LIVE! Excise notice to Wankhede for eatery permit

LIVE

Tue, 14 December 2021

Excise notice to Wankhede for eatery permit

Timeline Refresh

23:58 Kolkata book fair from Jan 31 amid strict Covid measures

The 45th International Kolkata Book Fair will begin on January 31 amid strict COVID-19 safety measures, officials said on Tuesday.

It will be an open congregation that will be held in Central Park in Salt Lake in view of the pandemic, they sad.

Mask will be mandatory for visitors and participants, officials said after a meeting at the state secretariat with the organisers -- the Publishers and Book Sellers Guild.

The number of bookstalls would remain the same but their size would be reduced, they added.

"There will be an opportunity for book lovers to see and buy books outside the stalls to ensure social distancing," an official said.

Around 580 publishers and booksellers participate in the book fair, touted to be the biggest in the world in terms of footfall, according to industry sources.

The book fair will continue till February 13 and the theme country will be Bangladesh to mark the birth centenary of its founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee year of its independence. -- PTI

23:47 Excise notice to Wankhede for eatery permit

The Thane unit of the Maharashtra Excise department has issued a notice to Narcotics Control Bureau Mumbai zonal chief Sameer Wankhede in connection with a eatery owned by him, an official said on Tuesday.

The routine notice was issued to Wankhede on December 10 after documents available with the department did not include proof of age at the time when he got a licence for the eatery in Vashi in Navi Mumbai in 1997, state Excise superintendent (Thane) Nilesh Sangde said.

"The notice was issued under Section 54(1)(k) of Mumbai Prohibition Act. Wankhede has been given seven days time to submit a written reply to the notice. After the reply is received from him, it will be placed before the collector for an appropriate decision," Sangde said.

Wankhede refused to comment on the excise department action. -- PTI

Citing his health condition, dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze, the prime accused in the Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran murder case, on Tuesday urged the special National Investigation Agency court to direct jail authorities to allow him to consume protein-rich diet and non-vegetarian food, saying he has a history of various ailments.

Waze, currently in judicial custody, is lodged at Taloja Jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

He had undergone heart surgery in September this year.

Also, as per his application, he has a history of cardiac, gastro-intestinal and other ailments. In his plea, Waze sought the court's direction to the jail authorities for allowing him to eat a protein-rich diet and non-vegetarian food.

He also requested that he be referred to a doctor at a private hospital, where he had undergone bypass surgery, for a follow-up.

The dismissed police officer has also sought the court's nod for seeking dental and ophthalmic treatment at hospitals.

His other demands include permission to use his kit for shaving his beard and trimming his moustache. -- PTI

An FIR was registered against the children home for girls run by the Missionaries of Charity on Tuesday for allegedly carrying out forceful religious conversion of children studying there, but a nun there has denied the allegations.

Makarpura ACP SB Kumpawat said, "An FIR has been registered against the children home for girls run by Missionaries of Charity for allegedly carrying out forced conversion of children there."

The NCPCR chairman had made a visit to this children's home in August this year and wrote a letter to the district collector asking to file a complaint against the institute after he found some anomalies, said the ACP.

"A committee was formed to investigate the case and it made a visit to the place on December 10. During its visit, it noticed various things related to the religious conversion of children, marriages being done in other communities, children being made to read the Bible and wear a cross and submitted a report. Based on that, a case was registered," said the officer.

However, Rose Teresa, one of the nuns of the institute denied the allegations. -- ANI

22:09 Mapped: COVID-19 Vaccination in India

India ranks second with more than 52 fully vaccinated people, second only to China

21:57 RSS leader from Nagpur missing in Uttarakhand

A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader from Nagpur, Sukumar Satyanarayan Kare, who had left Delhi for Dehradun on December 8 has been missing for nearly a week.

Kare, who serves the RSS as a sangathan mantri (organisational secretary), started from Delhi for Dehradun by the Shatabdi Express train on December 8 but did not reach Dehradun, the government railway police, Dehradun, which has registered a case in connection with his disappearance, said on Tuesday.

Devprayag was his last location where he is understood to have spent a few days, GRP, Dehradun station house officer TS Rana said.

CCTV footage from Haridwar junction shows that instead of coming directly to Dehradun, the RSS leader deboarded the train at Haridwar and caught a bus for Devprayag.

His RSS associates in Dehradun told the GRP that they heard from him last on December 10 when he was at an ancient temple in Devprayag.

He was asking about when he can get a bus for Rishikesh.

A GRP team has reached Rishikesh in search of the RSS leader. -- PTI

21:20 2 accused of luring youth to ISIS plead guilty

Two people accused of instigating youths to join terrorist organisation ISIS filed a written plea on Tuesday in a special National Investigation Agency court in Mumbai stating they plead guilty.

Rizwan Ahmed and Mohsin Sayyed, in their affidavit, said they 'regret and feel remorseful' of their unlawful act.

The two had orally pleaded guilty before special judge AT Wankhede in the previous hearing, after which the court asked them to file a written plea.

Ahmed and Sayyed, in the affidavit, said they want to return to the mainstream and rehabilitate themselves, adding they were voluntarily pleading guilty without any interference, threat, coercion or undue influence and understand the consequences.

The affidavit added that the accused were "merely involved in propagation of banned terrorist organisation and never involved in any type of violence or killings."

The prosecution has not raised any objection to their plea.

The court has kept the matter for final decision on December 21.

Ahmed and Sayyed, who were held by the NIA in 2016 from Malvani in the northern part of Mumbai, are accused of indoctrinating one Ayaz Mohamad in 2015 as well as many other youths to join the ISIS. -- PTI

At least one person was injured on Tuesday when suspected NSCN-IM militants fired on a group of villagers for not accepting their demands in Cachar district of Assam along the inter-state border with Manipur, a senior police officer said.

Cachar Superintendent of Police Ramandeep Kaur said the incident took place at the remote village of Samtila, just 500 metres away from the Assam-Manipur border, which at times is used as a transit route by the militants.

"The villagers informed us that around 10 cadres of the NSCN-IM came to them in the morning and demanded some support like accommodation. The villagers did not agree and this led to an altercation," Kaur said.

Failing to convince the villagers, the militants then fired on them, she added.

"One person was injured in the firing and he was rushed to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital. His condition is stable," Kaur said.

The SP said that police are 'dominating' the area and launched an operation to nab the accused.

She also said that the Manipur Police has been informed and the two forces are working in coordination. -- PTI

As a gesture of respect, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday touched the feet of Dhanno Devi, wife of Colonel Hoshiar Singh, who was decorated with the Param Vir Chakra for exhibiting exemplary courage in the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

The defence minister was attending an event in New Delhi when he met the wife of the war veteran.

Vijay Parv Samapan Samaroh was held in New Delhi ahead of the 50th anniversary of India's victory in the 1971 war.

Taking to Twitter, Rajnath said, "Had a warm interaction with the Bangladeshi Muktijoddhas and the Indian war veterans who fought against injustice in 1971 war. The Indian Armed Forces worked together with the courageous Muktijoddhas in their valiant struggle."

War veteran Colonel Hoshiar Singh was honoured with the Param Vir Chakra, the highest military honour in the country, for exhibiting exemplary courage during the 1971 war, which led to the liberation of Bangladesh, then known as East Pakistan.

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) to provide CCTV cameras in all polling booths and in the strong room where EVMs used in the December 19 Kolkata Municipal Corporation election will be kept.

The HC direction came during the hearing of a PIL moved before the court by a man claiming to be a BJP worker who prayed that all the 4,842 main and 365 additional auxiliary polling booths be kept under CCTV surveillance on the day of polling as also the strong room where the EVMs will be kept till the date of counting.

The SEC submitted that provision has been made for installation of CCTV cameras in 25 per cent of the polling booths and it has no difficulty in accepting the petitioner's prayer.

The West Bengal government submitted that it has no role in this issue.

Noting that the SEC has accepted the prayer of the petitioner, the bench directed the commission to act in accordance with the statement made before the court and "provide CCTV cameras in all the main and auxiliary polling booths as also in strong room where EVMs will be kept in the forthcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation Election."

A demand was raised in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday to declare cow the national animal and enact an effective central law to stop cow slaughter in the country.

Making a special mention in the House, BJP MP Kirori Lal Meena said cow is an integral part of Indian culture, and that even some Mughal rulers like Babur, Humayun and Akbar had prohibited its slaughter.

"Therefore, I demand that the central government should bring an effective law to stop cow slaughter and also, cow should be declared the 'national animal'," he said.

Earlier, in his Zero Hour mention, Harnath Singh Yadav of the BJP said the rate of illegal religious conversions was increasing in the country, and demanded an anti-conversion law at the national level to ensure social harmony and national security.

K Vanlalvena of the MNF spoke about the issue of Myanmar refugees in Mizoram, and urged the central government to help them.

Rajya Sabha member Narendra Jadhav (nominated) demanded that the central government should regulate, subsidise and fix price ceiling on cardiovascular as well ad pacemaker surgeries.

Representational pic

19:19 Banned drugs worth Rs 13 cr seized by Mumbai NCB

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized Amphetamine, opium and Zolpidem tablets in varying quantities from different locations in suburban Andheri and south Mumbai and arrested an Ivorian national, an official said on Tuesday.

The collective value of the seizure is estimated at Rs 13 crore. These substances, seized over the last four days, were supposed to be smuggled out of India to various foreign countries, the official said.

The federal anti-drugs agency seized a total of 2.296 kg Amphetamine, 3.906 kg opium and 2.525 kg Zolpidem tablets during the operations.

A team of Mumbai NCB seized 490 gm Amphetamine concealed in a stethoscope in Andheri (East) on Friday, the official said, adding that the seized consignment was originated from Dongri in south Mumbai and destined for Australia.

The NCB arrested an Ivorian national in this case.

On Monday, the NCB seized 3.906 kg opium concealed in an oven, also in Andheri, the official said, adding that the seized substance was supposed to be smuggled out to Male, Maldives.

Later, the NCB seized 2.525 kg of Zolpidem tablets concealed in eatables and grocery items. They were destined for Texas, the USA, the official said.

In another operation, at least 941 gm Amphetamine which was hidden in cycling helmets and bangles was seized in Andheri (East). This consignment was destined for Australia, he said.

On Monday and Tuesday, the NCB seized a total of 848 gm of Amphetamine concealed in hose pipes and tie box in Dongri, which was meant to be dispatched to Dubai, UAE and New Zealand, he said.

On Tuesday, 17 gm Amphetamine was seized from a hard disk (1 TB capacity) also in Andheri, which was destined to Switzerland, the official said.

Six cases were registered and further investigation is underway.

Bollywood stars Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif on Tuesday made their first public appearance as husband and wife at the Mumbai airport.

The newlyweds have returned to Mumbai after enjoying a romantic honeymoon, which reports suggest was in the Maldives.

The duo had jetted off to the exotic island country after tying the knot on December 9.

At the airport today, Vicky could be seen wearing beige trousers paired with an off-white shirt; Katrina, dressed in a pink salwar kameez with a sheer dupatta, was seen sporting sindoor and wearing chooda.

She also held her husband's hand while walking out of the airport.

Fondly referred to by fans as VicKat, the couple had gotten married in an extremely private, intimate ceremony at the luxurious Six Senses Fort Barwara in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan.

Over the past week, Katrina and Vicky have been treating fans with stunning pictures from their wedding. They recently flooded Instagram with glimpses of their pre-wedding photoshoot.

They will reportedly throw a wedding reception party for the film fraternity in the coming days after which they will resume work.

Normalisation of international flight services will depend on the Omicron scenario and authorities concerned will watch the situation as it unfolds, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday.

On November 26, aviation regulator DGCA decided to restart scheduled commercial international flights to and from India from December 15. However, the decision was put on hold in less than a week in the wake of the emergence of Omicron, the new COVID variant. Last week, the watchdog said the flights will remain suspended till January 31.

Scheduled commercial international passenger flights remain suspended since March 23, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, the flights are being operated under bilateral air bubble arrangements with various countries in a restricted manner.

Speaking at a summit organised by industry body CII on Tuesday, Scindia said normalisation of international flights would depend on the Omicron situation.

"Keeping in mind the health, we cannot dissociate ourselves from COVID. We are working closely with the health ministry. When we tide over Omicron, we can look at going back to normalcy even vis-a-vis international travel but I cannot give you the date today.

"It is not incumbent on me, there are host of other factors, other ministries that I have to coordinate with and watch the situation as it unfolds over the next couple of weeks," he said.

Talking about the domestic air traffic, Scindia said today it is ranging between 3.7 to 3.9 lakh passengers per day. Pre-COVID, the highest was close to 4.2 lakh passengers per day.

The domestic capacity was increased in a "very gradual and monitored process" and on October 18, the government allowed 100 per cent capacity for domestic airlines.

"Today, we are running 3.7 to 3.9 lakh passengers per day and on a seat load factor basis of 75-81 per cent, which is a very healthy seat load factor. Keeping that in mind, I was looking at opening up international travel but as you all are aware, just on the anvil of that the world got hit by Omicron," Scindia said.

Replying to a query, the minister said every country has different rules with regard to international travel right now and understandably so.

"It depends on various countries' risk appetite and you cannot disagree with what each individual country determines its risk appetite is... that decision is best left to individual countries rather than for us to impose a world wide sort of rules...," he noted.

Representational image

18:29 Tirupati flight develops snag, fliers say harassed by crew

Passengers, including some legislators, of the flight of a private carrier that was supposed to land in Tirupati on Tuesday morning had a harrowing experience as the aircraft allegedly developed a technical problem before finally making a detour and landing in Bengaluru.

The airline allegedly demanded each passenger to pay Rs 5,000 to let them disembark but ultimately gave up after stiff resistance from the travellers, which included ruling YSR Congress MLA RK Roja.

Roja, also a film actor, recounted the plight of the passengers and warned of legal action against the company over the way in which the whole episode was handled.

The flight from Rajamahendravaram to Tirupati, both in Andhra Pradesh, took off at 9 am on Tuesday and was supposed to land in Tirupati around 10.30 am. However, it did not land at the Tirupati airport allegedly because of a technical problem and hovered for some time in the air.

"We are stuck in the aircraft as its doors are not opening. They (crew) say they are awaiting instructions," Roja said in a short video message sent to the media.

The flight finally went to Bengaluru and landed. But, the airline staffers allegedly asked each passenger to pay Rs 5,000 as they took a detour to the Karnataka capital.

"We were put through mental torture as we were not allowed to disembark for more than two hours," the firebrand MLA later alleged.

The crew initially said the flight was diverted to Bengaluru due to bad weather but later claimed there was a technical problem.

"They put us through a big ordeal and even endangered the lives of passengers," the film star-MLA lashed out.

Veteran TDP leader and Leader of Opposition in the legislative council Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and YSRC MLA Jogeswara Rao were among the 70 passengers aboard the flight.

After the passengers stoutly refused pay any extra charge, the airline finally relented and let them disembark in Bengaluru.

There was no immediate reaction from the private airliner regarding the matter.

18:07 Sonia holds meeting with NCP, Sena, DMK

A meeting is underway at the residence of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, regarding the situation in Parliament.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK MP TR Balu, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge are present at the meeting.

The stalemate continues in parliament with the Opposition staging walkouts over the suspension of the 12 Rajya Sabha MPs. The Opposition wants the suspension to be revoked.

Leaders of various opposition parties went on a protest march on Tuesday in support of their demand for revoking the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs.

Opposition MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha participated in the march from the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex to Vijay Chowk.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Opposition is not being allowed to raise issues in Parliament, which is now merely a building and a museum.

The man-made migrant crisis of 2020

17:55 Economic revival uncertain due to govt's short-sighted policy decisions: Tharoor

The COVID-19 pandemic combined with the government's "short-sighted" policy decisions has ushered in a period of "uncertainty" for the economic revival of India, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

"The country is witnessing "a crisis" amid the pandemic but its foundation has been laid by the government with its 2016 decision of demonetising Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes," he pointed out, while initiating a debate on the second batch of supplementary demand for grants for 2021-22.

"Our nation's economy continues to battle the significant forces of disruption that were set in motion by the COVID-19 pandemic and which can trace their way back in our country to the disaster of demonetisation," Tharoor said.

"While we all applaud the heroic efforts of our health workers, nurses, doctors and others in the medical fraternity, the truth is the virus combined with the short-sighted policy decisions of this government has ushered in a period of uncertainty for the economic revival of the country," he said.

"We have been seeing crises everywhere we look. The foundations of the economy have been laid low ever since demonetisation," the Congress leader added.

Tharoor lashed out at the government over the budgetary allocations proposed in the Union Budget presented in February this year and said the government, with its supplementary demands for grants, has continued with its "usual combination" of "high rhetoric, grand ambition, exaggerated numbers and unrealistic targets, all diluted with underwhelming allocations to crucial sectors".

The supplementary demand for grants "clearly" indicates "a gross miscalculation" on the part of the government on expected expenditure, he charged, adding that "in doing so, it insults Parliament and undermines its control over the budget".

Five Indian brands are in the top 100 global powers of luxury goods list with Tata group firm Titan moving up three places to rank 22nd and being among the 20 fastest-growing luxury goods companies, according to a Deloitte report.

Four other homegrown brands, Kalyan Jewellers, Joyalukkas, PC Jewellers, and Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri Ltd, have been ranked 37th, 46th, 57th, and 92nd, respectively, in the Deloitte Global 2021 edition of Global Powers of Luxury Goods.

In India, the trend remained consistent similar to previous years with the gems and jewellery category dominating the latest edition featuring the five brands, Deloitte said in a statement.

Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri Ltd is a first-time entrant to the list of the top 100 luxury goods companies that generated USD 252 billion in revenues globally, it added.

The top 10 luxury brands list mainly featured leading players from the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) region. These players are LVMH Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton SE, Kering SA, Capri Holdings, Compagnie Financiere Richemont, L'Oreal Luxe, Chanel Limited, Essilor Luxottica, and Hermes International spread across the luxury genre, Deloitte said.

Beginning December 20th, all international travelers from 'at-risk' countries, arriving at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad will have to compulsorily pre-book an RT-PCR test.

The DGCA has announced that commercial international flights from India will resume on January 31 amid rising fear of the new Omicron variant. Ahead of this, the DGCA had announced that the scheduled flight will resume from December 15.

This order was revised when the nation displayed concerns over another wave due to the new variant.

The DGCA had also announced that the order would not affect the current flights that are operating as it is only for the complete resumption that has now been postponed.

17:20 Omicron fears continue to spook Sensex

The BSE Sensex continued its downward trajectory for the third consecutive session on Tuesday as spiking inflation and global concerns over the Omicron variant sapped risk appetite.

A weakening rupee and unabated foreign fund outflows added to the gloom, traders said.

The 30-share benchmark declined 166.33 points or 0.29 per cent to end at 58,117.09. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty fell 43.35 points or 0.25 per cent to 17,324.90.

ITC was the top loser on the Sensex chart, shedding 2.73 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finance, Kotak Bank, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Industries and Bajaj Finserv.

On the other hand, PowerGrid, Dr Reddy's, Nestle India, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank and IndusInd Bank were among the winners, climbing as much as 3.84 per cent.

Jab we met: A beneficiary gets a Covid shot

17:04 India produces 335 mn Covid vax doses a month

The current vaccine production capacity of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, is approximately 250-275 million doses per month while it is about 50-60 million doses per month for Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Both companies have achieved close to 90 per cent of present production capacity, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply.

"As communicated by the Serum Institute of India, the current monthly vaccine production capacity of Covishield is approximately 250-275 Million doses per month.

"Further, as communicated by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad, the current monthly vaccine production capacity of Covaxin is approximately 50-60 Million doses/month," she said.

In response to a separate question, Pawar said the projected population for 18 plus years according to the Registrar General of India (RGI) is 93.9 crore. To cover all eligible beneficiaries aged above 18, adequate quantity of Covid vaccine doses have been made available to states and union territories," she said.

"Sufficient quantities of COVID-19 vaccine is manufactured within the country for vaccination of the eligible population. Also, Government of India has undertaken many steps to augment the domestic manufacturing capacity of COVID-19 vaccines and has accordingly, secured COVID-19 vaccines for the eligible beneficiaries as per the availability.

"The implementation of domestic vaccination program is the priority, therefore, Government of India has allowed surplus COVID-19 vaccines to be exported only after securing adequate vaccine doses for National Covid-19 Vaccination Program," she said in the written reply.

The minister also said the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) are deliberating and considering scientific evidence related to the administration of booster doses as well as vaccination of beneficiaries aged less than 18 years. PTI

A total 8,81,254 Indian citizens renounced their citizenship in the last seven years till September 30, 2021 as per information available with the Ministry of External Affairs, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

According to the data tabled in the Lower House, most Indians renounced their Indian citizenship in 2019.

Total 1,31,489 Indians renounced their citizenship in 2015, which then rose to 1,41,603 in 2016. In 2017, 1,33,049 Indians renounced their citizenship. In 2018, the number stood at 1,34,561.

In 2019, the number rose to 1,44,017 and in 2020 it dipped to 85,242. In 2021 it again mounted to 1,11,287 Indians who renounced their citizenship, till September 30.

In this regard, a question was raised by Telangana Rashtriya Samiti leader Kotha Prabhakar Reddy in the Lok Sabha today.

He questioned "whether provisions have been made for applicants to upload documents online, with an upper limit of 60 days for the renunciation."

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said India's merchandise export is set to touch an all-time high of USD 400 billion during the current financial year, driven by sharp uptick in shipments.

As per a preliminary trade data, India's merchandise exports in April-November 2021 was at USD 262.46 billion, an increase of 50.71 per cent over USD 174.15 billion in the same period of the previous financial year.

"Our exports have consistently crossed USD 30 billion for the last eight months. We are now at about USD 262 billion of exports versus USD 290 billion in the 12 months of last year. So, by the ninth month, we would have crossed last year's export, and we hope to do a record export of USD 400 billion," Goyal said.

Speaking at the CII Partnership Summit 2021, he said India's imports too are growing and thus providing opportunities to other countries to expand business and international trade with India. Imports during April-November 2021, grew by 75.39 per cent to USD 384.44 billion.

"India on its part is showing sharp economic recovery and various indicators are pointing to a bounce back in our work in our industry, manufacturing sector, agriculture, technology and also shaping up of preparing a platform for a decade of huge growth," he added.

Referring to COVID-19, Goyal said India tried its best to meet all international commitments and supported countries through supply of vaccines, medical supplies, and masks, among others. He assured that India will continue to support friendly nations.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will kick start the customary pre-Budget consultation exercise with stakeholders from Wednesday by holding the first such meeting with experts of agriculture and agro-processing industry.

She will be seeking inputs from various stakeholders, including industry bodies, farmer organisations and economists for reviving consumption and boosting growth hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The growth this year is expected to be in the double-digit during the current fiscal. The RBI in its latest bi-monthly monetary policy review pegged a GDP growth of 9.5 per cent in 2021-22. The government has projected a fiscal deficit of 6.8 per cent of the gross domestic product.

"India is in a better position with 8,000-10,000 new cases daily of which the majority would be the Delta variants," Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Tuesday.

"The point here is that I do not want to make predictions just yet because predictions should not be made till the time we have enough data. But what we know for certain is that if you boost with three doses, you are definitely enhancing protection in your system, at least for five to six months," he stated.

It will help in reducing hospitalisation if at all there are going to be like what happened with the Delta variant, Poonawalla noted.

He said the clarity on Omicron would be coming in a month or so, and it would be known how effective the current vaccines are against the new virus.

"One thing is certain that Omicron is definitely more infectious and will spread very quickly across the globe. But how severe it is going to be and how many hospitalisations it is going to cause is something that we are going to wait and watch. The initial reports show that it is quite mild. However, we should not take it lightly," Poonawalla said.

He added, "We will also get a lot of clarity on how effective are the existing licenced vaccines on Omicron. But one thing is certain that boosting is a proven strategy, which will definitely get your antibodies up and give you some protection, it is never going to be zero. So, I think the policymakers have to decide the risk-reward of doing that. There really is no downside to doing it. So, we are waiting on the government decision on how they see this".

Poonawalla noted that preventive steps like booster dose can be thought of in the current situation when there is a lack of clarity about the new variant. He said that the government, on its part, has made adequate provisions for any eventuality.

"The world is now better prepared for the third, fourth waves because we have learned what to do and what not to do. So, we are in a far better position today, and I do not think they should be panicking with Omicron and other variants coming about where today already, you are going to seethe sentiment change a little bit, but I do not think we should panic just yet. We should wait and watch how things unfold," he noted.

Poonawalla stressed that it was important to vaccinate the majority of the population to stop more waves in the future. He also pitched for simpler policies so that new projects and factories can be put up at a faster pace. "I think there is still a lot of work to be done there. If you look back, the government and the industry worked so well in the last 15 months to get all these vaccines licensed, reviewed. I mean, there were no shortcuts taken... Traditionally, it was taking us five years to license a vaccine," he stated.

Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Arora have tested Covid+ve

16:02 BMC to test guests at KJo's 'super-spreader' party

The Mumbai civic body on Tuesday prepared a list of guests present at a party attended by actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, who has contracted COVID-19, and their immediate contacts for testing all of them, an official said.

These people have been asked to remain isolated at home and avoid any exposure to other people until the RT-PCR results are out.

"We have to seal the building of Kareena Kapoor Khan, which has been a standard practice of the civic body," Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's Additional Commissioner (western suburbs) Suresh Kakani said.

Khan had attended a party at the residence of filmmaker Karan Johar.

As per BMC officials, four persons who attended the dinner party have so far tested positive for coronavirus.

The civic body has prepared the list of guests who were present at the dinner party and their immediate contacts in the last one week and will test all of them. Some of them have given their swab samples, a BMC official said.

" We have so far tested 15 people. The details of their immediate contacts and others are being collected to carry out testing," Kakani said.

The city civic body on Monday said Khan and actor Amrita Arora had tested positive for the coronavirus and those who came in contact with them were traced and their tests conducted.

Later, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said it is not right to be carefree when the pandemic has not ended. She said if people flout COVID-19 norms, why strict action should not be taken against them. PTI

Parliament has passed a bill to extend the tenure of the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to a maximum of five years from the present two years.

Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh moved 'The Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021' for consideration in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday amidst a walkout by the opposition over the suspension of their 12 members.

The bill was later passed in the Upper House by a voice vote.

Lok Sabha had already cleared the bill on December 3, 2021.

While moving the Bill, Singh said the government is working to check corruption and to ensure and enhance transparency. In recent years, he said, the nation is faced with the triple menace of corruption, black money and international crime that is linked to drug trafficking, terrorism and criminal offences and all these are a threat to the security and financial structure of the country.

15:32 Nehru on religious inaugurations

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's thoughts on the blurring of lines between religiosity and politics in India. Pt Nehru, the father of modern India, was a nationalist, secular and a humanist.

15:31 Expect Omicron cases, deaths to rise: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that it expects an increase in the number of hospitalisations and fatalities related to the new Omicron coronavirus strain, reported Sputnik.

"As case numbers linked to a variant of concern increase globally, we expect the number of hospitalized cases and even deaths to be reported," the WHO said in a statement.

The UN health agency also said that more information is needed to fully understand the clinical picture of those infected with Omicron and WHO encourages countries to contribute to the collection and sharing of hospitalized patient data through the WHO COVID-19 Clinical Data Platform, according to Sputnik.

It comes as the WHO last week had shed light on features of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, including the extent to which it will spread, and the number of mutations in the newfound strain. The UN-health agency had suggested that a new variant could have a major impact on the course of the pandemic, but it's still too early to say for sure.

Doctors treating patients with Covid-19 said they felt like they were seen as "cannon fodder" rather than as heroes.

A study has revealed the strain that Covid-19 is placing on the physical and mental health of NHS workers.

It was carried out by researchers from the Universities of Bath and Bristol, UWE Bristol and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

Some of the stories from an overwhelmed system were "truly devastating," Dr Jo Daniels of the University of Bath said.

Read the report here

Dismissed cop Sachin Waze

15:12 Waze denies paying Deshmukh, extorting from bars

Dismissed police officer Sachin Waze during his deposition before an inquiry commission in Mumbai on Tuesday denied making any payment to former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh or any of his staff member.

He also denied collecting money from bars and bar owners in Mumbai.

Waze is currently deposing before the Justice K U Chandiwal Commission, which is probing corruption allegations levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. NCP leader Deshmukh resigned from the post of state home minister in April this year. Waze's cross-examination by Deshmukh's lawyer Girish Kulkarni continued on Tuesday.

When asked whether there was any occasion he had to make payment to Deshmukh, Waze said, "No". He also denied making payment to any of the staff members of the then home minister.

To a question on whether he made any payment to Kundan Shinde, in his capacity as Deshmukh's staff or otherwise, Waze said, ''I don't recollect." When asked if anybody from the then home minister's office asked him to collect money from bars or bar owners, Waze said, "I don't remember."

He also denied collecting any money from bar owners or bar-associated people. Waze also responded in negative when asked whether there was any interference from the state home ministry or any political party in cases he was probing during his stint at the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU).

Later, the inquiry commission posted the matter for further hearing on December 21 and imposed a cost of Rs 15,000 on Deshmukh for seeking adjournment.

Earlier, in his statement before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Waze had alleged that Deshmukh asked him to collect money from bar and hotel owners. He had also claimed that Deshmukh used to give instructions in high-profile investigations. Waze had alleged that during a meeting held in October 2020 at Deshmukh's residence 'Dyneshwari', the NCP leader gave him a list of 1,750 bars and restaurants and asked him to collect Rs 3 lakh each from these establishments for granting various favours.

In his statement before the ED, Waze had also mentioned that he handed over the money collected from bars to Deshmukh's personal assistant Kundan Shinde.

His statement is part of the charge sheet filed by the central probe agency in connection with a money laundering case. Deshmukh was earlier arrested by the ED in connection with the case, and he is currently in judicial custody. The ED launched a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed an FIR against him on April 21 following allegations made by Param Bir Singh. -- PTI

Update on the SIT report on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence: The Special Investigation Team probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which claimed eight lives, has urged the chief judicial magistrate to replace lesser charges in the case like causing death by negligence with attempt to murder, saying that it was a "pre-planned conspiracy causing death".

The SIT urged the CJM to replace IPC sections 279 (rash driving/riding), 338 (causing grievous injuries by negligence) and 304A (causing death by a rash and negligent act) with IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) among others in the case related to the October 3 violence, in which four farmers were among those killed. The SIT retained IPC sections 302 (murder), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).

It also recommended promulgation of IPC 326 (voluntarily causing injuries by dangerous weapons), 34 (acts by several persons with common intentions) and sections 3/25/30 of the Arms Act in warrants of the 13 accused.

The accused have been arrested in connection with FIR number 219 which pertains to the death of the four farmers and a local journalist in Tikunia.

Senior Prosecution Officer (SPO) SP Yadav on Tuesday told PTI, "Chief Investigator of the SIT Vidyaram Diwakar, probing Tikunia violence, moved an application in the court of CJM Chinta Ram stating the probe and evidence gathered so far established that the violence leading to the death of five people and injuries to several others was not an act of negligence or carelessness."

Covid? What Covid? This was Juhu beach on Sunday

14:39 55% of India's adult population fully vaccinated

Over 55 per cent of India's adult population has received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday.

According to Health Ministry officials, 55.52 per cent of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated with 87 per cent people receiving the first dose of the vaccine.

In a tweet, Mandaviya said that with over 55 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated now, India has achieved another milestone in its fight against Covid.

PM Narendra Modii's 'Har Ghar Dastak' campaign has further strengthened the nation's collective fight against COVID-19.

With the administration of 66,98,601 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 133.88 crore, according to provisional reports till 7 am. This has been achieved through 1,40,27,706 sessions, the ministry said. PTI

Before you cheer that, and indeed, it is a milestone India should be proud of, read this: Two doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines generate lower levels of antibodies against the Omicron variant of coronavirus, according to a study which suggests that those previously infected or vaccinated may be at an increased risk of infection.

Which means booster doses are the need of the hour.

14:34 INC poses a question

The Congress party, whose Twitter handle takes brief naps, awakens to this woke post: "Dear citizens, you decide," with this image alongside.

This is what PM Modi said yesterday: Whenever Aurangzeb attacks, Shivaji rises

This is how Sonia Gandhi ensured our collective thought processes stayed in the 21st century: Sonia slams 'blatantly misogynist' question in CBSE exam

Stringent action should be taken against any forced conversion of sexual orientation or gender identity and expression of persons of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) community, the Kerala high court has said and directed the state to frame guidelines for such procedures.

The high court said if medically conversion therapy was possible, then guidelines for the same were necessary and directed the Kerala government to look into the matter and if necessary, constitute an expert committee to study the issue.

"Based on the study report, respondent 1 will frame a guideline and produce the same before this court within five months," Justice P V Kunhikrishnan said and listed the matter for further hearing on May 18, 2022.

The court said that on the next date the government should place the guidelines on the record.

The court was hearing a plea by Queerala an Organisation for Malayali LGBTIQ Community and a "transman" who claims to be a victim of forced conversion therapy, who have sought a declaration that any form of forced conversion therapy or treatment of people belonging to LGBTIQ community "was illegal, unconstitutional and a violation of their fundamental rights".

The petitioners have alleged that there is forced conversion at the instance of the medical practitioners and that it creates several physical problems to members of their community as there were no guidelines prescribing such conversions.

The state government conceded that there were no guidelines, but said that it has not received any complaints that there were forced conversions as alleged in the writ petition.

It told the court that if there were any such forced conversions, then they were illegal and appropriate steps would be taken.

After hearing both sides, the judge said, "If there is forced conversion as alleged by the petitioners, stringent action should be taken. This is a matter to be looked into by respondent 1. According to me, a guideline is necessary in this regard for conversion therapy, if medically it is possible." -- PTI

Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan's spokesperson amid allegations that she attended a party that became a super-spreader Covid-19 event.

Kareen Kapoor, Amrita Arora and Maheep Kapoor, who were all at the same party have tested positive for Covid-19.

The statement given to film magazine, Filmfare, reads: "Kareena has been extremely responsible throughout the lockdown period. She has been careful every time she's stepped out. Unfortunately, this time she and Amrita Arora contracted COVID at an intimate dinner where a few friends had gathered to catch up.

"It wasn't a big party as was reported. Among that group, there was one person who seemed unwell and was coughing, and who eventually passed it on.

"This person should have been responsible enough to not attend the dinner and put others at risk.

"As soon as she tested positive she has quarantined herself and is following the necessary precautions and protocols to deal with the condition.

"It is not fair to put the blame on her and say that she has been irresponsible and let her guard down. Kareena is a responsible citizen and also has the concern and care for safeguarding her family."

13:41 Mapped: Food prices over a year

The wholesale price-based inflation surged to more than a decade high of 14.23 per cent in November, mainly due to hardening of prices of mineral oils, basic metals, crude petroleum and natural gas.

13:27 Lakhimpur violence pre-planned conspiracy: SIT

The Special Investigations Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence says the incident was a "pre-planned conspiracy" which led to the death of five people and left several injured.

Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish, who is in jail, is the main accused.

The charges against Ashish Mishra should be modified, cops investigating the case have written to a judge.

Ashish Mishra and others are already facing murder and conspiracy charges. The Special Investigation Team wants "attempt to murder" and other charges added.

Sushmita Sen in Aarya 2

13:17 Totally killing it: Salman tells Sushmita

Superstar Salman Khan has praised his friend Sushmita Sen for the recently released second season of her web series Aarya, saying he is happy for his co-star of hit films Biwi No 1 and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya.

Created by Ram Madhvani, the International Emmy-nominated show is an official adaption of the hit Dutch series Penoza.

Sen, 46, plays the role of Aarya Sareen, a mother combatting the dark world of crime and enemies closing in on her family and children.

Khan took to Instagram to congratulate the actor on the new season of the show. "Arre wah Sush how nice u looking ya. Totally killing it. So happy for u. @sushmitasen47 (sic)," the 55-year-old actor wrote Monday as he shared a hoarding of the show.

Sen reposted Khan's picture, thanking him for "all the love & generosity". The new chapter of Aarya, currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, opened to rave reviews upon its premiere on December 10.

Opposition MPs hold a march from Parliament to Vijay Chowk demanding the suspension of the 12 Rajya Sabha MPs be revoked.

Today, several Opposition MPs, led by the Congress staged a demonstration in the well of the Rajya Sabha for an hour, demanding withdrawal of the suspension.

Rahul Gandhi who is at the protest march says, "This (suspension of 12 MPs) is a symbol of the crushing of the voice of people of India. They have done nothing wrong. We are not allowed to discuss important issues in Parliaments. Bills after bills are being passed in Parliament in the din. This is not the way to run the Parliament. PM doesn't come to the House. We are not allowed to raise any issue of national importance. It is the unfortunate killing of democracy."

India has refused to give booster doses to its populace as of now

12:56 Omicron cases reported in Delhi, Guj, AP, Raj

The number of Omicron variant cases in India have gone up to at least 49 so far. The health ministry presser in the evening will give us a clearer picture, but cases have been reported across the length and breadth of the country.

Four more people with travel history to foreign countries test positive for Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Delhi.

A person from Surat who returned from South Africa has tested positive for the new Omicron variant of COVID-19. On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'.

In Rajasthan, four more cases have been reported, the health condition of these patients is stable. All previous Omicron cases in the state have tested COVID negative now.

An international traveller from Ireland had tested positive for the Omicron variant on December 11. He had arrived in India on November 27. He has tested negative for Covid after 14 days and is under home quarantine. All his contacts have tested negative," says Director, Health, Andhra Pradesh govt.

Meanwhile, four people have been arrested for providing a false RT-PCR report to a South African national who was later confirmed to be India's first Omicron case. The patient, who was in quarantine, managed to leave the country via Dubai after producing a fake report, DCP Central Bengaluru said.

Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap on Tuesday withdrew his plea filed in the Bombay High Court for seeking a direction to the Maharashtra government to grant permission for the party's scheduled rally at the Shivaji Park on December 28.

Jagtap's petition, filed on Monday, was scheduled to be heard by a division bench of Justices Amjad Sayed and Abhay Ahuja on Tuesday.

However, Jagtap's counsel V A Thorat mentioned the plea in the morning before the bench and said he has instructions to withdraw the petition unconditionally.

The HC bench then permitted the plea to be withdrawn.

The Congress leader's counsel did not specify the reason for the withdrawal.

In the plea, Jagtap had said an application was submitted to the state government in October 2021, seeking permission to hold the rally where Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been invited to address a gathering. However, till date no decision has been taken on the application, the petition said.

The plea had sought the HC to direct the state government to grant it permission to hold the public meeting and erect a temporary stage on one portion of the sprawling ground.

Jagtap, in the petition, said the party had sought permission to use the Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai from December 22 to December 28 for the purpose of holding a public meeting on the occasion of the 137th Foundation Day of the Indian National Congress. The plea said December 28 is a very important day in history of the Congress as it is the party's foundation day. -- PTI

Anyone looking for proof that the BJP has completely transformed Indian politics need only have watched today's live TV coverage of the Prime Minister's latest Benaras adventures.

As chants of "Har Har Mahadev" rang out, he launched the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, took a dip in the Ganga, offered prayers at the Kaal Bhairav temple, and tweeted thanking the River Ganga for "love" and "blessings".

Read Vir Sanghvi's column here.

11:58 Modi takes a midnight walk around Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ventured out on the streets of Varanasi in the early hours of Tuesday and visited the just-inaugurated Kashi Vishwanath Dham and the Banaras railway station.

In a tweet posted around 1 am, Modi said he inspected "key development works" in the temple town. Varanasi is the prime minister's parliamentary constituency since 2014.

He arrived in Varanasi on a two-day visit on Monday.

On Monday morning, Modi visited the Kal Bhairav Mandir. In the afternoon, he inaugurated the first phase of the ambitious Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, being referred to as Kashi Vishwanath Dham, and in the evening, witnessed the spectacular Ganga "aarti" and a light-and-sound show from a river cruise.

A little past midnight, chants of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Modi, Modi" rent the air as the prime minister, surrounded by SPG security personnel, took a walk on the streets of Varanasi near the Godowlia Chowk, which have decked up to welcome him.

"Inspecting key development works in Kashi. It is our endeavour to create best possible infrastructure for this sacred city," Modi said in his tweet.

He also shared pictures of his late-night visit to Kashi Vishwanath Dham, which he dedicated to the people a few hours ago.

Clad in a grey kurta, white pyjama and a black jacket with a grey muffler thrown over it, Modi took the people walking on the streets by surprise, even as the security personnel tried to ensure that no one ventured close to him.

Later, in another tweet, the prime minister said: "Next stop...Banaras station. We are working to enhance rail connectivity as well as ensure clean, modern and passenger friendly railway stations."

He also shared photos of his visit to the redeveloped station after 1 am. The Banaras railway station was earlier known as Manduadih and was renamed early this year.

The Twitter handle of the Indian Railways had shared pictures of the decorated station on Monday night. Amid chants of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Modi, Modi", the prime minister was showered with rose petals and unbound adulation on Monday morning as he travelled through the streets of Varanasi, which have been plastered with huge posters bearing his image and greetings. -- PTI

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)on Tuesday said that more than 17.06 crore (17,06,13,661) crore balance and unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the States and Union Territories to be administered.

"More than 140.38 crore (1,40,38,75,650) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. More than17.06 Crore (17,06,13,661) balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered," it added.

The vaccination drive in the country has been ramped up through the availability of more vaccines, advanced visibility of vaccine availability to states and UT for enabling better planning by them and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting the states and UTs by providing them COVID vaccines free of cost.

11:28 Sensex gets a bear hug, equities in the red

The Indian equities markets opened deep in the red on Tuesday with the benchmark Sensex sliding more than 450 points due to heavy selling pressure in banking and auto stocks.

The 30-stock S&P BSE Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange opened in the red at 58,059.76 points and slumped to a low of 57,843.12 points in the early trade. The index recovered a bit and touched a high of 58,187.91 points.

However, it again fell sharply, and at around 10.50 am the index was trading at 57,832.77 points, 0.77 per cent or 450.65 points lower than the previous day's close at 58,283.42 points.

The broader Nifty 50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also opened in the red 17,283.20 points. The Nifty 50 was trading at 17,234.45 points at around 10.50 am on Tuesday, 0.77 per cent lower than the previous day's close at 17,368.25 points.

Bajaj Finserv slumped 2.39 per cent to Rs.16906.40. Bajaj Finance dipped 2.33 per cent to Rs.7051.70. Other major Sensex losers included Kotak Bank 2.12 per cent down at Rs.1833.50; ITC down 1.66 per cent at Rs.230.80; Mahindra & Mahindra down 1.65 per cent at Rs.829.10; HDFC 1.42 per cent down at Rs.2731.50 and IndusInd Bank 1.19 per cent down at Rs.927.05.

11:11 PM holds meet with CMs of BJP-ruled states

PM Narendra Modi chairs a meeting of chief ministers of BJP-ruled states in Varanasi. Modi is on a two-day visit to his constituency, which began yesterday with the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.

Modi witnessed the spectacular Ganga 'aarti' in Varanasi on Monday evening while on board a river cruise with chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and other BJP-ruled states.

This was the prime minister's third engagement in the holy city after visiting the Kal Bhairav temple and inaugurating the Kashi Vishwanath Dham earlier in the day.

BJP president J P Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar were among those who accompanied Modi on the cruise.

The death toll in the terrorist attack on a police bus in Jammu and Kashmir rose to three on Tuesday after an injured constable succumbed to injuries, officials said.

Another encounter is underway between security forces and terrorists in Surankote sector of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.

This came a day after two policemen of Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed while 14 others were injured after terrorists fired at a police vehicle near a police camp at Zewan on the outskirts of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

Constable Rameez Ahmad of the 9th Battalion, Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police, succumbed to injuries at the Army's 92 Base hospital, the officials said.

A little known outfit Kashmir Tigers, believed to be the front of Jaish-e-Mohammad, carried out the attack on the police bus at Zewan on the outskirts of Srinagar city on Monday.

Assistant Sub Inspector Ghulam Hassan and Constable Shafeeq Ali were killed while 12 others including Rameez sustained injuries. The attack was carried out on the 20th anniversary of the attack on the Parliament building in the national capital by Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit.

Spain reported 49,802 new cases of COVID-19 and 103 deaths for the 72-hour period until Monday, the country's health ministry said.

The total number of confirmed cases in Spain has risen to 53,39,992, while 88,484 people have now lost their lives to the virus.

The cumulative incidence in Spain has also risen sharply over the past three days, climbing 58 points to 381.26 cases per 1,00,000 inhabitants since Friday.

Last week, the country approved COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged five to 11 amid a rise in infections.

Monday saw the arrival of the first batch of 1.36 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine specially adapted for children in this age group. The doses will be distributed among 17 autonomous communities, with the vaccination program starting on Wednesday. -- ANI

10:31 India's Covid cases 5,784, lowest in 571 days

With 5,784 fresh cases, the lowest in 571 days, India's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 3,47,03,644, while the number of active cases of the infection has declined to 88,993, the lowest in 563 days, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday.

The death toll due to the viral disease has shot up to 4,75,888 with 252 more fatalities, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.

The number of fresh cases of the coronavirus infection has been recorded below 15,000 for the last 47 days now. The number of active coronavirus cases in the country has declined to 88,993, accounting for 0.26 per cent of the total caseload and the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.37 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.

A decline of 2,463 cases was recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. -- PTI

Representational image

10:28 Encounter underway in Poonch

An encounter is underway between security forces and terrorists in Surankote sector of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.

The injured personnel are undergoing treatment at the Army Hospital.

One ASI and a Selection Grade Constable succumbed to their injuries in the attack that took place in the Pantha Chowk area of the city, police said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday has sought details on the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also expressed condolences to the families of the security personnel who have been killed in the attack.

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake has struck off Indonesia's Flores Island, and the country's meteorological agency is warning that tsunami waves are possible.

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake on Tuesday hit at a depth of 18.5 kilometers under the sea, and was located 112 kilometers north of the town of Maumere.

There are no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

India needs a "bold" prime minister who can hold everybody together -- be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or anybody -- not the one who divides people just for sake of politics, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Monday in a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking at an event organised to unveil a book, titled Furrows in a Field: The Unexplored Life of H D Deve Gowda, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said India will become strong only when people of the country are strong.

"India needs a bold prime minister, a prime minister who can hold everybody together, not divide (people) for politics, but hold India, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, anything (together). India doesn't need divisions," he said while praising former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's term as the 12th prime minister of the country for his approach towards Jammu and Kashmir and its people.

Gowda was present at the event.

"Tragedy is that every election has divided India and Indian people," Abdullah said, wondering "when will the day come when no longer will we be divided because of religion".

The NC leader said he is a Muslim and has respect for all other religions as much as he has for his own religion.

"What is wrong with it?" he asked, adding "but look at the governance today, how we are segregated into small corners. And, then we want to make a strong India".

India will "never" be strong unless the people of India are strong, Abdullah said.

"May this dark cloud pass away and we see a flourishing India -- India for all, not just for one," he said wishing long life to Gowda.

Speaking at the event, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury praised Gowda for his contributions, recalling how the United Front government was formed under his leadership as prime minister in 1996.

"These times today looks surreal, unreal. That milieu and values have regressed so far away....It is not individuals that matter but larger society."

The event was attended by Gowda's son and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, BSP's Danish Ali and other dignitaries. Eminent jurist Fali S Nariman, who unveiled the book, joined the event virtually. -- PTI

United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday spoke with India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the phone and reaffirmed the American commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.

"The secretary offered his deepest condolences for the loss of General Rawat, India's Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Rawat, his spouse, and all the other Indian service members who were involved and killed in that helicopter accident on the 8th of December," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters at his news conference.

"He also, of course, reaffirmed the US commitment to strengthening US-India ties and to deepening our defence partnership," Kirby said. -- PTI

After Congress appointed Navjot Singh Sidhu as the chairman of its Election Committee in Punjab for the 2022 assembly polls, former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday said that he felt sad and bad about Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi over the way he was being treated by the Congress party.

"I feel sad for him that despite having a tremendous potential, he is being made to be subservient to the whims of the PCC president Navjot Sidhu," Amarinder Singh said while remarking, "Channi will eventually end up as a night watchman only".

Reacting to the appointment of Sidhu as the Chairman of the Congress Election Committee for Punjab, Amarinder said, it was unprecedented that a Chief Minister was made "subservient" to the PCC president.

"No self-respecting leader should accept such humiliation", the former chief minister remarked, while suggesting that Channi should resign than face such humiliation and insult.

He pointed out how the Congress had claimed that it had appointed a Scheduled Caste as the chief minister but has now made him "subservient" to the PCC president.

"Was he just a showpiece to get the SC votes?" he asked.

"Just because someone is behaving like a spoilt child and throwing tantrums day in and day out, you are submitting to all his blackmail and in the process insulting and humiliating your Chief Minister, who is doing a good job", he said, while remarking, "the Congress is going down the dumps". -- ANI

Three of the four members of a family with a travel history to Uganda who returned to Phaltan tehsil in Satara district of Maharashtra recently have tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Monday.

Satara district civil surgeon said the samples of all the four have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune to ascertain if they have been infected with the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

"A family of four - a couple and their two daughters- came to Phaltan from Uganda on December 9. They were traced and subjected to RT-PCR tests on Monday. Out of which the couple and their elder daughter tested positive for coronavirus. Report of their younger daughter came inconclusive," civil surgeon Dr Subhash Chavan said.

He said all four are currently admitted to the sub-district hospital in Phaltan.

The three patients have no symptoms and are in stable condition.

Their oxygen saturation level is around 99 per cent, Dr Chavan said.

"We have sent their (all the four) samples to the NIV for genome sequencing to ascertain if they have been infected with the Omicron variant," he added.

As of Monday, Maharashtra's tally of Omicron cases stood at 20, as per the state health department. -- PTI

00:19 Hearing on Nirav's extradition plea on Tuesday

The UK high court will hear fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's extradition appeal on Tuesday on mental health and human rights grounds.

Earlier this August, Nirav Modi was granted permission to appeal against his extradition from the UK to India to face fraud charges on the grounds that a return to India would harm his mental health and place him at risk of suicide.

Modi's lawyers had long argued that their client suffered from severe depression and would not receive adequate medical care if he is imprisoned at the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai pending his court appearance.

They stated that his mental health condition had deteriorated further during his incarceration at Wandsworth Prison in South London following his arrest in London in March 2019 and the strict restrictions placed on prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic.

They had also introduced several medical experts to give evidence that Modi was at high risk of suicide. -- ANI

Seema Khan, the wife of actor-filmmaker Sohail Khan has tested positive for COVID-19, after it was reported earlier that Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora had also contracted the virus.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has told that it was Seema who first got COVID-19. It was at a get-together party at Karan Johar's house on December 8 where Kareena and Amrita also got it.

Seema had minor symptoms, said the BMC.

On December 11, the COVID-19 report of Seema came positive.

The same day Kareena and Amrita too got themselves tested and their reports also came positive on Sunday.

As of now, BMC has made different teams on ward levels for contact tracing.

They are getting details from the people who attended the party, based on which more testing can be done.

Over 15 close contacts have been traced by BMC and more contact tracing is being done by them. -- ANI

Timeline Refresh

TOP STORIES