LIVE: Govt is alert, taking proactive action, says PM at Covid review meet

Centre on Thursday in an advisory cautioned states to observe all precautions and don't let the guard down in view of the rise in Omicron variant cases

3:00 PM

NIA team scans Ludhiana blast site

A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been sent to the Ludhiana court complex where an explosion killed two people this afternoon, reports NDTV.com. "Anybody trying to disturb the peace and harmony of the state, will be taken to task," said Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi about the blast.

2:38 PM

Animal capital can help economy: Modi

Animal capital has the scope to fund India’s next green revolution, says PM Modi in public rally in Varanasi.

2:33 PM

Rs 15,000 cr spent for Varanasi's development: Modi

Rs 15,000 crore is being spent for development works in Varanasi, says PM Modi in public rally.

2:28 PM

Cow is sacred: PM Modi in Varanasi rally

Prime Minister Narenrdra Modi is speaking at a public rally in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency. “Cow is our mother—sacred for us," he says.

2:02 PM

Amarinder calls blast 'disturbing', seeks immediate police probe

1:52 PM

Punjab Chief Minister blames 'anti-national elements' for explosion

“I am going to Ludhiana. Some anti-national elements are doing such acts as Assembly elections are nearing. The government is on alert. Those found guilty will not be spared,” said Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi about the explosion, according to Hindustan Times.

 

1:35 PM

Injured identified in Ludhiana blast

The explosion in Ludhiana took place on the second floor at around 12.22pm.  One of the injured has been identified as advocate RS Mand, says Hindustan Times website.

1:30 PM

China puts 13 million residents in lockdown ahead of Games

China is redoubling efforts to control new virus outbreaks with a lockdown of the 13 million residents of the northern city of Xi'an following a spike in coronavirus cases.

 

The measure comes just weeks before the country hosts the Winter Olympics in Beijing, roughly 1,000 kilometers (6210 miles) to the west.

 

There was no word on whether the virus was the newly surging omicron variant or the far more common delta. China has recorded just seven omicron cases four in the southern manufacturing center of Guangzhou, two in the southern city of Changsha and one in the northern port of Tianjin.

1:29 PM

Hospitalisation rate lower for Omicron than Delta coronavirus variant: UK study

COVID-19 infections with the Omicron variant of coronavirus are less likely to result in hospitalisation compared to the Delta strain, according to early results from a study conducted in the UK.

 

The yet-to-be peer-reviewed study suggests that Omicron cases are 15-20 per cent less likely to attend hospital, and 40-45 per cent less likely to be hospitalised for a night or more, compared to Delta.

 

The researchers from the Imperial College London, UK, noted that these estimated reductions in severity must be balanced against the larger risk of infection with Omicron, due to the reduction in protection provided by both vaccination and natural infection.

1:29 PM

Yogi holds previous govts responsible for farmers' suicides in UP

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday held the previous governments' policies responsible for farmers' suicides in the state.

 

Speaking at the 'Farmers' Day' programme organized here on the 119th birth anniversary of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, Adityanath said the BJP government had been upholding his belief that the way to India's prosperity was through its agricultural fields.

 

"The earlier governments' anti-farmer approach and unscientific policies drove the farmers to commit suicide. A lot of them moved away from agriculture. After the BJP was voted to power in Uttar Pradesh, we waived off their loans to the tune of Rs 36,000 crore," the chief minister said.

 

1:16 PM

Air India wins legal battle in English Court of Appeal

National carrier Air India has won a significant legal battle in a case of a passenger dispute in the UK.

Notably, a bench of the English Court of Appeal, has passed an order in favour of the airline.

Initially, a District Judge had passed a judgment against the airline in a dispute centered on the applicability of EU compensation regulations for a single booking, where only one leg of the booking - the only one within EU or UK jurisdiction - was delayed.
 

 

1:16 PM

Africa's Covid-19 cases exceed 9.25 million

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Africa reached 9,259,813 as of Wednesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

 

The specialised healthcare agency of the African Union (AU) said the death toll across the continent stood at 226,536 and 8,405,631 patients had recovered from the disease, Xinhua news agency reported.

12:57 PM

Amid rising tensions in U'khand Congress, Harish Rawat, top leaders to meet party high command tomorrow

Amid the escalation of tensions in Uttarakhand Congress, party veteran Harish Rawat along with other top leaders of the Congress' state unit is scheduled to arrive in Delhi tomorrow to meet the party High Command.

 

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Pritam Singh, Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal and party leader Yashpal Arya will accompany Rawat to Delhi.

 

The meeting holds significance following Harish Rawat's veiled attack on the Congress leadership on Wednesday saying "nominees of those on whose directions one has to swim (in the electoral battle) are tying my hands and feet"

12:37 PM

Over 60% eligible population in India fully vaccinated against COVID: Union Health Ministry

Union Health Ministry on Thursday said that over 60 per cent of the eligible population in India has been fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

 

Taking to Twitter, the Ministry said, "Accomplishing more new feats! Congratulations India. Aided by public participation & dedicated efforts of our health workers, over 60 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated now."

 

The Ministry, in a press release, informed that with the administration of 70,17,671 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 139.70 crore (1,39,69,76,774).

12:26 PM

Ethiopia reports 2,992 new COVID-19 cases

Ethiopia has registered 2,992 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 382,371 as of Wednesday evening, the country's health ministry said.

 

The ministry reported three new COVID-19-related deaths and 136 recoveries, bringing the national death and recovery counts to 6,880 and 351,304 respectively.

 

Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous nation, has so far reported the largest number of COVID-19 cases in the East Africa region.