LIVE news updates: EC issues certificate of election to Droupadi Murmu

Live news updates: The certificate will now be sent to the Union Home Secretary

1:58 PM

Third case of monkeypox reported from Kerala

A 35 year-old man, who came to Kerala from UAE earlier this month, has tested positive for monkeypox, making him the third case of the virus from the country as well as the state.

 

Health Minister Veena George said the Malappuram native arrived in the southern state on July 6 and was undergoing treatment at the Manjeri Medical College there.

 

His health condition is stable, she added.

 

1:55 PM

Varun Gandhi questions Centre's move to scrap train fare concession to elderly

BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Friday questioned the government's decision to scrap the concession given to senior citizens in train tickets and asked why this relief to the elderly is seen as a "burden" when MPs continue to get subsidy on train fare.

Ending the concession for the elderly is unfortunate, he said, and asked the government to reconsider the decision. It is insensitive to desert our own people at this stage of their lives, he said.

The Railway ministry recently informed Parliament that the cost of granting concessions to passengers "weighs heavily" on the national transporter, ruling out the restoration of the facility for all categories.

1:49 PM

Centre asks all depts to organise free Covid vaccination camps at workplaces

The Centre has asked all its departments to organise Covid vaccination camps at the workplaces for providing free precaution doses of the vaccine to the eligible employees and their family members.

 

In an order, the Personnel Ministry asked all the departments to enumerate the number of eligible employees and their family members to be vaccinated by precaution dose, separately for both types of vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- so as to ensure optimum utilisation of resources.

1:49 PM

Presidential election disputes to be decided by Supreme Court: Delhi HC

All doubts and disputes arising from the election of the President or Vice President can only be inquired and decided by the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court has said.

 

Justice Sanjeev Narula, while dealing with a petition which sought to restrain legislators imprisoned in criminal cases from casting their vote in the recent Presidential election, said the plea was not maintainable as per the Constitution and the Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections Act which confer exclusive jurisdiction on the Supreme Court to hear such matters.

1:42 PM

Prez poll: EC issues certificate of election to Droupadi Murmu

The Election Commission on Friday issue a 'certificate of election' to NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu who has emerged victorious in the presidential poll.

The certificate is issued after the returning officer hands over the result to the poll panel.

"CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar & EC Shri Anup Chandra Pandey jointly signed the 'Certification of the Election of Shrimati Droupadi Murmu as the next President of India' after ECI received the Return of Election & a Declaration of Result of election from the Returning Officer," the poll panel tweeted.

The certificate will now be sent to the Union Home Secretary, who will read it out at the oath-taking ceremony of the 15th President of India which is likely to take place at the historic Central Hall of Parliament House on July 25.

1:41 PM

Monkeypox: 95% spread occurred via sexual activity, says study

Sexual closeness is the most likely route of transmission in 95 per cent of monkeypox cases, according to a global case study series from across 16 countries.

However, the virus can be transmitted by any close physical contact through large respiratory droplets and potentially through clothing and other surfaces, said researchers at Queen Mary University of London.

In the study, the team reported 528 infections diagnosed between April 27 and June 24, 2022, at 43 sites in 16 countries.

The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), showed 95 per cent of the persons presented with a rash (with 64 per cent having less than 10 lesions), 73 per cent had anogenital lesions, and 41 per cent had mucosal lesions (with 54 having a single genital lesion).

1:40 PM

Trump 'chose not to act' as mob attacked, says January 6 committee

The January 6 select committee's latest public hearing on Thursday (local time) said that then US President Donald Trump chose not to intervene as a mob of his supporters attacked the Capitol.

Adam Kinzinger, one of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting an insurrection at the Capitol said, "President Trump did not fail to act, he chose not to act."

The Thursday primetime hearing focused on what happened during the 187 minutes between Trump's speech, during which he encouraged supporters to march to the Capitol, and when he put out a video urging them to go home.

1:40 PM

Xi wishes Biden speedy recovery after US President catches COVID-19

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a message of sympathy to US President Joe Biden over the latter's COVID-19 infection, Xinhua news agency reported.

In his message, Xi said that upon learning of Biden's infection with the coronavirus, he would like to extend his sincere sympathy to the U.S. president and wish him a speedy recovery.

President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing a runny nose, fatigue with an occasional dry cough, physician Dr Kevin O'Connor said on Thursday in a letter to the White House press secretary after the president tested positive for COVID-19.

1:07 PM

CEC Rajiv Kumar, EC Anup Pandey sign Droupadi Murmu's certificate of election

Prez poll: CEC Rajiv Kumar, EC Anup Pandey sign Droupadi Murmu's certificate of election

1:04 PM

Heatwaves to hit China from east to west as almanac's 'big heat' day looms

China will suffer the return of more heatwaves over the next 10 days from east to west, with some cities on the coast already issuing the highest level warning and inland regions warning of dam failure risks as glacial melt accelerates.

 

A sharp temperature spike is expected on Saturday, before building up into heatwaves, defined as periods of atypically hot weather of three days or more. This Saturday is the day of the "big heat" in the Chinese Almanac based on the lunar calendar.

12:52 PM

Airtel to be at forefront of bringing 5G connectivity to India: Sunil Mittal

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal has said that the company will be at the forefront of bringing 5G connectivity to India with a powerful network to support the country's digital-first economy.

 

The comments from Mittal assume significance as the countdown for 5G spectrum auctions has begun.

 

A total 72 GHz (gigahertz) of radiowaves worth at least Rs 4.3 lakh crore will be put on the block during the auction, scheduled to begin on July 26.

 

As a precursor to the mega event, the Telecom Department is holding a mock auction (mock drill) on Friday and Saturday (July 22 and July 23).

12:40 PM

UP govt accords 'Y' category security to Rajbhar

The Uttar Pradesh government has accorded 'Y' category security to Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar, an alliance partner of the Samajwadi Party, officials said on Friday.

 

Under the 'Y' category security cover, a protectee is provided 11 security personnel, including two personal security officers (PSO).

12:39 PM

Bullet train project: Bids invited for construction of underground station in Mumbai's BKC

The National High Speed Railway Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) on Friday invited bids for the construction of an underground station at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) for the Mumbai- Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor, an official said.

 

The NHSRCL is the implementing agency for the bullet train project, under which the train will be run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai on a high speed rail corridor at a speed of 320 kmph, covering a distance of 508 km and 12 stations. The train is expected to reduce the travel time between the two cities to about three hours from the current six hours. 

11:58 AM

Japan Cabinet sets Abe state funeral amid mixed public view

Japan's Cabinet on Friday formally decided to hold a state funeral on Sept 27 for assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe amid national debate over the plan, which some criticise as an attempt to glorify a divisive political figure.

 

Abe was gunned down earlier this month during a campaign speech in the western city of Nara, shocking a nation known for safety and strict gun control. The alleged gunman was arrested immediately after the shooting and is being detained for interrogation as authorities seek to formally press murder charges.

11:45 AM

Liz Truss holds commanding lead over Rishi Sunak in race to be next UK Prime Minister: Survey

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has extended a commanding 28 lead over British-Indian ex-minister Rishi Sunak in the race to be the UK's next Prime Minister, according to the latest YouGov survey.

On Thursday, Conservative Party members voted to send both Sunak and Truss through to the final stage of the party's leadership contest in the race to replace Boris Johnson.

One of them will now be selected as the next Prime Minister by the party membership in a ballot running from August 4 until early September, according to the YouGov survey.