LIVE: Covid-19 cases in Delhi drop below 10k, positivity rate 13.32%

Live news updates: India reported 333,533 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours-a marginal decline since Saturday.

4:33 PM

Pak's current account deficit tops $9 bn mark, analysts warn of debt trap

Pakistan's current account deficit surpassed $9 billion in the first half of the ongoing fiscal year, accounting for 5.7 per cent of the gross domestic product and analysts have expressed concerns over this with some warning that rising current account deficit will lead the country to a debt trap, a media report said citing the data released by the country's central bank.

The State Bank of Pakistan released the data on Saturday and said that the current account deficit of $9.09 bn was "led by significant terms of trade shock amid ongoing economic recovery", reported Dawn.

The deficit was broadly unchanged at $1.93 bn in December from $1.89 bn on November 21. The July-December deficit stands in total contrast to a surplus of $1.247 bn (0.9pc of GDP) a year ago. However, that six-month surplus also turned to be a deficit of $1.916 bn, or 0.6pc of GDP, by the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year, said the Pakistani publication.

 

4:29 PM

Campus Front of India slams Karnataka govt move to set up Sanskrit Varsity

Karnataka State Committee of the Campus Front of India has condemned the state government's decision to establish a Sanskrit University saying that it is an attempt to subvert the state's language Kannada.

"The state government has allotted Rs 359 crore to establish Sanskrit University, but they are not bothered to develop Kannada Universities which is the mother tongue of Kannadiga's. The state government must clarify why the government is giving importance to another language other than Kannada in Karnataka which has a population of about 6 crores", asked the Campus Front of India on Sunday.

According to the Campus Front of India, "The state government is trying to please the Central Government by opening Sanskrit University while turning a blind eye towards our mother tongue i.e Kannada Language."

4:26 PM

After war of words, Digvijaya meets MP CM Shivraj Chouhan

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at his official residence, days after accusing the CM of not giving him an appointment over the plight of the people affected by Tem and Suthalia irrigation projects and staging a sit-in protest for a meeting.

He was accompanied by MP Congress president Kamal Nath.

Singh claimed that he had been seeking an appointment for a long time to apprise Chouhan about the plight of the affected people but the CM's office is dilly-dallying. He had also alleged that the appointment was fixed on Friday but it was cancelled at the last moment.

Singh had also staged a sit-in protest on Friday.

4:19 PM

Netaji statue to be moved to front side of Vidhana Soudha: K'taka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said the statue of towering freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will be shifted in front of the Vidhana Soudha here.

"The statue of Netaji, which presently is located behind the Vidhana Soudha near the western gate should be shifted to a suitable spot befitting the honour he deserved.... Netaji's next birth anniversary would be celebrated in front of Vidhana Soudha," Bommai told reporters after paying floral tributes to the late leader here.

He believed that Bose's statue should be located at a place where it is seen standing and leading everyone. Remembering Bose as the fearless son of India, who built a force for freedom and fuelled it with his fiery nationalistic passion and patriotism, Bommai said his government will ensure his ideals are passed on to the youth of the state by celebrating his life and contributions to the nation.

4:11 PM

PM security issue: Plea in HC seeks total power of superintendence for SPG

A plea has been moved in Delhi High Court seeking direction to declare that the Special Protection Group (SPG) shall have absolute power of superintendence for the purpose of discharging its functions in view of the provisions of the SPG Act, 1988.

The plea further seeks direction from the Ministry of Home Affairs to bring in appropriate amendments to the provisions of the SPG Act, 1988 in order to ensure that the security of the Prime Minister is ensured at all times.

The plea states that SPG as on date can only seek assistance from the authorities and has no power of superintendence, which in the present times is necessary for the purpose of ensuring the proximate security of the Prime Minister, in view of the recent lapse/breach that has taken place because of the colossal incompetence of the Punjab police.

The petitioner, Ashish Kumar through Advocate Govinda Ramanan states that in view of the incident as happened in Punjab, it becomes evident that Section 14 of the SPG Act, 1988 in its present form lacks the teeth to ensure the absolute proximate security or protection to the Prime Minister of India.

4:05 PM

Ex-India hockey captain Ajit Pal in Amarinder's first list of 22 candidates

Former chief minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced the first list of his party Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) candidates from 22 constituencies for the February 20 state assembly elections, with ex-captain of Indian hockey team Ajit Pal Singh entering the fray from Nakodar.

"We have given a good set of candidates with a clear focus on winnability while ensuring due representation across regions and various sections of the society," the PLC chief, who will contest from his Patiala Urban seat, said here.

The PLC has been allotted 37 to contest out of the 117 seats in the state as part of its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and SAD (Sanyukt), with discussions still in progress on possibly another five seats for the party, he said.

Of the 37 seats in the PLC kitty, the maximum of 26 is from the Malwa region of the state.

3:23 PM

CII for addl 1% CSR levy in Budget to provide Covid vax boosters

Industry body CII has suggested the government include an additional 1 per cent corporate social responsibility levy apart from the mandatory 2 per cent for one year in the upcoming Budget to encourage corporates to spend on providing Covid vaccine booster shots.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has also urged state governments to lift the pandemic-induced restrictions on economic activity, arguing that the occupancy rate of hospital beds due to the Omicron variant of Covid is well within the manageable level.

"CII suggests that 1 per cent of mandated CSR funds be earmarked for vaccination. We also recommend that an additional 1 per cent be added to CSR requirements in the Budget, for a specified period of 12 months, so that boosters can be made available to all age-groups," CII President T V Narendran said.

 

3:17 PM

Govt appoints new chairperson to PMLA Adjudicating Authority

Vinodanand Jha, a 1983-batch retired IRS officer has been appointed as the chairperson of the PMLA Adjudicating Authority located in the national capital, an official order said.

Jha has been serving as the Member (Finance and Accounts) in the Authority since September 2018.

He was appointed to this post after he retired from service as the principal chief commissioner of Income Tax in Pune.

An order issued by the Union Finance Ministry on January 20 said Jha's appointment to the post of chairperson will be till the completion of his tenure on June 22 next year.

3:15 PM

India's coronavirus vaccination coverage crosses 1.62 billion mark

India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination has crossed 162 crore mark, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

As per data on CoWIN portal at 1.53 pm, 1,62,07,04,375 vaccine doses have been administered so far to eligible beneficiaries. Of these, 92,94,16,411 first doses, 68,35,33,256 second doses and 77,54,708 precaution doses have been inoculated to people in the country.

In the age group 15-18 years, the vaccination corverage has crossed 4.17 crore.

India commenced its nationwide COVID vaccination drive on January 16, 2021.

2:43 PM

Sensitive people hurt by Centre's decision to drop 'Abide with me': Chidambaram

Objecting to the Centre's decision of dropping one of Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymns 'Abide with me' from this year's Beating Retreat ceremony, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said the government's move has hurt the "thinking and sensitive" people.

'Abide with me', written by Scottish Anglican poet and hymnologist Henry Francis Lyte in 1847, had been part of the Beating Retreat ceremony since 1950.

The Indian Army announced on Saturday that it has been dropped from this year's ceremony.

For this year's ceremony, the hymn has been replaced by the popular patriotic song "Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon", which was written by Kavi Pradeep to commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by Indian soldiers during the 1962 Indo-China war.

2:36 PM

40 million people pushed into poverty in country: Rahul Gandhi

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that over four crore people have been pushed into poverty in the country and that there has been development of only "Hamare Do".

"'Vikas overflow' only for 'Humare Do'! While our 4,00,00,000 brothers and sisters are pushed into poverty," he said on Twitter.

"Each of these 4,00,00,000 is a real person, not just a number. Each of these 4,00,00,000 deserved better. Each of these 4,00,00,000 is India!," Gandhi said, using the hashtag "BJPfailsIndia".

Citing an Oxfam report, he put out a graphic alleging that the wealth two top businessmen has grown by billions of dollars during the year 2021 while over four crore people have gone below the poverty line in India during the pandemic since 2020.

2:17 PM

Govt dropped 'Abide With Me' from Beating Retreat as Indian tunes more apt: Sources

The Centre decided to drop one of Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymns "Abide With Me" from this year's Beating Retreat ceremony as playing more Indian tunes would be appropriate in view of the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', which celebrates the 75th year of India's Independence, government sources said on Sunday.

"Abide With Me", written by Scottish Anglican poet and hymnologist Henry Francis Lyte in 1847, had been part of the Beating Retreat ceremony since 1950.

The Indian Army announced on Saturday that it has been dropped from this year's ceremony.

The sources said that the Centre wanted to include maximum number of Indian tunes and consequently, it was decided that only Indian-origin tunes will be played at this year's ceremony on January 29.

The Centre had in 2020 also planned to drop "Abide With Me" from the ceremony but had later retained it after an uproar.

 

2:13 PM

Prominent PDP leader Yashpal Sharma passes away in J&K

Prominent PDP leader and former member of legislative council Yashpal Sharma died after suffering a heart attack at his residence in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir early Sunday, officials said.

The 76-year-old Sharma complained of uneasiness around 2 am and his sugar level dropped alarmingly before he suffered the heart attack, the officials said quoting family sources.

He is survived by wife, two sons and two daughters.

Sharma, considered a close confidant of PDP founder and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was named as a member of the powerful political affairs committee of the PDP by party president Mehbooba Mufti in March last year.

2:12 PM

Maha CM, NCP chief pay homage to Netaji, Bal Thackeray on their birth annivs

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday paid tributes to freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray on their birth anniversaries.

The chief minister garlanded the portraits of Bose and the late Sena supremo, his father, and paid floral tributes to them at the official 'Varsha' bungalow in south Mumbai.

State Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray was also present there.

Taking to Twitter, NCP president Sharad Pawar recalled that the Sena founder, through his writings and speeches, always made an apt comment on the prevailing social and political situation.

Pawar said that Bal Thackeray took a firm stand to protect the interests of Marathi-speaking people.

The NCP chief also paid homage to Netaji Bose and hailed his contribution in India's freedom movement.

2:09 PM

Nadal reaches Australian Open quarterfinals for 14th time

After fending off four set points and being unable to convert the first six of his own, Rafael Nadal finally clinched a 28-minute and 40-second tiebreaker to get himself on course to secure a spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals for the 14th time.

And now, after a 7-6 (14), 6-2, 6-2 fourth-round victory over fellow left-hander Adrian Mannarino on Sunday, Nadal is potentially just three wins away from a men's record 21st Grand Slam singles title.

Nadal will next play Denis Shapovalov, the 22-year-old Canadian who finished off a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev on Margaret Court Arena less than an hour later to reach the last eight in Australia for the first time.