LIVE: Stay alert, be prepared for Covid management, HM says to states

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Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya holds a review meeting with Health Ministers of States/UTs on the Covid-19 situation. Union Health Minister advised States to be on the alert and keep all preparedness for Covid-19 management. He urged the State Health Ministers to conduct mock drills of all hospital infrastructure on 10th and 11th April, 2023 and review the health preparedness with district administrations and health officials on April 8 and 9, 2023. India has logged 6,050 fresh coronavirus cases, the highest in 203 days, while the active cases have increased to 28,303, according to Union health ministry data updated on Friday. On September 16 last year, 6,298 cases were recorded. The death toll has increased to 530,943 with 14 deaths -- three reported from Maharashtra, two each from Karnataka and Rajasthan, one each from Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, and one was reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated. The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 3.39 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 3.02 per cent, it said. The total tally of Covid cases stands at 44,745,104. The active cases now comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid recovery rate has been recorded at 98.75 per cent, according to the health ministry's website.

Govt announces natural gas price of $7.92/MMBtu for April as per new pricing formula; price however capped at $6.5 for consumers: order, reported PTI. 

India received 6.19 million foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) during 2022 as compared to 1.52 million during the same period of 2021. There were 10.93 million FTAs in India during the pre-pandemic year 2019.

India has logged 6,050 fresh coronavirus cases, the highest in 203 days, while the active cases have increased to 28,303, according to Union health ministry data updated on Friday. On September 16 last year, 6,298 cases were recorded. The death toll has increased to 530,943 with 14 deaths -- three reported from Maharashtra, two each from Karnataka and Rajasthan, one each from Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, and one was reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated. The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 3.39 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 3.02 per cent, it said.
 

Israel launched rare strikes in southern Lebanon early Friday and pressed on with bombing targets in the Gaza Strip, marking a widening escalation in the region following violence this week at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site.

 

9:28 PM

India a vital partner in trade, investment among key areas of bilateral ties: South Korea Foreign Minister

9:05 PM

Covid is not over, it is still among us: Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo

It will keep increasing and decreasing. Worrying factor is what if a new variant comes that can cause death. There was one death due to covid in both March & April. I appeal to people to be careful, must wear mask while going out & senior citizens must be extra careful. Those who haven’t taken booster dose yet must do so.

 

9:04 PM

Jaishankar, his South Korean counterpart Park Jin hold discussions to take ahead Special Strategic Partnership

7:55 PM

BJP is saying that our Nal-Jal Yojana is unsuccessful: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel

The PM wrote that in Chhattisgarh 17 lakh people got tap water, 34 lakh got houses, and 35 lakh got cylinders...On one side, PM is praising our govt and on the other side, BJP people are shedding crocodile tears.

 

6:56 PM

926 new COVID cases & 3 deaths reported in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours

6:37 PM

Foreign Minister of Republic of Korea meets Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar

Discussion on significance of cultural & people-to-people ties in strengthening India-Republic of Korea Special Strategic Partnership: Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President.

 

4:45 PM

Thunderstorm alert in Maharashtra: IMD

Thunderstorm very likely to occur over Dhule, Nandurbar,Nashik, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg during next 3 to 4 hours. Possibility of hail at isolated places ( Kolhapur, Dhule, Aurangabad): Regional metrological center, Mumbai.

 

3:33 PM

Govt to launch special scheme to provide financial support to poor prisoners: MHA

In a move expected to decongest the prisons, the Centre has decided to launch a special scheme to provide financial support to poor people languishing in jails as they are unable to afford the penalty or the bail amount.

"This will enable poor prisoners, majority of whom belong to socially disadvantaged or marginalised groups with lower education and income level, to get out of prison, the Home Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

3:19 PM

India received 6.19 mn foreign tourists in 2022 compared to 1.52 mn in 2021

India received 6.19 million foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) during 2022 as compared to 1.52 million during the same period of 2021.

There were 10.93 million FTAs in India during the pre-pandemic year 2019.

3:04 PM

Congress' candidates for about 60 seats in Karnataka unsuitable, party will lose badly: Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday commented that the Congress didn't have suitable candidates in about 60 seats and the party would lose badly in the May 10 Assembly polls, performing worse than last time.

He said the Congress lacked not only candidates, but a base in the State as well as clarity on its policies.

2:45 PM

Israel reinforces troops after violence along Lebanon, Gaza borders

Israel reinforced troops near its borders with Lebanon and Gaza on Friday following a flare-up in violence that threatened to spiral out of control after police raids this week on the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

 

But even as major salvoes of rockets were fired at northern and southern Israel over the past day and Israel's military replied with strikes in Lebanon and Gaza, no serious injuries were reported and neither side seemed keen to broaden the conflict.

 

"Nobody wants an escalation right now," an Israeli army spokesman told reporters. "Quiet will be answered with quiet, at this stage I think, at least in the coming hours." Much hinged on Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem's walled Old City, which draws large crowds and has been a flashpoint during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

2:41 PM

Country won't forgive Opposition for disrupting Parliament over Rahul's disqualification: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday claimed that people would not forgive the opposition parties for disrupting Parliament proceedings over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha based on a legislation brought by the Congress-led UPA government.

Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating the Kaushambi Mahotsav, he exhorted people to elect Narendra Modi as prime minister once again in 2024 for the all-around welfare of all sections of society.

"The country will not forgive opposition parties for disrupting Parliament proceedings over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification... Democracy is not in danger, it is casteism and dynastic politics ('parivarwad') which are in danger," Shah said.

2:40 PM

Nitish urges Centre to provide fresh COVID vaccine stocks

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday urged the Centre to provide fresh stocks of Covid vaccine vials so that administering of jabs, which is currently on hold, could be resumed.

Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of a function, he also asserted that his government was "alert" in view of rising incidence of COVID cases in some parts of the country, though Bihar was not one of them.

"Our testing rate is much higher than the national average, which is six lakh tests per one million people. We are conducting eight lakh tests. Bihar accounts for about one fourth of the total number of tests conducted across the country", claimed Kumar.

2:12 PM

World food prices fall for 12th month running in March: FAO

The United Nations food agency's world price index fell in March for a 12th consecutive month, and is now down 20.5% from a record high hit one year ago following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) price index, which tracks the most globally traded food commodities, averaged 126.9 points last month against 129.7 for February, the agency said on Friday. It was the lowest reading since July 2021.

The February reading was originally given as 129.8.

A combination of ample supplies, subdued import demand and the extension of a deal allowing the safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea contributed to the drop, FAO said. The Rome-based agency said the decline in the index reflected lower prices for cereals, vegetable oils and dairy products, which offset rises in sugar and meat prices.

1:58 PM

Toyota to sell 1.5 mn EVs by 2026, roll out 10 new models

Toyota Motor Corp.’s new Chief Executive Officer Koji Sato unveiled the beginnings of a long-awaited plan to electrify the automaker’s vehicle lineup during his first press conference, but stopped short of outlining concrete steps about how exactly the company will match its EV rivals abroad.

 

The Japanese automaker, often describing itself as a mobility company whose wish is to change the future of cars, on Friday said it will release 10 new EV models by 2026 and sell 1.5 million battery electric vehicles annually while “strengthening hybrids and plug-in hybrids” in order to honor its pledge to halve emissions by 2035 and become carbon neutral by 2050.