Live: UK opens up Covid booster dose to those over 30s in Omicron fight
Latest live news: Health ministry says 27 districts need to be 'monitored very closely' for coronavirus positivity rates.
 "A visitor gets a dose of Covid-19 vaccine at an inoculation camp in Navi Mumbai on December 11, 2021. (PTI Photo)")
A visitor gets a dose of Covid-19 vaccine at an inoculation camp in Navi Mumbai on December 11, 2021. (PTI Photo)
The ministry’s department of economic affairs, in its monthly report for November, said the index of industrial production continued to recover in October led by growth in infrastructure and intermediate goods.
Farmers returning to homes in Punjab from Delhi borders get rousing welcome
Villagers here accorded a rousing reception to farmers who returned to their homes from protest sites on Delhi's borders following the suspension of their agitation against the Centre's three agriculture laws.
The farmers were felicitated with Siropas' (robe of honour). The villagers showered flower petals on them and distributed sweets for the "victory" of their protest against the three contentious laws, repealed by the central government recently.
Victory processions were taken out at Cholang Toll Plaza, near Tanda, and Mehtiana after convoys of tractor-trolleys carrying farmers reached the district.
A number of people from all walks of life reached Cholang Toll Plaza, Tanda on Jalandhar-Pathankot GT Road and Mehtiana on Hoshiarpur-Phagwara Road on scooters, motorcycles, cars, jeeps and tractors to welcome the farmers.
Farmers returning to homes in Punjab from Delhi borders get rousing welcome
Villagers here accorded a rousing reception to farmers who returned to their homes from protest sites on Delhi's borders following the suspension of their agitation against the Centre's three agriculture laws.
The farmers were felicitated with Siropas' (robe of honour). The villagers showered flower petals on them and distributed sweets for the "victory" of their protest against the three contentious laws, repealed by the central government recently.
Victory processions were taken out at Cholang Toll Plaza, near Tanda, and Mehtiana after convoys of tractor-trolleys carrying farmers reached the district.
A number of people from all walks of life reached Cholang Toll Plaza, Tanda on Jalandhar-Pathankot GT Road and Mehtiana on Hoshiarpur-Phagwara Road on scooters, motorcycles, cars, jeeps and tractors to welcome the farmers.
Telangana adds 146 new cases to its COVID tally
Telangana on Sunday recorded 146 fresh coronavirus cases taking the total infection count to 6,78,288 while the toll climbed to 4,007 with two more fatalities.
The number of active cases in the state stood at 3,846, a state government bulletin said. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 72, followed by Ranga Reddy 20.
A total of 189 people recovered from the disease, taking the cumulative number till date to 6,70,435, the bulletin said. As many as 26,625 samples were tested today, taking the total number tested till date to 29 million.
The Case Fatality Rate in Telangana was 0.59 per cent whereas the recovery rate was 98.84 per cent.
Top Congress leaders turn up for Jaipur rally, Channi turns up late
Sonia Gandhi and several top Congress leaders attended the Jaipur rally, held as a show of strength by the party just months ahead of the Assembly polls in five states.
Party leaders hoped that the rally held against rising inflation will send a strong message against the Narendra Modi-led Union government.
Sonia Gandhi did not speak at the rally, which was addressed by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi could not make to the rally venue on time. He met Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at the airport at the time of their departure, party sources said.
Mortal remains of Army havildar killed in chopper crash reach hometown in Bengal
The mortal remains of Army Havildar Satpal Rai, who died in the helicopter crash along with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 10 others, arrived at Bagdogra airport here on Sunday.
BJP MP Raju Bista, former Bengal minister Gautam Deb and state government officials paid tribute to the deceased soldier, following which his remains were taken to his native village in Takdah, near Darjeeling town, in a flower-bedecked Army truck.
Family sources said that the last rites of Rai, who was a part of the personal security detail of General Rawat, will be held on Monday.
The soldier, who joined the Army in 2001, died in the helicopter accident in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on Wednesday.
State govts to decide on withdrawal of cases against farmers: Union minister Tomar
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday said since law and order is a state subject, a decision on withdrawal of the cases registered against farmers during their anti-farm laws protest will be taken by the respective state governments.
Talking to reporters, he also welcomed the farmers' decision to call off the agitation.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an amalgamation of various farmer unions that spearheaded the protest against the three contentious farm laws, had on Thursday announced the suspension of its over a year-long agitation after they received a formal letter from the central government accepting their key pending demands including withdrawal of police cases against the protesters and on MSP.
"The issue of law and order falls under the jurisdiction of state governments. So they will take a decision in this regard," Tomar said when asked about the withdrawal of cases registered against the farmers during their agitation.
Regional parties have no ideology, people should vote for national party: Rashid Alvi
Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls that are scheduled to be held next year, Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Sunday said that regional parties do not have any ideology and urged people to vote for a national party.
As the assembly elections are approaching, the regional parties in Uttar Pradesh are exploring opportunities considering the political prospects.
Apna Dal president Anupriya Patel had recently said that politics is a game of possibilities and all options are open to her.
Reacting to Patel's remarks, Congress leader Rashid Alvi said that the regional parties do not have any ideology, so the people should vote for the national party in the interest of the country.
TMC making false promises in Goa with eye on electoral gains: BJP
The BJP on Sunday hit out at the TMC over its promise to dole out Rs 5,000 a month to a woman member of a family in poll-bound Goa, stating that the Mamata Banerjee-led camp was giving "false assurance" to people there with an eye on electoral gains.
The saffron party also pointed out that the TMC, however, "did not say much about job generation" in the western coastal state.
The TMC on Saturday announced that it will launch 'Griha Lakshmi' scheme in Goa, if voted to power, much like 'Lakshmir Bhandar' in Bengal, and a woman member of every family will be provided an income support of Rs 5,000 per month.
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari and BJP National Vice-President Dilip Ghosh wondered why the TMC was willing to give Rs 5,000 per month to the women of Goa when the party is doling out just Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 for the beneficiaries of Bengal.
UK opens up Covid booster dose to those over 30s in Omicron fight
Britain's health authorities said on Sunday that bookings for the COVID booster vaccines for everyone aged 30 and over in England will be open from Monday, as one of the key actions aimed at tackling the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.
There are around 7.5 million people aged 30 to 39, and 3.5 million of those are eligible for boosters from Monday, NHS England said. It comes as early analysis shows booster jabs being effective against the Omicron variant, the first cases of which have started being hospitalised now.
There is no reported death from the variant in the UK yet, but experts warn that it is set to take over from Delta as the dominant coronavirus variant by the end of this year.
"The COVID-19 booster programme is accelerating rapidly and more than 22 million people in the UK have already received their top-up, securing vital protection ahead of Christmas, said UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
BJP and AIMIM two sides of the same coin: Congress
The Congress in Maharashtra on Sunday alleged that the AIMIM and BJP are two sides of the same coin, a day after AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the grand old party and the NCP at a rally in Mumbai for "failing" to implement a 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in the state.
Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan on Sunday wondered why the Owaisi-led All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) remained "silent" on the Muslim quota issue when the BJP government was in power in Maharashtra from 2014 to 2019.
Khan, who had served as a minister in the then Congress-NCP government till 2014, said the quota for Muslims in jobs and education had been upheld by the Bombay High Court but not implemented by the erstwhile Devendra Fadnavis government.
"When Congress was protesting against the Fadnavis government's inaction on quota implementation, the AIMIM remained silent. The AIMIM and the BJP are two sides of the same coin," Khan alleged in a statement.
Taliban not serious on promises made at Doha deal, inaction against terror revealed: Report
The Taliban that has grabbed power in Afghanistan for more than 100 days have proven to be ineffective against terror activities in their country as some blasts by ISIS have caused heavy casualties, sending a clear message to the world that the Taliban are not serious towards the pledges they had made in Doha, a media report said.
All the world leaders who held more than one dozen conferences on Afghanistan looked away when they (the Taliban) pleaded for recognition of their government because they would not keep any of their promises made during talks in Doha with the United States during 2019-20, reported Greek City Times.
Further, the Greek publication stated that perhaps the Taliban took these talks as a big joke. Perhaps they knew the execution of the promise, about inclusive government, human rights and the rights of women and their education and jobs will denude them of all which they claim to stand for.
Over the Taliban's inactivity against terror, the world has taken note that the Afghan group has so far failed to keep its promises to keep terrorist organisations out of Afghanistan.
Active Covid-19 cases fall to 1,912 in Andhra Pradesh
One death and 201 recoveries brought the active Covid-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh down to 1,912 even as the State saw 160 fresh infections in 24 hours ending 9 am on Sunday.
The gross Covid-19 positives now touched 20,74,868, recoveries 20,58,490 and deaths 14,466, according to the latest bulletin.
Chittoor district reported 37 fresh cases, East Godavari 29, Krishna 19, Anantapuramu 15, West Godavari 14, Guntur and Visakhapatnam 12 each and SPS Nellore 11.
Srikakulam added nine and Kurnool two to the tally while Kadapa, Vizianagaram and Prakasam logged zero in 24 hours.
Krishna district continued to report a fresh fatality in a day.
AIADMK accuses DMK of taking credit for high number of govt MBBS seats
The main opposition AIADMK on Sunday listed 'achievements' made during its regime in increasing the number of MBBS seats in the Tamil Nadu government run medical colleges and hit out at the DMK dispensation for 'portraying' such progress as its own.
During the 2011-21 AIADMK rule, as many as 3,000 more MBBS seats were added in the public sector, of which 1,650 were from 11 new medical colleges, the sanction for which was obtained in 2019 from the central government, party top leader O Panneerselvam said. As many as 700 seats were added by setting up six other medical colleges and creation of 650 more medical seats in existing state-run institutions further increased the availability of seats by 3,000 in the government sector, the AIADMK coordinator and former Chief Minister said.
This is the factual position, Panneerselvam said and accused the DMK government of 'publicising' such progress as an achievement in view of the steps taken by Chief Minister M K Stalin.
Bank of Maharashtra lowers home loan rate to 6.4%
State-owned Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) on Sunday announced a cut in interest rate on home loans to an all-time low of 6.40 per cent, from the existing 6.80 per cent under the 'Retail Bonanza-Festive Dhamaka' offer.
Besides, the bank has also lowered interest rate on car loans to 6.80 per cent, from 7.05 per cent in line with market competition.
The new rates would be effective from December 13, BoM said in a statement.
Compulsory vaccination against Covid comes into effect in Pondy: Lt Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan said compulsory vaccination against Covid-19 became mandatory from Sunday and asked the people to carry with them the cerfificates of vaccination as there would be checking by the health authorities.
Talking to reporters after visiting a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in neighbouring Villianoor to see for herself the implementation of the vaccination drive, she said, "The government is keen to ensure that Puducherry emerges as a fully vaccinated Union Territory."
She said no stone was left unturned to reach the goal and vaccination was aimed at protecting the people against pandemic and also to prevent the occurrence of the new variant of the virus - Omicron.
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First Published: Dec 12 2021 | 6:57 AM IST
