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Tue, 20 October 2020
2 more arrested in TRP rigging case
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23:26 2 more arrested in TRP rigging case
The crime branch of Mumbai Police on Tuesday arrested two former employees of Hansa research agency in connection with the fake Television Rating Points racket, an official said.
This takes the number of arrested persons in the case to eight.
Ramji Verma (41) and Dinesh Vishwakarma (37) were working with Hansa agency for a few years.
Verma was arrested from Worli area in Mumbai, whereas Vishwakarma was apprehended this evening at the Mumbai airport, the official said.
The alleged fake TRP scam came to light when ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council filed a complaint with the police through Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain channels were rigging TRP numbers to lure advertisers.
It was alleged that some families at whose houses meters for collecting data of viewership were installed were being bribed to tune into a particular channel. -- PTI
23:23 Slowly develop habit of coming to court: Delhi HC to lawyers
"Develop the habit of coming to court" was the suggestion given to lawyers on Tuesday by the Delhi high court, while hearing a PIL.
"Slowly develop the habit of coming to court. Give up the habit of attending hearings from sitting in your chairs..," a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan said after some of the lawyers appearing in the PIL urged the court that the matter be heard via video conferencing only and not by the physical mode.
The suggestion by the bench assumes importance as data on hearings conducted since the lockdown indicates that in more than 96.2 per cent of the cases, the advocates have preferred to appear through the virtual mode.
Even in those cases -- 1,439 -- which were listed for physical hearings, only 36 per cent of them were heard and in the rest requests were made by lawyers for conducting the proceedings via video conferencing mode, a note released by the office of Registrar General Manoj Jain on Tuesday said.
According to the data, from March 25 to October 17, the number of cases taken via virtual mode was 42,377 and from September 1, the number of cases heard in physical courts were 1,929.
Of the 12,167 matters filed through e-filing, only in 2.8 per cent of the cases lawyers sought physical hearings of their pleas, it said.
In the district courts, around 2,62,167 cases were taken up through video-conferencing from March 24 to August 31, it said.
The note also said that from September 1, when physical hearings commenced on a small scale, the roster has been prepared in such a manner that 1/4th to 1/5th of the district courts take up matters physically in every district.
"Earlier, the courts subordinate to this court were taking up only urgent matters but presently, non-urgent/routine matters are also being taken up by them either through video conferencing or through physical mode. Till date, more than 6 lakh cases have been taken up through video conferencing and around 1 lac through physical mode by Delhi District Courts and approximately 50,000 cases and 85,000 applications have been disposed of," the note said. -- PTI
23:05 Delhi's air quality improves slightly, likely to turn 'very poor' by Wednesday
Pollution levels in the national capital dipped slightly on Tuesday due to favourable wind speed, but the air quality is likely to turn 'very poor' on Wednesday.
The ministry of earth sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, stated the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution stood at 8 per cent on Tuesday and is likely to increase by Wednesday morning.
The city recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 223 on Tuesday. It was 244 on Monday, 254 on Sunday and 287 on Saturday. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate',201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
Calm winds and low temperatures allow accumulation of pollutants, while favourable wind speed help in their dispersion.
SAFAR said the AQI was likely to slip to the 'very poor' category by Wednesday due to a change in the wind direction and a reduction in the wind speed. The farm fire count around Haryana, Punjab and nearby region across the International Border was 1017 on Monday, it said.
"The boundary layer wind direction was favourable for the transport of pollutants towards Delhi. The share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 was 8 per cent on Tuesday and is likely to increase early tomorrow," it said.
It was 10 per cent on Monday, 17 per cent on Sunday and 19 per cent on Saturday.
Expecting further deterioration in air quality in the coming days, the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority had on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments to be ready to close thermal power plants that do not meet the standards laid down in 2015.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday requested Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar to hold monthly meetings with the CMs of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and UP to curb air pollution, saying there is a lack of political will at the level of the states to address the problem of stubble burning. -- PTI
22:51 COVID-19 reinfection possible: ICMR
One may get reinfected with the coronavirus if the antibodies against the infection diminish in the body in five months' time after recovery, a top Indian Council of Medical Research official said on Tuesday, urging people to continue wearing face masks and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour.
"We are looking at the data as to how many people got infected, then turned negative and then tested positive again. Typically, we know that antibodies persist for about three to five months.
"The CDC has said you call it a reinfection if a person gets reinfected after 90 days. We are looking at the data accordingly, as soon as we have it, we will present it to you," ICMR Director General Balaram Bhargava said in response to a question at a press conference.
Elaborating further, he said some studies have suggested that antibodies last for three months while some others said they may last in the body for up to five months also.
It is a new disease and information regarding this is limited as of now, Bhargava said, adding that if antibodies decrease in the body of a person within five months of recovery, there is a possibility of reinfection with COVID-19.
"That is why following COVID-appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing has to be continued even after recovery," he said.
In a press briefing last week, Bhargava had said the ICMR has decided on a 100-day cut-off for re-infection if it occurs as antibodies are also assumed to have a life of four months, according to some studies. -- PTI
22:48 Jio Platforms, Qualcomm successfully test 5G solutions, clock over 1 Gbps speed
Qualcomm and Reliance Jio on Tuesday announced they have aligned efforts on 5G in order to fast-track development and rollout of indigenous 5G network infrastructure and services in India.
Leveraging Qualcomm's technology, Jio has indigenously developed a 5G RAN (Radio Access Network) product that has achieved ultra-high throughputs, and the product is already tested by a Tier-1 carrier in the US, Mathew Oommen, president, Reliance Jio Infocomm said.
Speaking at the Qualcomm 5G Summit, Oommen said, "I am excited to announce that with Qualcomm's technology and support, Jio has indigenously developed a 5G RAN product that has achieved over 1 Gbps throughput...in fact joining the gigabit throughput clock, the product is already tested and validated by a Tier-1 carrier in the US."
This latest move signifies the entry of Jio and India into the 5G product club. At present, only a handful of nations, including the US, South Korea, Australia, Switzerland and Germany are able to showcase 1 Gbps speeds for 5G customers.
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc and Reliance Jio Platforms along with its wholly-owned subsidiary Radisys Corporation have announced their expanded efforts to develop open and interoperable interface compliant architecture based 5G solutions with a virtualized RAN, a Qualcomm statement said.
"This work is intended to fast track the development and roll out of indigenous 5G network infrastructure and services in India," the statement added.
Earlier this year, Reliance Industries had announced that Qualcomm Ventures will pick up 0.15 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 730 crore. It recently received the subscription amount for the deal, and allotted the equity shares.
The latest progress on the 5G product portfolio neatly dovetails into Jio's overall plans to develop homegrown 5G telecom solutions, as was outlined by Reliance Industries' Chairman Mukesh Ambani at the company's annual general meeting in July this year.
RIL had earlier said that Qualcomm Ventures' investment would deepen the ties between Qualcomm and Jio Platforms to support the latter on its journey to rollout advanced 5G infrastructure and services for Indian customers.
In all, Jio Platforms -- that houses India's youngest but largest telecom firm Jio and apps -- has raised about Rs 1,52,056 crore from 13 investors, including Facebook, Google, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR, Mubadala, ADIA, TPG, L Catterton, Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, Intel Capital and Qualcomm Ventures, for a total 32.9 per cent stake. -- PTI
22:17 Govt may remove plasma therapy as Covid treatment
The Centre is considering to remove convalescent plasma therapy from the national clinical management protocol for COVID-19, a top Indian Council of Medical Research official said on Tuesday.
Presently, the use of off-label convalescent plasma for treating COVID-19 patients in the moderate stage of the illness is allowed under "investigational therapies".
However, a randomised controlled trial, led by the ICMR, on 464 patients in 39 hospitals in 25 districts across 14 states and UTs has shown that plasma therapy does not reduce mortality or prevent progression of COVID-19 from moderate to severe.
At a press conference, ICR Director General Balaram Bhargava said, "We have had discussions in the national taskforce and we are in discussion with the joint monitoring group that this (convalescent plasma therapy) may be deleted from the national guidelines. The discussion is ongoing and more or less we are reaching towards that."
He was responding to a query on continued use of plasma therapy despite the ICMR-led controlled trail revealing otherwise, the result of which has been public.
The 'open-label parallel-arm phase II multicentre randomized controlled trial' (PLACID Trial) was conducted between April 22 to July 14 to investigate the effectiveness of convalescent plasma for treatment of COVID-19.
The therapy involves taking anti-bodies from the blood of a person who has recovered from COVID-19 and transfusing those into a COVID-19 patient to help kickstart the immune system to fight the infection.
On the interim results of WHO Solidarity Trial indicating four repurposed drugs for COVID-19, including remdesivir and hydroxychloroquine, have little or no effect on reducing mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay, Bhargava said debate and discussion were ongoing at the National Taskforce and at the Joint Monitoring Group, and advisories would be issued accordingly.
"WHO solidarity trial is a 30-country trial in which India has been a participant. Interim results of this have been put on a website, which has not yet been peer-reviewed.
"However, we find that these drugs are not performing as we had expected. Debate and discussion are ongoing at the National Taskforce and Joint Monitoring group and we will take into cognizance the results of this trial and issue advisories accordingly," he said.
Remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon regimens were tested in 405 hospitals of 30 countries covering 11,266 adults to look into the effects of these treatments on overall mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay. The trial was conducted from March 22 to October 4.
"Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on hospitalized COVID-19, as indicated by overall mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay," the study which appeared on medRxiv, a preprint server, on October 15 said. -- PTI
22:01 Slippers thrown at Tejashwi at poll rally
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav was on Tuesday attacked with slippers while campaigning for Congress candidate from Kutumba assembly seat in Bihar's Aurangabad district.
The RJD leader was sitting on the dais when someone from the crowd hurled slippers towards him, party and official sources said.
While one slipper misses him completely, the other landed in his lap, a video clip of the incident shows.
Yadav was in the Kutumba assembly segment to address a public rally.
The incident took place as soon as he took his place on the stage amid slogans in his support by party workers.
Sources said a physically challenged man sitting on a tricycle is believed to have thrown chappals at the RJD leader.
People and the security personnel caught him and took him away from the public meeting, the sources said.
Tejashwi was seemingly unfazed by the incident as he didn't even mention it in his speech.
RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari condemned the incident and demanded proper seceurity arrangements for leaders addressing public meetings during the polls.
Tejashwi, chief ministerial candidate of the opposition Grand Alliance, had come to seek vote for Congress nominee Rajesh Ram of ally Congress candidate.
Ram is pitted agaist Hindustani Awam Morcha president Jitan Ram Manjhi's son Santosh Kumar Suman on the Kutumba reserved seat. -- PTI
21:50 China protests to US over appointment of Spl Coordinator for Tibet
China said on Tuesday that it had lodged a diplomatic protest with the United States over the appointment of Robert Destro as a Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues and his meeting with Lobsang Sangay, the head of the Tibetan government in exile.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on October 15 named senior diplomat Destro as Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues, who, among other matters, would focus on advancing dialogue between the Communist government in China and the Dalai Lama.
Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights and Labour Robert Destro will also serve as the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues, Pompeo told reporters in Washington.
Destro will focus on advancing dialogue between the Communist-run government in Beijing and the Dalai Lama, protecting the distinct religious cultural and linguistic identity of Tibetans, improving respect for their human rights and much, much more, Pompeo said.
China has already criticised Destro's appointment, saying it amounted to political manipulation aimed at destabilising Tibet.
After Destro's appointment, Sangay met him and discussed the situation in Tibet.
Asked about the Destro-Sangay meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here: "Xizang's (Tibet's) affairs (are) purely China's internal affairs. No external forces shall interfere in them.
Unlike in the past, the Chinese officials in recent times have been referring to Tibet only as Xizang.
"Appointing the so-called special coordinator for Tibetan issues is a political move to interfere in China's internal affairs and sabotage Xizang's stability. It is China's consistent position we firmly oppose that and we will not acknowledge that. We have lodged stern representation to the US side," he said. -- PTI
21:39 Mathura court extends judicial custody of Kerala journalist, 3 others
A Mathura court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of a Kerala journalist and three others arrested in Mathura on their way to a village in Hathras to meet the family of an alleged gang-rape-cum-murder victim.
Arrested earlier this month by police under section 151 of the CrPC on the suspicion of their intention to commit some cognisable offence, the four were later booked on charges of sedition and various terror acts and were remanded to 14-day judicial custody on October 7.
Mathura Chief Judicial Magistrate Anju Rajput extended the judicial custody of Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan and three others after they were produced before her court through video conferencing on the completion of the earlier period of their judicial custody.
The court extended the judicial custody of journalist Kappan and his accomplices Atiqur Rahman, Alam and Masood, saying that the police was yet to complete the probe into the sedition and terror case against them, said APO Brajmohan Singh.
He said the magistrate extended their remand till November 2.
The police had initially arrested the four under section 151 of the CrPC on the suspicion that they may commit some cognizable offence.
But police later booked them on charges of sedition under section 124A of the Indian Penal Code and various other offences, including that of raising funds for terrorism, under section 17 and 14 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, besides various other penal offences under the Information Technology Act.
A Mathura SDM on Monday had ordered the four to furnish a surety bond worth Rs one lakh each to keep peace in society under the provision of section 107 of the CrPC.
Pending the furnishing of the surety bond for their release, SDM Suresh Kumar of Mathura's Mant sub-division had remanded them to judicial custody under section 116 of the CrPC for 14 days owing to their arrest by police under section 151 of the CrPC. -- PTI
21:05 Need solutions, not TV speeches: Cong to PM
The Congress on Tuesday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi come out with concrete solutions to control the COVID-19 pandemic and revive the economy, instead of giving "plain speeches".
After the prime minister's televised address this evening, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed that the Modi government has "failed" on both the fronts and India has become the "Corona capital" of the world with the "highest" number of daily cases and deaths.
"It is easy to give sermons. The country does not need plain speeches but concrete solutions," he said in a tweet, quoting a phrase from saint Tulsidas.
With the onset of festival season, Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday made an impassioned appeal to people to follow COVID-19 guidelines, saying this is not the time to be careless as the virus is still around and even a little negligence can dampen the festive spirit.
Surjewala and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, in a joint statement, said, "The prime minister must answer for the failure of the leadership."
"Kindly tell the country on how to control the volatile situation of the pandemic... . How will he revive the falling economy? Does he have a solution or will he blame it on God," the two leaders asked in their statement.
"While the battle against Corona is on, the leader has turned invisible and is only seen giving sermons on TV," they said
The Congress leader recalled how the prime minister said on March 24 that the battle of Mahabharat continued for 18 days and they will win the battle against coronavirus in 21 days.
"But, even after 210 days, the battle against coronavirus is on and people are dying. Instead of coming out with a solution, Modi ji is still giving plain speeches on television," they said.
"India has become the corona capital of the world. As on October 19, India tops in the daily rise in cases of COVID-19 when, as per official data, the country reported 55,722 cases of the virus," Surjewala said. -- PTI
20:28 Kumaran Silks showroom in Chennai sealed for overcrowding
A popular textile showroom in the shopping hub of T Nagar in Chennai was sealed on Tuesday by the city's civic body for overcrowding and alleged disregard of COVID-19 protocols.
The action against Kumaran Silks in the heart of the city came after a video purportedly showing a huge crowd in the shop went viral, with many on social media platforms expressing concern over it.
The Greater Chennai Corporation urged shop owners and the public to "strictly" follow safety protocols.
"A shop in Tnagar has been #locked and #sealed today, since they allowed overcrowding & didn't follow the COVID-19 safety protocols," GCC said in a tweet.
"Other such shops, which don't follow the protocols shall be sealed too. Shop owners & public are requested to strictly follow safety protocols. #GCC," it added.
Thyagaraya Nagar, more popularly known as T Nagar, has been teeming with shoppers for the past few days ahead of the festive season.
While allowing non-essential shops to reopen, the government has laid down various guidelines, including regulating entry of people to prevent overcrowding, use of sanitisers and wearing of masks and maintaining social
distancing, as preventive measures against COVID-19.
In recent weeks, the number of new COVID-19 cases had been on the decline in the city, which once was a hotspot, but officials have cautioned against any laxity. The city has so far accounted for over 1.90 lakh positive cases out of the 6.90 lakh plus infections in the state. -- PTI
20:18 Sushant's fmr aide moves HC, accuses NCB of illegal detention
Dipesh Sawant, former domestic help of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has filed a petition in the Bombay high court alleging he was illegally detained by the Narcotics Control Bureau before being produced in a local court.
Sawant in his plea filed earlier this month has sought compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the NCB.
The plea came up on Monday before a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and M S Karnik which posted it for hearing on November 6.
Sawant has been accused of interacting with peddlers and procuring drugs, allegedly on behalf of Rajput, and has been charged under Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Act.
Sawant, who is presently out on bail, in his plea, claimed violation of his fundamental rights by NCB officials who failed to produce him before the metropolitan magistrate court within 24 hours of taking him into custody.
As per the petition, NCB took Sawant in their custody from his residence in suburban Chembur on September 4 at around 10pm, but he was produced before the magistrate on September 6 afternoon some 36 hours later.
The petition also alleged the NCB wrongly recorded he was arrested on September 5 at 8pm.
"The petitioner was in illegal detention and this is in gross violation of Articles 21 (right to life and liberty) and 22 (any person arrested to be produced before concerned court within 24 hours)," the plea said.
Apart from compensation, it also seeks appropriate action against concerned NCB officials. -- PTI
20:02 NCW chief discusses 'Love Jihad' with Maha guv
National Commission for Wome chairperson Rekha Sharma on Tuesday met Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in Mumbai and discussed the "rise" in 'love jihad' cases in the state among other issues, an official statement said.
She highlighted the distinction between a consensual inter-faith marriage and love jihad and said that the latter required attention, the National Commission for Women said in a statement.
"Madam Chairperson raised the issue of rise in love jihad cases in Maharashtra. She highlighted a distinction between consensual inter-faith marriages and love jihad and said that the latter required attention," the statement said.
As part of her visit to Mumbai, she also met a number of government officials, the NCW said.
"Our Chairperson @sharmarekha met with Bhagat Singh Koshyari, His Excellency, Governor of Maharashtra and discussed issues related to #womensafety in the state including defunct One Stop Centres, molestation and rape of women patients at #COVID centres and rise in love jihad cases," the NCW tweeted.
She also raised the issue of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women not having a chairperson and stressed that the position be filled at the earliest to ensure complaints are addressed in a timely manner, it said.
She claimed that some 4,000 complaints received by the state commission have not been attended to and redressed. Till such time that the position is filled, a member from NCW shall visit the state on a monthly basis to look into the concerns raised by the women in the state, the NCW said.
Sharma also enquired into the status of the defunct One Stop Centres and sought their immediate reopening.
"Some 188 cases filed under POCSO are pending beyond the statutory three month period. This should be looked into on priority," Sharma was quoted as saying in the statement.
During her visit she met several women's rights groups and NGOs to get a sense of the severity of the issue and the on-ground reality faced by women in Maharashtra. -- PTI
19:56 CBI takes over TRP scam on UP govt's recommendation
The Central Bureua of Investigation has registered an FIR into alleged manipulation of Television Rating Points on the basis of a reference from the Uttar Pradesh Police, officials said on Tuesday.
The case, which was earlier registered at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on a complaint of an advertising company promoter, was handed over to the CBI by the Uttar Pradesh government, they said.
Taking prompt action, the CBI has registered an FIR against unidentified persons, they said.
The primary allegations relate to manipulation of TRPs on a payment, they said.
The CBI officials refused to give any further details.
TRP or Television Rating Points of a channel or programme are used to measure popularity by advertising agencies which affect pricing.
The points are calculated in India by Broadcast Audience Research Council using a device installed in over 45,000 households across the country called "Bar-O-Meter".
The device collects data about a programme or channel watched by members of these household on the basis of which weekly ratings are issued hy BARC.
Recently, Mumbai police had registered a case of TRP manipulation following which the ratings were reportedly suspended by BARC. -- PTI
19:02 EPFO records 10.05 lakh new enrolments in August
Net new enrolments with retirement fund body Employees' Provident Fund Organisation rose to 10.05 lakh in August from 7.48 lakh in July 2020, according to its latest payroll data, providing a perspective on employment in the formal sector amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Provisional payroll data released by the EPFO last month had shown that net new enrolments stood at 8.45 lakh in July this year. The figure has now been revised down to 7.48 lakh.
The net enrolments with the EPFO had dropped to 5.72 lakh in March 2020 from 10.21 lakh in February, according to the payroll data released in May.
Latest data released on Tuesday showed that net new enrolments in April were in the negative zone at (-) 1,04,608 against the figure of (-) 61,807 released in September. This means that the number of members who exited the EPFO subscription was more than those who joined or rejoined the scheme.
Earlier in July, provisional data had showed net new enrolments for the month April stood at 1 lakh, which was revised down to 20,164 in August and further lowered to (-) 61,807 in September.
The number of net new enrolment in the month of May was also revised to (-) 35,336, from 40,551 estimated in the data released last month.
The net new enrolments with the EPFO hover around 7 lakh every month on an average.
During 2019-20, the number of net new subscribers rose to 78.58 lakh as compared to 61.12 lakh in the preceding fiscal, according to the payroll data released on Tuesday.
The EPFO has been releasing the payroll data of new subscribers since April 2018, covering the period starting from September 2017.
The data also showed that during September 2017-August 2020, the number of net new subscribers was over 1.75 crore.
The EPFO said the payroll data is provisional as updation of employees' records is a continuous process and gets updated in subsequent months.
"The government announced lockdown on March 24, 2020. Accordingly ECR (PF returns) filing date for March month was extended to May 15, 2020," the EPFO had said in May while releasing the data.
In June, it had said, "The due date for submission of ECRs for April 2020 has been extended in view of the lockdown."
The estimates are net of the new members enrolled, members exited and rejoined during the month, as per records of the EPFO. -- PTI
18:50 COVID: No scarcity in oxygen supply, says govt
There has been no scarcity in oxygen supply in the last 10 months with the daily production capacity enhanced to 6,862 metric tonnes by September and projected to further increase to 7,191 metric tonnes by the end of October, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
At a press conference, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the Centre has initiated the process of installing 246 oxygen generation plants in 18 states and union territories in the first phase, out of which 67 were at various stages of completion.
In the second phase, 150 more such plants in 30 states and UTs would be installed, he said, adding India was in a "comfortable position" in terms of oxygen availability.
"There has been no shortage of oxygen in the last 10 months. There is no paucity at present also. We are in an extremely comfortable position," Bhushan added.
Giving more details, Bhushan said the number of patients on oxygen support, which includes those in ICU, ventilator and oxygen supported beds, increased from 43,022 on September 1 to 75,000 in the third week of that month. The number then started declining and as of Tuesday it was over 57,000, he said.
"Though there has been a dip, it is still higher as compared to September 1. However, it should not be a reason to worry as our capacity is much higher," the health secretary said.
Elucidating further, Bhushan said on an average, 2,397 metric tonnes of medical oxygen was consumed daily from September 2 to 8, and even then 15,282 metric tonnes of oxygen was in stock at the end of the week.
The average consumption increased to 2,791 MT per day from September 9 to September 15, which was the peak period of consumption. Despite that, 14,932 MT oxygen was left in stock at the end of the week, he said.
Consumption came down to 2,503 MT per day from October 6 to 14 and 17,103 MT was left at the end of the week, Bhushan added.
"Oxygen production capacity has been enhanced from 5,913 MT in April to 6,862 MT in September. It will be further increased to 7191 MT by the end of October," the health secretary said.
Giving other details, he said more than 9.6 crore COVID-19 tests have been conducted so far. The cumulative, weekly and daily positivity rate was 7.90 per cent, 6.0 per cent and 4.5 per cent respectively. -- PTI
18:33 Observe Covid hygiene during festivals: PM
The Prime Minister ended his speech with folded hands beseeching citizens to follow Covid hygiene. He urged citizens to follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, appealed to them with folded hands. "It is festival time and a period of happiness; even small negligence can bring us grief. I pray to all of you, I want to see all of you safe and your families happy. I want to see festivals bring cheer your lives," says Modi.
18:24 Don't let your guard down during festivals: PM
PM Modi's message to India ahead of a plethora of festivals beginning with Dusshera this weekend: "Today, the recovery rate in the country is good. The fatality rate is low. 5,500 people out of every 10 Lakh population in India are infected, whereas in countries like the US & Brazil this figure is around 25,000: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation.
"The fatality rate in India is 83 out of every 10 Lakh population in India, whereas it is more than 600 in countries like the US, Brazil, Spain, Britain.
"Recently, we saw many photos and videos where it is clearly seen that people are not careful anymore. This isn't right. If you step out without mask, you put your families at risk. We must remember - whether it is America or Europe, cases declined and then there was sudden spike.
"India has a facility of more than 90 lakh beds for COVID-19 patients. There are 12,000 quarantine centres, around 2000 Corona testing labs. Number of tests will cross 10 Crores soon. In our fight against COVID, rise in the number of tests has been our strength.
"All countries are working on a war-footing for making COVID19 vaccine. Government is preparing for making the vaccine accessible to every Indian as soon as it is made available.
"It is festival time and a period of happiness; even small negligence can bring us grief."
18:13 Every Indian will get the Covid vaccine: PM
PM Modi begins his address to the nation by talking about the Covid-19 pandemic. "Let's not forget that even though lockdown has gone away, the virus has not. Our recovery rate is good and the fatality rate is low.
We are coming out of our homes now, but we cannot let our guard down.
Our covid statistics are better than many other countries.
Economy is slowly coming back on track. We have have been able to save many people from Covid.
We will soon cross the 10-crore tests mark, increased testing has been our strength.
Whenever the Corona vaccine is out, we will ensure that each and every person in the country gets it. Work has begun on ensuring that.
Till the vaccine is available, you cannot let down your guard.
Even a little carelessness can destroy all that have gained in these months.
18:01 PM begins his address to nation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his address to the nation, his 7th since the lockdown began in March.
Urging people to hear the address, he said in a tweet, "Will be sharing a message with my fellow citizens at 6 PM this evening." Modi has addressed the nation a number of times during the COVID-19 crisis in which he has spoken about various measures, including lockdown, being taken to curb the pandemic and also announced economic and welfare packages. It will be his seventh address to the nation since the pandemic's outbreak. The prime minister has often taken to televised address to announce major decisions or developments.
In his last such address, he had on June 30 announced extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), a programme to provide free ration for over 80 crore people, mostly poor, by five more months till November end. PTI
17:52 US envoy to India meets FM
Kenneth Juster, Ambassador of the United States of America to India, today met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
17:36 Women allowed to use local trains in Mumbai from 11 am onwards
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announces that the railways will allow women to travel on suburban trains in Mumbai from October 21 onwards between 11 am and 3 pm and after 7 pm. "We were always ready and with receipt of letter from Maharashtra Govt today, we've allowed this travel," Goyal said.
The Maharashtra government last week asked the Railways to allow all women commuters to travel from Saturday. Before this, only women working in essential services and government offices and those who are disabled could travel.
17:30 Rahul to PM: Message on Chinese at 6pm?
Rahul Gandhi has this message for PM Narendra Modi. Just ahead of the PM's message to the nation at 6 pm, the Congress leader tweets: "Dear PM, In your 6pm address, please tell the nation the date by which you will throw the Chinese out of Indian territory. Thank you."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share a message with the nation at 6 pm on Tuesday. "Will be sharing a message with my fellow citizens at 6 pm this evening," he said in a tweet.
Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, telling him the nation wants to know when will the Chinese troops be thrown out of Indian territory.
"The prime minister will not say one word about China", the Wayanad MP, who is on a three day visit to his parliamentary constituency," told a news conference there.
Gandhi was responding to questions, including one about Modi's announcement that he will share a message with the nation at 6 pm on Tuesday. " I don't think there's any other country in the world today where a foreign power can take land from the country and then no answer from the leadership. This is shocking to me....So what I would like is the prime minister to tell the nation when the Chinese are going to be thrown out of Indian territory," Gandhi said.
16:30 Yediyurappa won't remain CM for long: BJP MLA
Indicating a rebellion, senior BJP legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has said that B S Yediyurappa will not remain Chief Minister for long and the high command has decided that his successor will be from the north Karnataka region.
The former Union Minister even accused the Chief Minister of taking all the development work to his home district of Shivamogga, while taking back the funds allocated to MLAs of other constituencies. "...Rs 125 crore that had come (for constituency), but our own Chief Minister took it back, after that a fight has started between me and him. He is taking things to Shivamogga... he will not be there (as CM) for long, his (time) has come," Yatnal said.
Speaking to reporters at a function in his constituency Vijayapura reportedly on Monday, he claimed that the BJP high command has had enough of Yediyurappa.
"Umesh Katti (another BJP MLA) too had a question whether he (Yediyurappa) was Chief Minister for Shivamogga or for entire Karnataka...if Rs 125 crore was not taken back from me, we had plans to make all roads cement road... it has been taken back, but I won't leave it, I'm fighting for it and I will bring it," he added.
There have been speculations in some quarters in recent times about the possible change in leadership, considering Yediyurappa's age. However, the state BJP had recently strongly refuted reports about replacing the 77-year old Lingayat strongman. -- PTI
16:22 COVID-19: Court acquits 20 foreign attendees of Tablighi event
A Mumbai court has acquitted 20 foreign attendees of a Tablighi Jamaat event who were booked by the city police for allegedly violating prohibitory orders during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. Metropolitan Magistrate (Andheri) R R Khan acquitted the 20 persons on Monday as the prosecution failed to prove the charges against them.
"There is no iota of evidence with prosecution to show any contravention of order by accused persons beyond all shadow of doubt," the court observed.
Keeping in view the evidence on record and facts and circumstances of the matter, it is clear that the order in question was neither publicly promulgated nor brought into notice of the accused persons, the court said. -- PTI
16:20 Punjab Assembly unanimously passes Bills against farm laws
The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed four Bills and adopted a resolution against the Centre's farm laws. The Bills were passed after an over five-hour discussion, in which BJP MLAs did not take part.
The BJP has two legislators in the assembly. The Opposition SAD, AAP and Lok Insaaf MLAs backed the legislations.
The state government's legislative counter provides for imprisonment of not less than three years and fine for sale or purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement below the minimum support price.
The provisions exempt farmers from attachment of land up to 2.5 acres and provide for prevention of hoarding and black marketing of agricultural produce. Earlier, Chief Amarinder Singh had urged all parties to unanimously pass his government's historic Bills in the Vidhan Sabha. -- PTI
16:15 Trump calls Covid expert Dr Fauci an 'idiot'
In an unprecedented attack on Dr Anthony Fauci and other public health experts, President Donald Trump has said that Americans are "tired" of hearing from "these idiots" who have been trying to quell the coronavirus pandemic that has killed over 220,000 people in the country.
Trump, a Republican, has been at loggerheads with public health experts on how to contain the pandemic, a major topic that could impact the outcome of the November 3 presidential election in which he is being challenged by former US vice president Joe Biden, a Democrat.
"People are tired of COVID. I have these huge rallies. People are saying whatever. Just leave us alone. They're tired of it. People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots," Trump said during a campaign conference call on Monday from his hotel in Las Vegas.
Trump then called Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert, "a disaster" and lamented that he would receive lots of negative press if he fired the doctor because he is a "nice guy."
He attacked Fauci, who has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 and is also a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force headed by US Vice President Mike Pence.
In a series of tweets, Trump said all he asked of Fauci is to "make better decisions."
Trump slammed Fauci a third time, saying that the doctor is a very nice man but "sometimes he says things that are a little bit off."
"He's been there for about 350 years, I don't want to hurt him, the 74-year-old added, before accusing Fauci of making some bad calls on how to control the coronavirus that has hit over eight million people in the US.
Trump's attack on Fauci came a day after the 79-year-old doctor said he was "absolutely not" surprised when Trump contracted COVID-19 after seeing the president surrounded by several people not wearing face masks and flouting best public health practices against the deadly pandemic.
Fauci was apparently referring to the White House Rose Garden event on September 26 where Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett was his pick to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court. At least 12 people have tested positive for Covid-19 after attending the function.
Fauci said during an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes" that was aired on Sunday, "I was worried that he was going to get sick when I saw him in a completely precarious situation of crowded -- no separation between people, and almost nobody wearing a mask."
"When I saw that on TV, I said, 'Oh my goodness. Nothing good can come out of that, that's got to be a problem,'" he said. "And then sure enough, it turned out to be a superspreader event," Fauci said.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
15:54 No chief guest, less than 50 Swayamsevaks at RSS Vijaydashmi event
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has decided to refrain from inviting any chief guest for the annual Vijaydashmi address by its Sarsanghchalak.
The Sangh has decided that this year the festive occasion will only be addressed by RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and not by chief guests.
The Vijaydashmi address of the RSS chief is considered the most important event for the organisation as it is during his address future plans and vision are put forth for all to follow. It is from this stage that RSS stand on many issues of national importance is known.
According to a senior functionary of the RSS, the ground that is usually flooded by Swayamsewaks clad in white shirts and 'khaki' pants during the event, will witness not more than 50 people this time around. The address by the RSS chief is scheduled for 8 a.m. on October 25.
"We have not got permission for more than 50 people to be present in the ground. The scene that we witness every Vijayadashami will not be there this time. We will abide by the COVID-19 health norms. The speech of RSS chief will be broadcast live on social media as well," the senior functionary said.
Another senior RSS functionary informed that there is a discussion going on for seeking permission for smaller groups watching the address on LED screens at different locations in Nagpur. -- ANI
15:46 Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran tests Covid+ve
Malayalam actor, director and producer Prithviraj Sukumaran has tested positive for COVID-19. Prithviraj confirmed the same on Tuesday through a statement on Twitter. The actor has been filming for his upcoming project 'Jana Gana Mana' from October 7. The entire cast and crew were following all the safety protocols during the filming. All the team members took the COVID-19 test prior to the shoot and the same was carried out on the last day of the shoot.
He tested positive recently and he has gone into isolation. The actor is asymptomatic at present and he is in perfect shape.
Prithviraj Sukumaran said in his social media post, "Hello everyone! I've been shooting for Dijo Jose Anthony's "Jana Gana Mana" since the 7th of October. We had strict protocols in place with regards to Covid regulations and associated safety measures. As is the norm, all involved in the shoot were tested before the schedule started and after the last day of shoot in the courtroom set we had put up, tests were repeated."
His statement further read, "Unfortunately, the test results this time came back positive and I have gone into isolation. I'm asymptomatic and am doing fine now. All primary and secondary contacts have been advised to isolate and get tested. Hoping to recover soon and get back to work ASAP. Cheers and thanks for the love and concern." -- ANI
File pic
15:43 Pak violates ceasefire along IB in Kathua
Pakistani Rangers opened fire at border out posts (BoPs) and civilian areas along the International Border in Hiranagar sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said on Tuesday. BSF troops guarding the borderline, retaliated effectively, they said.
Officials said the Pakistani Rangers started the firing around 9.50 pm on Monday and targeted BoPs and villages in the Pansar-Manyari belt of Hiranagar sector. They said the exchange of fire between the two sides continued till 5.05 am but there was no report of any casualty or damage on the Indian side.
According to official sources, 3,589 ceasefire violations by Pakistan were reported along the Line of Control and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir till October 6 this year compared to a total of 3,168 in 2019.
The highest 427 ceasefire violations took place in September followed by 411 in March and 408 in August, the sources said, adding July recorded 398 ceasefire violations, June and April (387 each), May (382), February (366) and January (367). The sources said 62 ceasefire violations were reported in the first six days of this month. PTI
15:40 Amethi-Rae Bareli happy with BJP: Smriti Irani
Union minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani on Tuesday said she is happy that the BJP is living up to the expectations of the people of her constituency through its work. "It is true that the family of the head of a political party had been doing its politics in Amethi-Raebareli for years, but it is a matter of satisfaction for me that we are living up to the expectations of people through our work," she said.
Irani, who chaired a meeting of the Salon tehsil of her parliamentary constituency that falls in Raebareli district, said 12 anganwadi centres have come up here and it is an indication that this government is playing its role in completing pending projects.
The Union minister for women and child development said this is the change for which people have voted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power.
Earlier, on arrival, Irani paid obeisance at the Abhay data temple in the tehsil campus, where the meeting took place. She said District Magistrate (DM) Vaibhav Srivastava has assured her that all major development works and those related to social welfare would be completed up to the village level on time. Irani also praised the DM for digital payments to farmers. PTI
15:14 CBI team at Hathras
A CBI team visits the Hathras victim's residence for the second time to meet the family members.
Footage of the scary overcrowding at the sari shop
14:56 Chennai corporation seals textile showroom for overcrowding
The Chennai civic body on Tuesday sealed a popular textile showroom at the shopping hub of T Nagar here for alleged overcrowding and not adhering to Covid-19 protocols. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) urged the shop owners and public to "strictly" follow safety protocols.
"A shop in Tnagar has been #locked and #sealed today, since they allowed overcrowding & didn't follow the COVID-19 safety protocols," GCC said in a tweet.
"Other such shops, which don't follow the protocols shall be sealed too. Shop owners & public are requested to strictly follow safety protocols. #GCC," it added. Thyagaraya Nagar, more popularly known as T Nagar, has been teeming with shoppers for the past few days ahead of the festive season. -- PTI
14:47 Won't apologise: Kamal Nath on Rahul's rebuke
Congress leader Kamal Nath reacts to Rahul Gandhi's rebuke on the 'item' remark. "It is Rahul Gandhi's opinion. I have already clarified the context in which I made that statement... Why should I apologise when I did not intend to insult anyone? If anyone felt insulted, I have already expressed regret," the former MP CM said.
Rahul Gandhi, who is on a three-day visit to Kerala, said today, "Kamal Nathji is from my party but personally, I don't like the type of language that he used... I don't appreciate it, regardless of who he is. It is unfortunate."
MP Congress president Kamal Nath has expressed regret over the remark and asserted that he did not say anything disrespectful.
He claimed the word item is used in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, but the BJP tried to "mislead" by making it an issue to divert peoples attention while sensing defeat in the November 3 state bypolls.
"I did not say anything disrespectful. I respect women. If anyone thinks this is disrespectful, then I regret it," Kamal Nath said.
Addressing a poll meeting on Sunday in Gwalior's Dabra town, where the BJP has fielded Imarti Devi, Kamal Nath said the Congress candidate was a "simple person" unlike his opponent who was an "item".
14:34 Don't like Kamal Nath's language: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi breaks his silence on former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath's "item" remark. "Kamal Nathji is from my party but personally, I don't like the type of language that he used... I don't appreciate it, regardless of who he is. It is unfortunate."
After facing flak from all quarters, MP Congress president Kamal Nath has expressed regret over the remark and asserted that he did not say anything disrespectful.
He claimed the word item is used in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, but the BJP tried to "mislead" by making it an issue to divert peoples attention while sensing defeat in the November 3 state bypolls.
"I did not say anything disrespectful. I respect women. If anyone thinks this is disrespectful, then I regret it," Kamal Nath said.
Addressing a poll meeting on Sunday in Gwalior's Dabra town, where the BJP has fielded Imarti Devi, Kamal Nath said the Congress candidate was a "simple person" unlike his opponent who was an "item".
14:11 Kamal Nath expresses regret over 'Item' jibe
Facing flak for his "item" jibe against Madhya Pradesh minister Imarti Devi, state Congress president Kamal Nath has expressed regret over it and asserted that he did not say anything disrespectful.
He claimed the word item is used in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, but the BJP tried to "mislead" by making it an issue to divert peoples attention while sensing defeat in the November 3 state bypolls.
"I did not say anything disrespectful. I respect women. If anyone thinks this is disrespectful, then I regret it," Kamal Nath said.
Addressing a poll meeting on Sunday in Gwalior's Dabra town, where the BJP has fielded Imarti Devi, Kamal Nath said the Congress candidate was a "simple person" unlike his opponent who was an "item".
State BJP leaders, led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Monday held a protest against Kamal Nath, while the National Commission for Women sought an explanation from the Congress leader for his remark.
Chouhan also wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, asking her to condemn Nath's remarks and remove the former chief minister from all party posts.
-- PTI
13:52 Kanimozhi outraged over rape threats to actor's daughter
Expressing outrage over the rape threats to Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi's daughter, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam women's wing secretary and MP Kanimozhi on Tuesday said that it is not only barbaric but also extremely dangerous to the very fabric of the society.
"The perverse intimidation of Vijay Sethupathi's daughter is not only barbaric but extremely dangerous to the very fabric of our society. Making women and children the soft targets is a cowardly act. The police should take stern action against the perpetrator," Kanimozhi tweeted.
Sethupathi had received threats on social media that his daughter will be raped if he acts as Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan in an upcoming biopic on the cricketer. Sethupathi had recently announced that would be essaying the role of the cricketer.
In the following tweet, Kanimozhi said, "The only war cowards fight is against women and children. The threat against actor Vijay Sethupathi's daughter is a shame. Trolling women and children should be punished."
Notably, Muralitharan had recently also issued a statement asking Sethupathi not to portray him in the biopic due to public pressure. The actor had later walked out of the project.
Several fans and activists have sought actions against the hate tweets and rape threats for the daughter of actor Vijay Sethupathi. -- ANI
13:42 Not afraid to resign over farm laws: Punjab CM
Meanwhile in Punjab, CM Captain Amarinder Singh tells the assembly: "I had chosen to quit at the time of Operation Blue Star. I am not afraid of resigning. I carry my resignation letter in my pocket. I'm not afraid of my government being dismissed. But I will not let farmers suffer or be ruined. I will fight for justice."
The CM today tabled a draft resolution in the Punjab assembly rejecting the three farm laws enacted recently by the Centre, terming it a move to "protect the state's farmers and agriculture". The resolution also rejected the Centre's proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020. Singh appealed to all parties to rise above their political interests to save Punjab.
He also introduced three bills to counter the Centre's farm laws, which have triggered protests by farmers and opposition parties in different parts of the country including Punjab.
Singh said he signed the resolution against the "anti-farmer laws" at 9:30 pm on Monday after extensive discussions and consultations with various experts. "I find it very strange what the government of India wants to do," he said.
The resolution sought the annulment of the three farm laws and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020. It also sought the promulgation of "a fresh ordinance making the procurement of food grains on the Minimum Support Price a statutory right of the farmers" and continuing with the "procurement by Government of India through FCI and other such agencies".
13:41 India waits for PM's message at 6 pm
Update: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share a message with the nation at 6 pm on Tuesday. "Will be sharing a message with my fellow citizens at 6 pm this evening," he said in a tweet. Modi has addressed the nation a number of times during the COVID-19 crisis in which he has spoken about various measures, including lockdown, being taken to curb the pandemic and also announced economic and welfare packages.
13:09 PM to address nation at 6 pm today
PM Modi to make an address to the nation at 6 pm today. Details awaited.
12:58 BJP using all its might against me: Tejashwi
Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party saying that if he is inexperienced as a leader then why is the world's largest party using its full force against him.
"If I am inexperienced then why are you (BJP) deploying full force against me? This proves that they are desperate. Is Nitish Kumar's face not working? BJP is the largest party in the world but they don't have any CM candidate," said Yadav while speaking to the reporters.
"They have used full force against me and I am alone. They call me inexperienced but I have been an MLA, Leader of Opposition and also held deputy CM's post. My five years of experience is equivalent to 50 years of experience," he added.
The RJD leader also said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's presence in Bihar on Tuesday will not be a challenge for him.
"He is not a challenge. They are so desperate and in despair, they have understood that they will not form the government again," he added.
Yadav scion also mocked BJP saying that the world's largest party does not have a chief ministerial candidate and people have lost faith in Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Bihar will go to polls in three phases: October 28, November 3 and November 7 for its 243 Assembly seats. The results will be declared on November 10. - ANI
12:36 Severe Covid patients may be best donors for plasma therapy: Study
Covid-19 patients who are sick enough to be hospitalised are likely to have high levels of antibodies that can protect against the disease, and may be the best donors for convalescent plasma therapy, according to a study.
The research, published on Monday in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, also found that older males who have recovered from COVID-19 after having been hospitalised are strong candidates for donating plasma.
Doctors have been using infusions of plasma -- the part of blood that contains antibodies -- from recovered Covid-19 patients to treat Covid-19 patients and also as a possible prophylaxis to prevent the disease, the researchers said.
Clinical trials of convalescent plasma treatment against Covid-19 are ongoing, and doctors until now haven't had guidance for selecting survivors who are likeliest to have strong antibody responses, they said.
"We propose that sex, age, and severity of disease should be used to guide the selection of donors for convalescent plasma transfer studies because we found that these were significant patient characteristics that not only predicted the amount of antibody but the quality of that antibody," said Sabra Klein, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US.
The researchers tested the blood of 126 Covid-19 survivors and found high variability in their antibody levels and their antibodies' ability to neutralise the Covid-19-causing coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Three factors were associated with stronger antibody responses: having been sick enough with Covid-19 to be hospitalised, being older, and being male, they said. Initial studies of recovered COVID-19 patients have revealed a significant variability in their antibody responses to the virus -- some survivors having very weak responses that would almost certainly be ineffective in helping new patients. The researchers in the new study looked for factors that might help explain some of that variability and guide clinicians to the patients most likely to have high levels of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies.
They examined samples of plasma from the 126 recovered patients using several tests. These included tests of the plasma's ability in cell cultures to neutralise cell-to-cell infection with SARS-CoV-2, as well as commercial tests for levels of antibodies to the coronavirus's spike protein that studs the surface of coronavirus particles and allows the virus to attach to and infiltrate human cells. -- PTI
12:26 India's active Covid cases drop, recovery rate 88%
Active cases of COVID-19 in India are less than 10 per cent of the total caseload, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has crossed 67 lakh pushing the national recovery rate to 88.63 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. There are 7,48,538 active cases of coronavirus infection as on date which comprise merely 9.85 per cent of the total caseload.
"The slide in active cases is supplemented by an exponential rise in recoveries," the ministry said. The total recoveries have surged to67,33,328 and exceed active cases of COVID-19 by59,84,790 as on date. "India is the only country with the highest recoveries and continues to have one of the lowest fatality rates globally. Today it stands at 1.52 per cent," the ministry highlighted.
"These have in tandem resulted in consistent slide in the active cases," it added. This is the result of collaborative, focussed and effective action by states and UTs under the Centre's strategy of comprehensive and high countrywide testing, prompt and effective surveillance and tracking, quick hospitalisation and effective adherence of the Standard Treatment Protocol issued by the Centre, it said. This success is a result of selfless service and dedication of doctors, paramedics, frontline workers and all other COVID-19 warriors across the country, the ministry said.
The number of new coronavirus infections reported in a span of 24 hours in India dropped below 50,000 for the first time in nearly three months, the ministry said. The new cases were 47,703 on July 28.
The ministry said 75 per cent of the new infections are from 10 States and UTs. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala contribute more than 5,000 to the new confirmed cases. Also, 78 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and UTs . Maharashtra continues to lead with more than 15,000 single day recoveries followed by Karnataka with more than 8,000 recoveries.
Image: A Durga puja pandal themed on the Covid-19 pandemic and its fallout in India. Pic: ANI
12:18 US: Presidential debate commission adopts rules to mute microphones
Ahead of the final US presidential debate, the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates has announced new rules under which it will mute microphones for two minutes of the rival speakers so as to give them uninterrupted opening remarks.
Incumbent Republican President Donald Trump, 74, and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden, 77, are slated to face their final debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee on October 22. Under the new rules, Trump and Biden will each have two minutes of uninterrupted time to speak at the beginning of every 15-minute segment of the debate.
"The only candidate whose microphone will be open during these two-minute periods is the candidate who has the floor under the rules," the commission said in a statement on Monday.
"For the balance of each segment, which by design is intended to be dedicated to open discussion, both candidates' microphones will be open," it said.
The commission said both campaigns have agreed to the two-minute, uninterrupted rule. The decision to mute microphones comes after a chaotic first presidential debate that saw significant interruptions from both major party candidates, primarily from Trump.
The September 29 debate, moderated by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, was widely criticised for its off-the-rails nature. The second presidential debate set for October 15 was cancelled after Trump refused to do a virtual face-off with his Democratic challenger despite concerns over his COVID-19 diagnosis.
The presidential rivals separately held competing town halls last week instead. The third and final debate will be moderated by NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker. In a late Monday night statement, Trump 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien said Trump is committed to debating Biden regardless of the last-minute rule changes. -- PTI
12:14 Delhi govt to donate Rs 15 core for Telangana flood relief
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced a donation of Rs 15 crore for relief efforts in flood-hit Telangana, saying people of Delhi stand with residents of the state.
"Floods have caused havoc in Hyderabad. People of Delhi stand by our brother and sisters in Hyderabad in this hour of crisis.
Delhi govt will donate Rs 15 cr to the Govt of Telangana for its relief efforts," he tweeted. As many as 70 people have died in rain-related incidents during the past one week in the state, Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao said on Monday.
Hyderabad received the second highest recorded rainfall after 1908, which forced the state government to relocate about 37,000 people from low-lying areas to relief camps. According to him, 33 people in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and adjoining areas, and 37 people in districts have lost their lives. A fresh spell of heavy rains on Saturday night caused flooding on Sunday in parts of the city after it last week witnessed one of the worst deluges in recent times following unprecedented downpour in over a century.
The Telangana government, in a preliminary estimate, had pegged the losses at over Rs 5,000 crore caused due to rains and floods. PTI
11:46 Punjab CM moves resolution rejecting farm laws
Punjab Chief Minister Captain (retired) Amarinder Singh moved a resolution on the floor of the Assembly, over the concerns of the government against Central agriculture reform laws and amendments to the Electricity Act.
"Three farm legislations along with proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020 are clearly against interests of farmers and landless workers and time-tested agriculture marketing system established not only in Punjab but also in Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh," the Chief Minister said.
"The draft resolution states that farm laws are against the constitution (Entry 14 List-II), which mentions agriculture as a state subject and these legislations are a direct attack to encroach upon functions and powers of states, as enshrined in the constitution," he added.
According to an official release, Singh presented in the Vidhan Sabha a draft resolution rejecting outrightly the Centre's anti-farmer laws and the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill, with an appeal to all parties in the state to rise above political interests in the spirit of saving Punjab.
The draft resolution seeks annulment of the Farm Laws and the proposed Electricity Bill, as well as promulgation of "a fresh ordinance making the procurement of food grains on the Minimum Support Price a statutory right of the farmers and continue with procurement by Government of India through FCI and other such agencies." -- ANI
11:21 Sindhu was fed up with behaviour in India: Dad
World Champion P V Sindhu is in London to prepare for next year's Asia leg of the Badminton World Federation's calendar as "her practice was not happening properly" at the ongoing national camp in Hyderabad, her father PV Ramana has said.
The Olympic silver-medallist has been in London for the last 10 days and posted a picture with sports nutritionist Rebecca Randell of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), her training base, on her social media page on Monday.
"She has been in London for last 10 days. We can't stay with her for two months, so she went alone," Ramana, who has often spoken on behalf of the shuttler told PTI, refuting reports that she left because of an unspecified dispute in the family. Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the BWF has been forced to move the World Tour Finals (Jan 27-31) and the two Asia opens (Jan 12-17 and Jan 19-24) to Bangkok in January next year. Ramana said that the celebrated shuttler was not happy with her training at the national camp.
"Her practice was not happening properly here. After the 2018 Asian Games, Gopi (chief coach Pullela Gopichand) didn't take interest in her training. He didn't provide a proper practice partner to train with her. She was not having enough quality practice and was fed up with the treatment," he claimed.
When contacted, Gopichand confirmed that Sindhu had informed him about her move to London but refused to respond to Ramana's remarks. "She has gone for that Gatorade training academy, that is the information we have. They have a training institute there. I don't know the exact details or duration of the program," he said. "I don't want to respond to what her father has to say, if Sindhu says something, I will respond," he added.
Ramana said Sindhu had informed the Badminton Association of India (BAI) regarding her trip to London and had also kept Gopichand in the loop. "She had sent a letter to BAI last week about her trip, with a copy to Gopi...and since she will be there for at least eight weeks, she will be practicing with England team. So, she requested BAI to put in a word to Badminton England," Ramana said.
Sindhu has been part of the national camp for Olympic hopefuls and was training with her Korean coach Park Tae Sang ever since Kim Ji Hyun resigned last year. She skipped the recently-concluded Denmark Open Super 750 tournament and will next be seen in action at the Asian leg of the adjusted BWF World Tour 2020 in January. -- PTI
Representational image
11:15 Militant killed in encounter in J-K's Shopian
A militant was killed in an overnight encounter with security forcesin Shopian district of Jammu andKashmir, taking the death toll of ultras killed in the operation to two, the Army said on Tuesday. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Melhura inZainapora area of Shopian on Monday evening following information about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.
He said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire at security forces' positions. One militant was killed in the initial exchange of fire between the two sides last evening, while another ultra was shot dead on Tuesday morning, an Army official said. He said as AK rifle and a pistol were among the weapons and ammunition recovered from the scene of the encounter. The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants was being ascertained. -- PTI
10:58 Hope India will return our soldier soon: China
The Chinese military has expressed hope that its missing soldier apprehended by the Indian Army in Eastern Ladakh will be released soon. A Chinese soldier was apprehended by the Indian Army in the Demchok sector of Eastern Ladakh on Monday after he had "strayed" across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), an incident that comes amid a massive deployment of troops by the two militaries in the region following the border standoff since May.
The Indian Army said in a statement on Monday that the soldier, a Corporal in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), has been identified as Wang Ya Long and he will be returned to the Chinese military at the Chushul-Moldo border point after completion of formalities. "China hopes that India will hand over soon the Chinese soldier who got lost in China-India border areas on the evening of October 18 when helping local herdsmen retrieve a yak at their request," said Senior Colonel Zhang Shuili, spokesperson for the Western Theater Command of the PLA said in a statement on Monday night.
"The PLA border troops informed the Indian military right after the incident and hoped the Indian side would aid in search and rescue, and the Indian side promised to offer help and return the missing soldier timely after finding him," he said.
The latest information from the Indian side is that the lost Chinese soldier has been found and will be handed over to the Chinese side after receiving medical examination, Col. Zhang said.
"We hope that the Indian side will live up to its promise to hand over the missing Chinese soldier as soon as possible and implement the consensus reached by the two sides in the 7th round of Senior Commanders meeting, so as to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas," Zhang said. PTI
10:49 Jeff Bridges has lymphoma
American actor Jeff Bridges announced that he has been diagnosed with lymphoma. The 70-year-old actor made the announcement on Twitter where he wrote, "As the Dude would say.. New S**T has come to light. I have been diagnosed with Lymphoma."
"Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good. I'm starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery," he said.
The 2008 'Iron man' actor expressed gratitude and said he is grateful for the love and support from his family and friends.
"I'm profoundly grateful for the love and support from my family and friends. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. And, while I have you, please remember to go vote. Because we are all in this together. http://Vote.org Love, Jeff," read a subsequent tweet.
The Oscar-winning actor is known for his performances in 'Crazy Heart', 'Hell or High Water', 'The Fisher King', among others. He has also won Best Award awards at Golden Globe, Academy Award in 2010. -- ANI
A recovered Covid patient leaves Kaushalya hospital in Thane
10:42 1,264 new Covid-19 cases in Thane, recovery rate over 90%
The Covid-19 tally in Thane rose to 2,01,734 with the addition of 1,264 new cases, while seven civic limits of the Maharashtra district reported a recovery rate of over 90 per cent, an official said on Tuesday. The district also reported 29 deaths due to the viral infection on Monday, taking the toll to 5,100, he said.
So far, Kalyan town has recorded the maximum number of Covid-19 cases at 48,106, followed by Thane city-44,093 and Navi Mumbai-42,417 he said. As of now, there are 13,404 active COVID-19 cases in the district, while 1,83,230 patients (90.83 per cent) have recovered, the official said.
The Covid-19 recovery rate in Thane city was 90.24 per cent, Kalyan-92.58 per cent, Mira Bhayander-90.73 per cent, Navi Mumbai-91.46 per cent, Ulhasnagar-90.97 per cent, Ambernath-92.29 per cent, Badlapur-94.91 per cent, Bhiwandi- 88.70 per cent and Thane rural-83.95 per cent. -- PTI
10:27 India Covid tally nears 76L, 46,791 cases a day
The Covid tally is here and the numbers show a decline. India reports 46,791 new Covid-19 cases and 587 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total cases are 75,97,064. Of this the active cases are 7,48,538 (a dip by 23,517 since yesterday). The cured/discharged/migrated cases stand at 67,33,329 (a rise by 69,721 since yesterday). The number of deaths are 1,15,197, a rise by 587 since yesterday.
10:15 Covid vaccination: UNICEF stocks 500mn syringes
UNICEF said it will stockpile 520 million syringes in its warehouses, as part of a larger plan of one billion hypodermic needles by 2021, to guarantee initial supply and help ensure that syringes are available in countries before the Covid-19 vaccines arrives.
As the world awaits a Covid-19 vaccine, UNICEF has begun laying the groundwork for the rapid, safe and efficient delivery of the eventual vaccine by purchasing and pre-positioning syringes and other necessary equipment, the UN agency said on Monday.
The agency said as soon as Covid-19 vaccines successfully emerge from trials and are licensed and recommended for use, the world will need as many syringes as doses of vaccine.
To begin preparations, this year, UNICEF will stockpile 520 million syringes in its warehouses, part of a larger plan of one billion syringes by 2021, to guarantee initial supply and help ensure that syringes arrive in countries before the Covid-19 vaccines, it said.
During 2021, assuming there are enough doses of Covid-19 vaccines, UNICEF anticipates delivering over one billion syringes to support Covid-19 vaccination efforts on top of the 620 million syringes that it will purchase for other vaccination programmes against other diseases such as measles, typhoid and more.
Vaccinating the world against COVID-19 will be one of the largest mass undertakings in human history, and we will need to move as quickly as the vaccines can be produced, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. In order to move fast later, we must move fast now.
By the end of the year, we will already have over half a billion syringes pre-positioned where they can be deployed quickly and cost effectively. That's enough syringes to wrap around the world one and a half times, Fore said. -- PTI
10:10 Sensex rises over 150 pts in early trade; Nifty tops 11,900
Equity benchmark Sensex advanced over 150 points in opening trade on Tuesday tracking gains in index majors Infosys, HDFC Bank and TCS, despite weak cues from global markets. The 30-share BSE index was trading 182.55 points or 0.45 per cent higher at 40,614.15, and the broader NSE Nifty rose 47.30 points or 0.40 per cent to 11,920.35. HCL Tech was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, surging around 3 per cent, followed by L&T, M&M, Tech Mahindra, Maruti, TCS, Asian Paints, Infosys and HDFC Bank. On the other hand, ONGC, Nestle India, SBI, ICICI Bank and IndusInd Bank were among the laggards.
In the previous session, Sensex ended 448.62 points or 1.12 per cent higher at 40,431.60. The broader NSE Nifty surged 110.60 points or 0.94 per cent to finish at 11,873.05. Exchange data showed that foreign institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 1,656.78 crore on a net basis on Monday. -- PTI
09:55 Mouthwashes may inactivate Covid: Research
Certain oral antiseptics and mouthwashes may have the ability to inactivate human coronaviruses, suggested a recent study conducted at Penn State College of Medicine.
The research finding indicated that some of these products might be useful for reducing the viral load, or amount of virus, in the mouth after infection and may help to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
Craig Meyers, distinguished professor of microbiology and immunology and obstetrics and gynaecology, led a group of physicians and scientists who tested several oral and nasopharyngeal rinses in a laboratory setting for their ability to inactivate human coronaviruses, which are similar in structure to SARS-CoV-2. The products evaluated include a 1 per cent solution of baby shampoo, a neti pot, peroxide sore-mouth cleansers, and mouthwashes.
Researchers found that several of the nasal and oral rinses had a strong ability to neutralise human coronavirus, which suggests that these products may have the potential to reduce the amount of virus spread by people who are COVID-19-positive.
"While we wait for a vaccine to be developed, methods to reduce transmission are needed," Meyers said. "The products we tested are readily available and often already part of people's daily routines."
Meyers and colleagues used a test to replicate the interaction of the virus in the nasal and oral cavities with the rinses and mouthwashes. Nasal and oral cavities are major points of entry and transmission for human coronaviruses. They treated solutions containing a strain of human coronavirus, which served as a readily available and genetically similar alternative for SARS-CoV-2, with the baby shampoo solutions, various peroxide antiseptic rinses and various brands of mouthwash. They allowed the solutions to interact with the virus for 30 seconds, one minute and two minutes, before diluting the solutions to prevent further virus inactivation.
According to Meyers, the outer envelopes of the human coronavirus tested and SARS-CoV-2 are genetically similar so the research team hypothesizes that a similar amount of SARS-CoV-2 may be inactivated upon exposure to the solution.
To measure how much virus was inactivated, the researchers placed the diluted solutions in contact with cultured human cells. They counted how many cells remained alive after a few days of exposure to the viral solution and used that number to calculate the amount of human coronavirus that was inactivated as a result of exposure to the mouthwash or oral rinse that was tested. The results were published in the Journal of Medical Virology.
The 1 per cent baby shampoo solution, which is often used by head and neck doctors to rinse the sinuses, inactivated greater than 99.9 per cent of human coronavirus after a two-minute contact time. Several of the mouthwash and gargle products also were effective at inactivating the infectious virus. Many inactivated greater than 99.9 per cent of the virus after only 30 seconds of contact time and some inactivated 99.99 per cent of the virus after 30 seconds.
Meyers further stated that the results with mouthwashes are promising and add to the findings of a study showing that certain types of oral rinses could inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in similar experimental conditions.
In addition to evaluating the solutions at longer contact times, they studied over-the-counter products and nasal rinses that were not evaluated in the other study. Meyers said the next step to expand upon these results is to design and conduct clinical trials that evaluate whether products like mouthwashes can effectively reduce viral load in COVID-19-positive patients. -- ANI
09:22 MP CM's fresh attack on Kamal Nath's item jibe
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched a fresh attack on Congress leader Kamal Nath after a clarification was issued by him over his 'item' remark.
"What happened to you former CM Kamal Nath. You are 74-yr-old and I can't repeat what you said about BJP's Imarti Devi...When we objected, he shamelessly called everyone an item including himself" Mr Chouhan said.
Earlier, Kamal Nath had written to Chouhan stating he had not said anything disrespectful against BJP candidate Imarti Devi, claiming that the word could be used in many different contexts.
Earlier, the Election Commission of India has sought a detailed report from Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer over the Congress leader Kamal Nath's "item remark" at an election rally made against BJP leader Imarti Devi.
This came after the National Commission for Women has written to Chief Election Commissioner over the 'derogatory remarks' made by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on a woman minister.
In the run-up to Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly by-polls, former Chief Minister Kamal Nath referred to Imarti Devi as an "item", sparking a controversy.
08:57 PV Sindhu quits Olympic camp, leaves for UK
Badminton player PV Sindhu has left the ongoing camp for Olympic and has left for London.
Her Instagram account said on Monday that she had travelled to the UK to work on her recovery and nutrition. Sources said she has been in the UK for at least 10 days now.
Apart from it being unusual for a top Olympic medal hopeful to leave a national camp midway, this is also the first time that the 25-year-old has travelled abroad without being accompanied by either of her parents. Sources said that she is being monitored by a team of experts, including Rebecca Randell of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. The former world No.2 is expected to be in the UK for the next two months.
08:36 Half of India may get Covid by Feb: Govt panel
By February next year, at least half of India's 1.3 billion population is likely to have been infected by the novel coronavirus. This may help slow the spread of the disease, a government committee tasked with providing projections said.
India's current coronavirus tally stands at over 75 lakh cases and is second only to the United States in terms of total infections.
However, coronavirus infections are decreasing in India after a peak in mid-September, with 61,390 new cases reported on average each day, according to a Reuters tally.
Our mathematical model estimates that around 30% of the population is currently infected and it could go up to 50% by February, said Manindra Agrawal, a professor at the Indian Institute for Technology in Kanpur and a committee member.
The committees estimate for the current spread of the virus is much higher than the central governments serological surveys, which showed that only around 14 per cent of the population had been infected, as of September.
07:51 Trump-Biden debate to feature 'mute' button
The debate between US President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will feature a mute button to allow each candidate to speak uninterrupted, organisers said, in a bid to avoid the disruptions that marred the first matchup.
The Presidential Commission on Debates said each candidate's microphone would be silenced to allow the other to make two minutes of opening remarks at the beginning of each 15-minute segment of the debate. Both microphones will be turned on to allow a back-and-forth after that time.
The news came the day the number of Americans voting early ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3 crossed the 30 million mark and as Trump tries to reframe a contest in which national and state opinion polls show him trailing.
Trump repeatedly interrupted Biden during a chaotic and ill-tempered debate on September 29, and Biden responded with insults.
Trump backed out of a second scheduled debate set for last Thursday over a disagreement about the virtual format following his COVID-19 infection. At that time, he raised concerns about having his microphone muted.
01:30 Family attempts self-immolation outside UP House
Five members of a Barabanki-based family attempted to immolate themselves due to financial distress outside the high-security Vidhan Bhavan building in Lucknow on Monday, but were prevented by police personnel present there before they could set themselves ablaze.
The Vidhan Bhavan houses the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.
"Naseer, his wife and two minor sons (residents of Barabanki district) tried to immolate themselves near gate number 2 of the Vidhan Bhavan in the afternoon by pouring a liquid on themselves. However, the police personnel present at the spot caught hold of them before they could find a matchstick or lighter to set themselves ablaze," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Somen Barma told PTI.
Upon interrogation, the DCP said Naseer told them that he was facing financial hardship after his shop in Barabanki was demolished in an anti-encroachment drive and hence, the family thought of taking the extreme step.
"Since the family belongs to another district (Barabanki), I have spoken to the district magistrate and they will be handed over to a police team from Barabanki," Barma added.
In a separate incident, a middle-aged man identified as Surendra Chakraborty immolated himself in front of the state assembly and sustained 60 per cent burn injuries.
"The policemen deputed there tried to save him and rushed him to hospital. He sustained 60 per cent burn injuries," Lucknow Police Commissioner Sujit Pandey said.
"The victim had some dispute with his landlord and the matter is in court. We are trying to find out more details," Pandey said adding that four teams have been formed to work on the case. -- PTI
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