LIVE: No superpower can dictate terms to India, says Pakistan PM Imran Khan
Pakistan PM faces the possibility of being the first prime minister in Pakistan's history to be voted out in a no-confidence motion. Stay tuned for LIVE updates
8:55 PM
Covid cases: Kerala, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Mizoram asked to take pre-emptive action in areas of concern
The Centre has advised Kerala, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Mizoram to take pre-emptive action in areas of concern to control any emerging spread of coronavirus infection after they reported a higher contribution to India's daily new COVID-19 cases.
In a letter to the four states and the union territory, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan underlined that regular monitoring and follow-up action in emerging areas of concern is crucial and that laxity at any level may nullify the gains in pandemic management so far.
States have been advised to follow the five-fold strategy ie., test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour with continued focus on monitoring clusters of new cases and required containment efforts for curbing the spread of infection and adequate testing and undertake required steps in areas reporting high case positivity.
8:29 PM
MSRTC staffers' stir outside Pawar's home: NCP to hold mute protests on Saturday
The NCP will stage mute protests in several parts of Maharashtra on Saturday to condemn the agitation outside party president Sharad Pawar's residence here by some MSRTC staffers. Maharashtra NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said state unit chief Jayant Patil has urged NCP workers to stage mute protests on Saturday for an hour sporting black ribbons near the statues of Mahatma Gandhi or Babasaheb Ambedkar across the state.
Tapase termed the agitation outside Pawar's residence during the day as a timid attack aimed at garnering publicity.
"Our workers and the people of Maharashtra know Pawar saheb's love for MSRTC workers. The authorities will probe who was behind the attack. But there was definitely some political conspiracy, Tapase alleged.
8:08 PM
NSE co-location case: CBI opposes bail plea of Chitra Ramakrishna
The CBI on Friday opposed the bail application of former managing director and chief executive officer of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Chitra Ramkrishna in the NSE co-location case.
The agency told Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said that Ramkrishna was highly influential and may tamper with the documentary and digital evidence and manipulate the witnesses if released on bail.
It said that the nature and gravity of the offence were quite severe and had far-reaching repercussions on financial stability.
The petitioner was a high-ranking official of NSE during the relevant period. Incriminating evidence has already come to the fore against her. The consequences of granting bail will adversely affect the investigation, the agency told the court in its reply to her application.
8:04 PM
MSRTC workers protest outside Sharad Pawar’s residence in Mumbai
8:00 PM
IIT Kharagpur named one of the top universities of the world
IIT Kharagpur has been named as one of the top universities of the world for the study of several subjects in the domain of engineering, according to the latest edition of QS World University Ranking.
The institute ranked 37th in 2022 an improvement from its 44th position in 2021 in mineral and mining engineering and 80th in 2022 from 90th in 2021 in electrical and electronic engineering globally, an IIT Kharagpur release said on Friday.
In engineering and technology, which are the domains of the pioneering institute, it ranked 101st in the world and third in India, as per the 12th QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022 announced on April 6, it said.
7:47 PM
New Japan moves hit Russian officials, trade
Japan is expelling eight Russian diplomats and trade officials and will phase out imports of Russian coal and oil.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday that Moscow must be held accountable for war crimes in Ukraine and pointed to a critical moment now in efforts to get Russia's government to end its invasion of Ukraine.
He said Japan will also ban imports of Russian lumber, vodka and other goods, and will prohibit new Japanese investment in Russia. It will also step up sanctions against Russian banks and freeze assets of about 400 more individuals and groups.
7:30 PM
RBI imposes penalties on Axis, IDBI Bank
Reserve Bank of India on Friday said it has imposed a penalty of Rs 93 lakh on Axis Bank for various violations, including those related to KYC guidelines. The central bank has also slapped a fine of Rs 93 lakh on IDBI Bank.
A monetary penalty of Rs 93 lakh has been imposed on Axis Bank for non-compliance of certain directions issued by RBI, the regulator said in a release.
The private sector lender violated certain provisions on loans and advances, Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines and 'levy of penal charges non-maintenance of minimum balances in savings bank accounts', it added.
7:13 PM
Pak's anti-terrorism court sentences 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed in two more terror financing cases
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Friday sentenced Mumbai terror attack mastermind and banned Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed to 32 years in jail in two more terror financing cases.
Earlier in five such cases, the 70-year-old radical cleric had already been convicted for 36 years imprisonment.
The total sentence of 68 years imprisonment will run concurrently. Saeed may have to spend not many years in jail because his sentence will run concurrently, a lawyer told PTI.
On Friday, anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge Ejaz Ahmad Bhuttar handed down 32 years jail term to Saeed in two FIRs - 21/2019 and 90/2019 registered by the Counter Terrorism Department of Punjab Police, a court official told PTI.
7:03 PM
Kerala reports 353 fresh coronavirus cases in a day
Kerala reported 353 fresh cases of coronavirus and 75 related deaths on Friday, taking the total positives to 65,35,401 and the toll to 68,339.
Of the 75 deaths, three occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 72 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, the Health Department said.
Currently, there are 2,351 active COVID-19 cases in Kerala, it said and added that the State has tested 16,614 samples in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 325 people recuperated from the disease today. Among the districts, Ernakulam reported the highest number of cases with 95 followed by Thiruvananthapuram (68) and Kozhikode (33).
6:40 PM
Cabinet approves continuation of Atal Innovation Mission till Mar '23
The Union Cabinet on Friday approved continuation of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) till March 2023, according to an official statement.
The statement further said the intended targets that will be achieved by AIM include establishing 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) as well as 101 Atal Incubation Centers (AICs), and supporting 200 startups via the Atal New India Challenges.
Total budgeted expenditure of Rs 2,000 crore plus shall be incurred in the process of the establishment and supporting the beneficiaries, it added. The mission has been set up under the NITI Aayog, in accordance with the finance minister's declaration in the 2015 Budget speech.
6:29 PM
Pakistan anti-terrorism court sentences Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed to 31 years in jail
Pakistan anti-terrorism court sentences Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed to 31 years in jail: Pakistan media
6:20 PM
India successfully test fires missile system SFDR booster
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday successfully flight-tested a propulsion system that enables a missile to intercept aerial threats at very long range at supersonic speeds. The Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) booster was tested at the integrated test range in Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
The successful trial of the SFDR is expected to help the DRDO in extending the range of air-to-air missiles, officials said. The SFDR-based propulsion enables a missile to intercept aerial threats at very long range at supersonic speeds.
The defence ministry said the flight testing of the SFDR was successful and it demonstrated the reliable functioning of all critical components involved in the complex missile system.
6:16 PM
Govt okays booster Covid shot for all adults at private centres from April 10
India opened ‘precaution dose’ or third shot for all adults at private vaccination centres from April 10. As the XE fear grips the world, India braces up to give a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine to all its adults. This time one has to pay for getting the jab at a private vaccination centre.
The Union Health Ministry on Friday said that the ongoing free government vaccination drive for first, second as well as precaution dose for healthcare workers, frontline workers and senior citizens would continue. The Health Ministry said that this drive would be further accelerated.
The move is expected to liquidate inventory lying with vaccine makers. Both Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech had stopped Covid19 vaccine production recently owing to low demand and inventory pile up. Private hospitals, however, are in a wait and watch mode, as they have stock lying with them. READ MORE...
6:09 PM
IEA details plan to release 120 million barrels of oil to cool prices
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has listed members' contributions to a 120-million-barrel release of crude and oil products from emergency stockpiles aimed at cooling global oil prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The release of stocks by the U.S.-allied members of the IEA - which is made up of 31 mostly industrialized countries, but does not include Russia - would be their second coordinated release in a month and the fifth in the agency's history. It is the largest release from non-U.S. IEA countries, and the biggest by the United States.
6:06 PM
Ukraine records over 100 attacks on healthcare: WHO
Ukraine has recorded more than 100 attacks on healthcare, since the start of the war on February 24, the World Health Organisation has said. The attacks so far have claimed 73 lives and injured 51, the agency said.
Of the current total of 103 attacks, 89 have impacted health facilities and 13 have impacted transport, including ambulances.
"We are outraged that attacks on health care are continuing. Attacks on health care are a violation of international humanitarian law. Peace is the only way forward. I again call on the Russian Federation to stop the war," Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said at a press conference.
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First Published: Apr 08 2022 | 6:57 AM IST