Covid LIVE: Mumbai's positivity rate below 1% for first time in third wave

Mumbai logs 349 fresh Covid cases in last 24 hrs

1:55 PM

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addresses rally in Khatima

1:21 PM

Maha: Thane district reports 165 new COVID-19 cases, three deaths

With the addition of 165 coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 7,06,887, an official said on Saturday.

These cases were reported on Friday, he said.

Three patients succumbed to the infection during the day, which raised the death toll in the district to 11,842.

1:15 PM

'No Lata memorial' at Shivaji Park: Congress backs Mangeshkar family

A day after music director Hridaynath Mangeshkar said that he was against constructing a memorial for his sister, the late Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar at Shivaji Park, the Maharashtra Congress came out in support of the family, here on Saturday.

 

Simultaneously, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activist has moved the Bombay High Court in a PIL challenging the use of the 28-acre ground - known as the 'Cradle of Indian Cricket' for public funerals or memorials.

 

State Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant said that the sprawling park was established during the British Rule by the erstwhile Bombay Municipal Corporation in 1925 and named as 'Shivaji Park' ahead of the great Maratha warrior's 300th birth anniversary. Read on...

1:10 PM

Navy's Presidential Fleet Review to take place on Feb 21 in Visakhapatnam

President Ram Nath Kovind will attend the President's Fleet Review of the Indian Navy on 21 February in Visakhapatnam to commemorate 75 years of India's independence.

The President's Fleet review will witness the participation of more than 60 ships, submarines and more than 50 aircraft.

12:51 PM

Australian PM calls on citizens to leave Ukraine over tensions with Russia

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on citizens of his country to leave Ukraine amid the escalation of tensions on the border with Russia.

"We respect their decisions [Australians who stay in Ukraine], but our advice to them is very clear - this is a very dangerous situation and for your own safety you should seek to make your way out of Ukraine," Morrison said, as quoted by the News.com.au news portal.

He described the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border as serious.

12:49 PM

President Kovind to unveil golden deity of Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad on Sunday

President Ram Nath Kovind will be unveiling the golden deity of Sri Ramanujachaya at the 'Statue of Equality' campus near here on February 13, a communication from the organiser said on Saturday.

Kovind will be reaching the JIVA Ashram at 3.30 pm on Sunday and will also address the gathering, it said.

12:18 PM

US to evacuate Ukraine embassy in Kyiv amid Russian invasion fears

The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent.

 

U.S. officials say the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave the country ahead of a feared Russian invasion. The State Department would not comment.

 

The department had earlier ordered families of U.S. embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. The new move comes as Washington has ratcheted up its warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read on...

11:46 AM

US aims to counter Chinese influence by opening embassy in Solomon Islands

The US says it will open an embassy in the Solomon Islands, laying out in unusually blunt terms a plan to increase its influence in the South Pacific nation before China becomes strongly embedded.

 

The reasoning was explained in a State Department notification to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press. It comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is touring the Pacific, meeting diplomats from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Fiji and other nations. Read on...

10:50 AM

New BJP govt will form a committee to prepare draft of Uniform Civil Code in state, says Uttarakhand CM

"Soon after its swearing-in, new BJP govt will form a committee to prepare draft of Uniform Civil Code in state. This UCC will provide for same laws regarding marriages, divorce, land-property and inheritance for all people, irrespective of their faith" says Uttarakhand CM.

#WATCH | "Soon after its swearing-in, new BJP govt will form a committee to prepare draft of Uniform Civil Code in state. This UCC will provide for same laws regarding marriages, divorce, land-property & inheritance for all people, irrespective of their faith" says Uttarakhand CM pic.twitter.com/83SYlH2AkE

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 12, 2022

10:13 AM

Joe Biden frees $7 billion in Afghan assets for relief, 9/11 victims

President Joe Biden signed an order Friday to free $7 billion in Afghan assets now frozen in the US, splitting the money between humanitarian aid for poverty-stricken Afghanistan and a fund for Sept 11 victims still seeking relief for the terror attacks that killed thousands and shocked the world.

 

No money would immediately be released. But Biden's order calls for banks to provide $3.5 billion of the frozen amount to a trust fund for distribution through humanitarian groups for Afghan relief and basic needs. The other $3.5 billion would stay in the US to finance payments from lawsuits by U.S. victims of terrorism that are still working their way through the courts. Read on...

9:40 AM

People queue up outside Siliguri Girls High School to cast votes for West Bengal Civic Polls

9:19 AM

India reports 50,407 fresh Covid-19 cases, 136,962 recoveries

India reports 50,407 fresh Covid-19 cases, 136,962 recoveries and 804 deaths in the last 24 hours. 

 

Active cases: 6,10,443 (1.43%)

Death toll: 5,07,981

Daily positivity rate: 3.48%

 

Total vaccination: 1,72,29,47,688

8:45 AM

Sebi bars Reliance Home Finance, Anil Ambani, 3 others from securities mkt

SEBI restrained Reliance Home Finance, it's promotor Anil Ambani and three others from buying, selling or dealing in securities, either directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever until orders. Read on...

8:21 AM

Karnataka govt extends holidays for degree and diploma colleges till February 16

Karnataka govt extends holidays for degree and diploma colleges till February 16

8:20 AM

India and Australia close to sealing early trade pact: Piyush Goyal

India and Australia have been fair about understanding the sensitive sectors in respective nations, indicating that the interim trade deal is likely to steer away from making such areas a part of the agreement.

 

The interim trade deal, or the early harvest agreement, is expected to be finalised over the next 30 days. A December 25 deadline had been set earlier, but the deal could not be finalised as both countries were not able to iron out disagreements over market access issues. Read on...