us even though he was busy with his shoot and promised to fund the complete treatment. He is bearing all the costs for the surgery. He is a kind soul and we won't forget his help till our last breath. We hope he helps many needy souls like us in the future," she added.

Dr Manish Verma, who treated Harshvardhan, said that he (the boy) was suffering from liver cirrhosis and needed a transplant. Dr Verma got to know about the case via Sood.

"The child's operation was a critical one. We had problems with the resources. Our efforts were directed towards organising his care without any compromise and as promised, the operation was performed successfully. Our team in Apollo and Sonu Sood did our best to give the child a healthy life, " Dr Verma said.

The actor helped several migrant labourers amid the coronavirus pandemic and launched a job portal 'Pravasi Rojgar' to help them. 

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response of the Uttar Pradesh government on a plea challenging the arrest of Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan on his way to Hathras where a young Dalit woman had died after allegedly being gang-raped.

  

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian asked the counsel for the Kerala Union of Working Journalists as to why it has not approached the Allahabad high court and came to it straight away. 

"We will issue notice. We are keeping it on Friday," the bench said when senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the association, sought bail for the scribe saying that there was nothing against him.

"The FIR does not name him. No offences alleged. He is in jail since October 5," Sibal said. 

While raising questions about not approaching the high court, the bench said, "We are not on merits of the case. Why haven't you gone to the high court."

Earlier, the top court had said it would hear the plea after four weeks and in the meantime, the journalists' body could approach the Allahabad high court for the relief.

Journalist Siddique Kappan was arrested on October 5 while he was on his way to Hathras, home to the young Dalit woman who died after being gang-raped, allegedly by four upper-caste men. 

Russias Sputnik V vaccine for coronavirus is likely to reach Kanpurs Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College by next week wherein the vaccines Phase 2 and Phase 3 human clinical trials will be conducted.

The Drug Control General of India had granted approval to Russian Direct Investment Fund and Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd to conduct late-stage clinical trials of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, in India, the sovereign wealth fund said on Saturday.

The DGCI had earlier put a stop on Dr Reddy's Laboratories conducting clinical trials for the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V. According to Reuters, the drug regulator had said the scale of Phase I and II trials conducted in Russia earlier this year was too small, requesting that they be repeated.

On October 13, the Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm had reapplied to the Indian drug regulator seeking permission to conduct combined phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the vaccine in the country, according to news agency PTI.

Now, following a new agreement, India will carry out an adaptive phase II and III human clinical trial involving 1,500 participants, RDIF was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Under the deal, Dr Reddy's will conduct the clinical trials and, subject to approval, distribute the finished vaccine in India. RDIF will supply 100 million doses to Dr Reddy's.

Sputnik V, a vaccine against the novel coronavirus, has been developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the RDIF.

The media has been doing exceptional service by spreading awareness against COVID-19 and has acted as a valuable stakeholder in helping the government in its initiatives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on the occasion of National Press Day on Monday.

 

Be it positive criticism or highlighting success stories, the media has been continuously adding strength to India's democratic ethos, the prime minister added in his written message on the day, being celebrated virtually with a webinar organised by the Press Council of India. 

"From creating mass awareness about important issues to contributing to a behavioural change in society for the larger good, we have seen how the media as a valued stakeholder has furthered the efforts of the government and helped many initiatives like Swachh Bharat and water conservation grow into mass movements in the last few years," he said.

In his message, read out by PCI chairperson C K Prasad, Modi said he was heartened to learn that the Council was celebrating the day. The webinar being held on the theme 'Role of media during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the media' with participants from several other countries also reflects the "enabling power of technology"," he said.

The prime minister added that at a time the world is up against an unprecedented crisis in the form of COVID-19, the nation's fight against the pandemic is powered by the restraint and resolve of its 130 crore citizens.

"In such a scenario, the media has been continuously doing exceptional service by spreading awareness against the COVID pandemic.

"In a post COVID world, India is marching ahead with its resolve to build a strong and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. Media is giving our resolve the shape of a big campaign and carrying forward the message of 'Vocal for Local'," he said.

Former US President Barack Obama's memoirs have "huge praise for Manmohan Singh" but Prime Minister Narendra Modi "is not mentioned by name at all", Congress leader Shashi Tharoor says in a series of tweets. 

Tharoor wrote that he had an advance copy of the first of Obama's two-part memoir "A Promised Land", releasing Tuesday and had read every bit on India flagged in the index.

"Big news: There isn't much. Bigger news: in 902 pages, Narendra Modi is not mentioned by name at all," tweeted the Congress MP and former union minister.

"Huge praise for Dr Manmohan Singh who is warmly described as "wise, thoughtful, &scrupulously honest", "a man of uncommon wisdom & decency" with whom he enjoyed "a warm & productive relationship" though MMS was "cautious in foreign policy". His regard & respect shine through."

US President Obama "worries about impulses of violence, greed, corruption, nationalism, racism and religious intolerance," wrote Tharoor as he quoted from the book: "They seemed to lie in wait everywhere, ready to resurface whenever growth rates stalled or demographics changed or a charismatic leader chose to ride the wave of people's fears and resentments. And as much as I might have wished otherwise, there was no Mahatma Gandhi around".

He added: "Difficult to imagine that the Sanghis who have been rejoicing on social media about one sentence in the memoir will draw much comfort from these reflections. They offer a foretaste of what Vol.2 is likely to tell us about India in a post-Manmohan Singh era, when Obama returned."

In India, the book caused a flutter last week a less-than-flattering description of Rahul Gandhi drawing comments from delighted BJP leaders.

"Rahul Gandhi has 'a nervous, unformed quality about him, as if he were a student who'd done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject'," reported New York Times, quoting from the book. It also excerpts a part that describes Manmohan Singh as having a "kind of impassive integrity".

The BJP on Monday hit out at its rival parties in Jammu and Kashmir, saying their stand on a number of issues, including the demand to restore Article 370, is the same as that of countries like Pakistan.

  

While targeting the Congress over its tie-up with the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also had a go at its leader Rahul Gandhi over comments of the likes of former US president Barack Obama to RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari and Congress' Kapil Sibal.

"When Obama got to know him (Rahul) in four-five days, then it is obvious that those who interact with him almost daily would also have realised what he is," Patra told reporters.  

Congress leaders were praising him while carrying a burden of "100 tonnes of stone" on their chest, and now they feel suffocated, he said.

"The BJP had been saying so for long. Now a friend of Congress like Shivanand Tiwari is saying that he is a non-performing picnicking president," Patra said.

Targeting the tie-up of the Jammu and Kashmir parties, known as 'Gupkar Alliance', the BJP spokesperson described it as "unholy", saying that it is aimed at opposing the implementation of laws duly passed by Indian Parliament.

"This Gupkar Alliance wants exactly what Pakistan and anti-India countries want. Pakistan has gone to every forum and spoken against the removal of Article 370. The Gupkar Alliance says the same thing," Patra said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled the 'Statue of Peace' in Rajasthan's Pali to mark the 151st Jayanti celebrations of Jainacharya Shree Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji Maharaj, via video conferencing.

The 151-inch tall statue has been made from Ashtadhatu- 8 metals, with Copper being the major constituent, and is being installed at Vijay Vallabh Sadhana Kendra, Jetpura, in Pali, Rajasthan. 

After inaugurating the statue, the PM said: "Vijay Nityanand Surishwer Ji Maharaj used to say that the land of Gujarat gave us two Vallabh. In the political field, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and in spiritual field Jainacharya Shree Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji Maharaj... Both dedicated their lives for India's unity and brotherhood. I am fortunate that the country gave me the opportunity to inaugurate the world's highest 'Statue of Unity' by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. And today I am getting the privilege of unveiling the 'Statue of Peace' by Jainacharya Vijay Vallabh ji."

"India has been an example of humanity, the path of peace, non-violence and fraternity for the whole world. The world looks forward to India," he said.

Shree Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji Maharaj (1870-1954) led an austere life as a Jain Saint working selflessly and dedicatedly to spread the message of Lord Mahavira.

He also worked relentlessly for the welfare of masses, the spread of education, eradication of social evils, wrote inspiring literature (poetry, essays, devotional hymns and Stavans) and gave active support to the freedom movement and the cause of Swadeshi.

One of the 23 senior Congress leaders who wrote the unprecedented letter to Sonia Gandhi demanding sweeping changes in the party, Kapil Sibal spoke up again in the wake of the Congresss poor showing in the recent Bihar assembly elections and bypolls, saying the people no longer saw the party as an effective alternative, and that the leadership was not addressing the problems facing the party.

The Congress knows the problems besetting it and the answers but is not willing to recognise them, which was coming in the way of finding a solution, Sibal told The Indian Express. Some of us put our pen to paper and said what should be done in the Congress on the road ahead. Instead of listening to us, they turned their back on us. The results are for all to see People of the country, not just in Bihar but wherever by-elections were held, obviously dont consider the Congress to be an effective alternative.

The time for introspection was over, Sibal said. A colleague of mine who is a part of the CWC (Congress Working Committee) said the other day that I hope the Congress introspects. If for six years the Congress has not introspected, what hope do we have for introspection now? We know what is wrong with the Congress.

Organisationally, we know what is wrong. We have all the answers. The Congress itself knows all the answers. But they are not willing to recognise those answers then the graph will continue to decline The Congress must be brave and willing to recognise them.

Asked if the Congress leadership was taking it as business as usual, Sibal said, I dont know. I am only talking about myself. I have not heard the leadership tell me anything I only hear voices which surround the leadership We are yet to hear from the Congress party their views on our recent performance in Bihar and the by-elections. Maybe they think all is well and that it should be business as usual.

Barack Obama has called on Donald Trump to concede the US election, urging him to put the good of the country above his own ego and self-interest.

On the day that Trump tweeted from the White House that he had no plans to do any such thing, and claimed without evidence the vote was rigged, his predecessor delivered a scathing attack on him, saying his actions were damaging the country.

A president is a public servant. They are temporary occupants of the office, by design. And when your time is up then it is your job to put the country first and think beyond your own ego, and your own interests, and your own disappointments, he said, speaking on CBSs 60 Minutes.

My advice to President Trump is, if you want at this late stage in the game to be remembered as somebody who put country first, it's time for you to do the same thing. 

Asked by interviewer Scott Pelley if he believed the president needed to concede, he said: Absolutely. Well, I mean, I think it was time for him to concede probably the day after the election or at the latest, two days after the election.

There will be no reimposition of lockdown in Delhi, clarified Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday while adding that the third wave of COVID-19 has passed its peak in the national capital.

"There will be no reimposition of lockdown in Delhi. I don't think it will be an effective step now, wearing of masks by everyone will be more beneficial. The third wave of COVID-19 has passed its peak in Delhi," said Jain. 

"Yesterday, 3,235 cases were reported, 7,606 people recovered and 95 died. There is a lack of ICU beds. Yesterday, Chief Minister (Arvind Kejriwal) had a meeting with the home minister. The CM has again appealed to him to increase the ICU beds in central hospitals in Delhi. The Home Minister has assured to increase 750 beds," he added.

The health minister further said that stern action will be taken against people who do not wear masks and do not follow social distancing norms in the national capital.

"Fine worth Rs 45 crore has been imposed on such defaulters in the past few days," he added.

Delhi has reported 39,990 active COVID-19 cases, 4,37,801 recoveries and 7,614 fatalities, according to the ministry of health and family welfare.

The ceremony will be held around 4.30 pm on Monday.

With no respite in the rising COVID-19 cases across the country, the Centre has taken a cautious approach and is likely to decide against holding the Parliament's winter session this year.

Sources in the government stated that currently, deliberations are on the decision to not hold the winter session. Whether to club the winter session and budget session or to just to hold the budget session directly next year is also under consideration, sources added.

The secretariats of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have not begun preparing for the session yet.

"The members are supposed to be informed 15 days in advance so that if there is a question hour, they can send in their questions in advance," stated the source.

The argument, to not hold the winter session this year has been given due to a rise in the number of cases. The cautious approach is needed as Parliament members come in close contact with officials, people and other members and are especially vulnerable to the infection, despite COVID-19 safety protocols being followed at Parliament House.

The winter session takes place in mid-November and continues till mid-December. However, the situation of COVID-19 spread in the national capital is making the government reluctant in having the session on time.

"During the monsoon session, we had cases reaching 2,000 to 3,000, not more than that and yet we had to curtail the session. Now, the tally stands at 7,000 and above. The government work will not be hampered," stated the source.

"There were more than 30 MPs who were tested positive for COVID-19 during and at the beginning of the monsoon session. We ensured routine COVID tests to check anyone with infection," stated the source.

The sources claim that the next Parliament session, budget session, is likely to be called at the end of January 2021. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda will attend the oath-taking ceremony of Janata Dal-United chief and Bihar Chief Minister-designate Nitish Kumar in Patna on Monday, party's top source confirmed.

Kumar will take oath as the CM of Bihar for the fourth straight term this afternoon after closely-fought legislative assembly elections in the state.

Kumar, after meeting Governor Phagu Chauhan to stake claim to form NDA government in Bihar, had on Sunday announced that the oath-taking, as well as the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet, will be held around 4.30 pm on Monday.

The leaders of the NDA legislature party, which had secured a victory in the recently-concluded election in Bihar, had on Sunday met to deliberate on selecting a leader to lead the party. It had named Kumar as the leader of the NDA legislature party thus paving the way for his return as chief minister for the fourth consecutive term.

BJP's Tarkishore Prasad, the MLA from Bihar's Katihar, will replace Sushil Modi as his deputy.

Light rain and favourable wind speed brought pollution levels down significantly in Delhi and its suburbs on Monday, while weather experts said the air quality is likely to improve further.

The city's air quality index (AQI) improved to 300 at 9 am, which falls in the poor category, from 467 around the same time on Sunday.

The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (256), Ghaziabad (292), Greater Noida (302), Gurgaon (314) and Noida (312) recorded their AQI in poor and very poor categories after braving severe air quality on Saturday and Sunday.

Delhi had recorded the worst pollution levels on Diwali in the last four years due to the combined effect of stubble burning, firecrackers and unfavourable meteorological conditions.

The air quality on the day after Diwali was also the poorest since 2016. The city recorded an overall AQI of 414 on Saturday (Diwali).

On Sunday, the 24-hour average AQI stood at 435.

In a special report, the Central Pollution Control Board said that almost all pollutants reported higher values on Diwali day this year as compared to 2019.

It could be attributed to bursting of firecrackers, higher share of stubble burning and unfavourable meteorology during the festival season, the CPCB said.

However, rain and high-velocity winds came to Delhi's rescue this year.

Winds gusting up to 40 kilometre per hour swept away the pollutants, while light rainfall in the afternoon and evening on Sunday washed everything down.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the India Meteorological Department, said the wind speed will be favourable for dispersion of pollutants on Monday as well.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, had also predicted that pollution levels may recede to the poor category in case of enough rains and washout.

The air quality is likely to stay in the very poor category on Tuesday and Wednesday, it said.   -- PTI

With 30,548 new COVID-19 infections, India's total cases rise to 88,45,127.

With 435 new deaths, toll mounts to 1,30,070.

Total active cases at 4,65,478 after a decrease of 13,738 in the last 24 hrs.

Total discharged cases at 82,49,579 with 43,851 new discharges in last 24 hrs.   -- ANI

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson is self-isolating after a meeting with a Member of Parliament who later tested positive for COVID-19, Downing Street said.

Johnson had been notified by the National Health Service (NHS) Test and Trace that he came in contact of someone who has tested positive and he must self-isolate, the prime minister's spokesperson said on Sunday.

The prime minister will follow the rules and is self-isolating.

He will carry on working from Downing Street, including on leading the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, the spokesperson said.

"The PM is well and does not have any symptoms of COVID-19," the spokesperson added.

Johnson spent three nights in intensive care at St. Thomas' Hospital in central London in April after testing positive for COVID-19.

Under the NHS Test and Trace rules, his self-isolation should run for 10 days and end on November 26.

Johnson had a meeting lasting about 35 minutes with some MPs at his office in 10 Downing Street on Thursday morning, including Lee Anderson the MP for Ashfield in the East Midlands region of England.

Anderson later developed symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 and posted on his Facebook page to say he was self-isolating.

On Friday I lost my sense of taste at the same time my wife had a bad headache.

I had no cough, no fever and felt well.

We both had a test on Saturday and the result came in Sunday morning, said the Conservative Party MP.

My wife and I both tested positive. I feel absolutely fine and my biggest concern is my wife who is in the shielded group.

But we are both feeling good, he said.   -- PTI

Janata Dal-United president Nitish Kumar will take oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth straight term on Monday afternoon after closely-fought legislative assembly elections in the state.Nitish Kumar, after meeting Governor Phagu Chauhan to stake claim to form National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar, had on Sunday announced that the oath-taking, as well as the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet, will be held at around 4.30 pm on Monday.

The leaders of the NDA legislature party, which had secured a slim victory in the recently-concluded election in Bihar, had on Sunday met to deliberate on selecting a leader to lead the party.

It had named Kumar as the leader of the NDA legislature party thus paving the way for his return as chief minister for the fourth consecutive term.

Bharatiya Janata Party's Tarkishore Prasad, the MLA from Bihar's Katihar, will replace Sushil Modi as his deputy.

The BJP had, from the beginning of the election campaign, had maintained that Nitish Kumar will be the Chief Ministerial candidate for the NDA government in the state.   -- ANI