LIVE new updates: India reports 3,095 coronavirus cases on Friday

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India now has 15,208 active Covid19 cases having added 3095 fresh cases in the last 24-hours. One of the worst hit states Maharashtra reported 425 fresh cases on Friday, according to the public health department bulletin in the evening. This is almost 38 percent lower than Thursday’s count in the state. Maharashtra has screened 36,254 international passengers arriving at Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur airports since December 24 out of the total 1628447 passengers arriving during this period. Around 43 people have tested RT-PCR positive. State capital Mumbai now has 937 Covid cases, while neighbouring Thane has 566 cases. Meanwhile, the Delhi government said on Thursday that it was prepared to fight the spike in Covid19 cases. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that they are conducting genome sequencing of all Covid cases, and around 7986 beds have been set aside for Covid patients. Delhi had recorded 295 fresh Covid cases on Thursday taking the active caseload to 932.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday called West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar and enquired about the law and order situation in the state in wake of Howra violence.

Delhi Special Court dismisses bail plea of Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, in CBI case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday that the Delhi government is keeping an eye on the spurt in Covid-19 cases in the national capital and is prepared to face any eventuality.

The death toll in the Indore temple stepwell roof collapse rose to 35 on Friday, an official said. The slab constructed on top of an ancient 'bawdi' or well collapsed during a 'havan' program held on the occasion of Ram Navami at a temple in Indore city on Thursday.

The hush money case in New York that has led to criminal charges against Donald Trump is just one of a number of investigations that could pose legal problems for the former president. Trump faces a string of other inquiries as he campaigns for another term in 2024, including a criminal investigation over top secret documents found at his Florida estate, a probe in Washington into his efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election, and an investigation in Georgia looking into whether he and his allies illegally interfered in the state's 2020 election.

The US has condemned in the "strongest terms" the detention of an American Wall Street Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich, in Russia over alleged espionage. This is the first such case of an American journalist detained in Russia for allegations of spying since the Cold War. Espionage in Russia carries a maximum jail term of 20 years.

11:38 PM

CM Dhami visits DMC to review situation arising out of rain in Uttarakhand

Soon after following India Meteorological Department predictions on Thursday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reached the Disaster Management Center (DMC) on Friday. The IMD has predicted isolated hailstorms over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and East Rajasthan on March 30-31. Dhami on Friday reached the DMC at the Secretariat to review the situation arising out of rains in the state with the officials, said an official release. Apart from instructing the officers to be alert, CM asked the Secretary of Disaster Management to coordinate with all the District Magistrates.

 

11:27 PM

Fire ravages commercial towers in Kanpur, nearly 800 shops gutted

At least 800 shops were gutted in a massive fire that broke out in a multi-storey commercial building and quickly spread to adjacent towers in the Bansmandi area here early Friday, a senior official said.

 

Despite the continuous efforts of fire officials of Kanpur and its nearby districts, the fire could not be doused even till late evening, officials said.

 

Prime facie the fire broke out due to a short circuit following a massive dust storm.

 

The blaze started at 2 am in AR Tower also known as Afaq Rasool Tower and spread to Maqsood, Humraz complex and Nafees towers charing about 800 shops located in these four towers, the official said, adding strong winds fanned the flames.

9:07 PM

G20 Sherpas hold deliberations in traditional attire on houseboats

Wearing traditional Kerala dress and enjoying a taste of Kerala's hospitality, G20 Sherpas held deliberations on land and water at this scenic lakeside Kerala village. While the Sherpas held meetings in the conference hall on top of a moving houseboat in the evening, other delegates from guest countries went on a cruise on the backwaters, enjoying the scenery and a hi-tea spread onboard. Three big houseboats with conference halls were arranged for the cruise of the Sherpas and delegates through Kumarakom Lake, a major tourist destination of the country.

 

Police in separate boats escorted the guests on the two-hour long ride.

 

The majority of the Sherpas and delegates dressed up in traditional Kerala attire before getting on the houseboats. While women delegates wore frilled skirts with zari borders and shawls, men wore the traditional mundu (also known as veshti).

 

They were helped by employees of the event management team.

 

Many of the delegates also posed for photos with India's Sherpa Amitabh Kant, who was also dressed in Malayalee attire.

8:56 PM

PM Modi expresses happiness at Govt e-Marketplace crossing Rs 2 lakh crore in 2022-23

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, expressed happiness at the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) crossing Gross Merchandise Value of Rs 2 lakh crore in 2022-23. aking to Twitter, PM Modi tweeted, "Excellent! @GeM_India has given us a glimpse of the energy and enterprise of the people of India. It has ensured prosperity and better markets for many citizens."

 

5:01 PM

Suvendu Adhikari files PIL in Calcutta HC, seeks NIA probe in Ram Navami violence

Suvendu Adhikari on Friday filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Hon’ble High Court at Calcutta pertaining to the incidents of violence & attack on the Ram Navami processions at Howrah & Dalkhola. 

 

4:34 PM

Fresh violence in Howrah's Shibpur post arson on 'Ram Navam

3:31 PM

Heavy security personnel deployement in Shibpur post arson on Ram Navami

11:21 AM

Fire breaks out in a factory in the Wazirpur area

10:17 AM

We take the safety and security of the diplomatic missions and diplomats quite seriously: US Dept of State

We take the safety and security of the diplomatic missions that we host in UN and diplomats that work in them quite seriously. We are in close touch with our Indian partners on a number of issues, but including on this we made sure to remain in close touch with them as well as the appropriate local entities, depending on where these various missions and consulates were located: Vedant Patel, Principal Dy spox, US Dept of State on attack on Indian consulate

 

9:30 AM

India logs 3,095 fresh Covid cases in the last 24 hours

India reports 3,095 fresh cases of COvid-19 in the last 24 hours, active cases stand at 15,208.

 

9:13 AM

3 die of electrocution in Rajasthan's Kota during Ram Navami celebration

Three persons died of electrocution and three others were seriously injured during a Ram Navami celebration in Rajasthan's Kota district on Thursday, police said on Friday

9:12 AM

Students from Class 1 to 8 to be promoted without exams in Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh government has directed that all students from Classes 1 to 8 studying in the schools under the Basic Education Council, will be promoted to the next class without examinations.

 

A notification in this regard has been issued by Pratap Singh Baghel, secretary, UP Basic Education Council.

 

The notification is issued every year as there is a provision to promote children from Class one to eight to the next class under the Right to Education Act. They cannot fail under any circumstances.

9:11 AM

Attempts of religious conversion hinder country's development: Indresh Kumar

Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar has said that interference in someone else's religion or attempts to convert someone hinders the country's development and harmony.

Kumar who is also the patron of the Bharatiya Christian Manch and Muslim Rashtriya Manch said that all religions should follow their respective religion and respect each other. "Whatever may be our religion, but above all, we all are Indians," Kumar emphasised

9:11 AM

Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from LS was darkest day in history of Indian democracy: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha was the 'darkest day' in the history of Indian democracy.

"Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha was the darkest day in the history of Indian democracy. There are various legal issues in the judgement of the trial court, however, those will be dealt with at the appropriate platform by our legal team," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in Kottayam.