LIVE: Yogi govt issues new rules to ensure safety of working women

No female worker shall be bound to work without her written consent before 6 am and after 7 pm

4:32 PM

US doctors reconsider Pfizer's Paxlovid for lower-risk Covid patients

Use of Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid spiked this week, but some doctors are reconsidering the pills for lower-risk patients after a U.S. public health agency warned that symptoms can recur after people complete a course of the drug, and that they should then isolate a second time.

 

More quarantine time "is not a crowd-pleaser," Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, an infectious disease specialist at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, told Reuters. "For those people who really aren't at risk ... I would recommend that they not take it." Use of Pfizer's Paxlovid, authorized to treat newly infected, at-risk people in order to prevent severe illness, has soared as infections have risen.

4:28 PM

Chelsea reach final agreement for sale of club to Boehly-led consortium

Chelsea said on Saturday that a final agreement had been struck to sell the Premier League club to a consortium led by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and backed by Clearlake Capital.

 

The takeover is expected to be completed on Monday.

 

The consortium, which won the bid to acquire the London side earlier this month, received approval from the Premier League and the British government this week for the sale to go ahead.

 

"Chelsea Football Club can confirm that a final and definitive agreement was entered into last night to sell the Club to the Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital consortium," the club said in a statement.

3:47 PM

Beijing to relax COVID curbs in some areas from Sunday

Beijing will ease curbs in some low-risk areas of the Chinese capital on Sunday to allow a return to normal life, city officials said on Saturday.

 

Fangshan and Shunyi districts can shift from work-from-home to normal mode, the officials told a news conference.

 

Public transportation including busses, taxis and subway will resume service in three districts, and shopping malls will be allowed be reopen in some areas.

 

But the city will hold off resumption for businesses including tutoring, internet cafes and karaoke bars, the government said.

 

Beijing has reported 1,716 COVID infections from April 22 through Saturday afternoon, officials said.

3:43 PM

Russia says eastern Ukraine town of Lyman is under its full control

Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday that the eastern Ukrainian town of Lyman had fallen under the full control of Russian and Russian-backed forces in the region.

 

Pro-Russian separatists from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic had said on Friday that they had fully captured the town, a railway hub west of Sievierodonetsk.

 

Ukraine said on Friday that Russia had captured most of Lyman but that its forces were blocking an advance to Sloviansk, a city 20 kilometres (12 miles) southwest.

 

Ukrainian and Russian forces have been fighting for Lyman for several days.

2:51 PM

Jaishankar says North-eastern states can become hub of regional economy

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that the North-eastern states can emerge as the hub of the regional economy involving the neighbouring countries.

Jaishankar stressed on the connectivity of the North-eastern states with India's neighbours, saying it can transform the region.

He was speaking at the Natural Allies in Development and Interdependence (NADI) conference in Guwahati.

2:48 PM

Pakistan: PM Shehbaz, his son Hamza appear before court in sugar scam case

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz on Saturday appeared in a special court in Lahore for the hearing of Rs 16 billion money laundering case registered against them.

During the hearing the counsel of Shehbaz and Hamza, Mohammad Amjad Pervaiz argued before Special court Judge Ijaz Hassan Awan that the facts in the challan were incorrect.

"This case was mala fide because it was politically motivated. The law says if there are 10 cases against someone, he cannot be arrested separately for each."

2:47 PM

Odisha's Shreya Lenka joins popular K-pop band Blackswan

Shreya Lenka, an 18-year-old girl from Odisha's Rourkela, has been selected as the fifth member of popular South Korean pop band Blackswan.

Lenka, who goes by stage name Sriya, will be joining the original members of the girl group -- Youngheun, Fatou, Judy and Leia -- along with Gabriela Dalcin (Gabi) from Brazil as the sixth member.

Record label DR Music welcomed Lenka and Dalcin on board in an Instagram post.

2:45 PM

Bihar decides to accord permission for exploration of 'country's largest' gold reserve

The Bihar government has decided to accord permission for exploration of the "country's largest" gold reserve in Jamui district, a senior official said on Saturday.

As per a Geological Survey of India (GSI) survey, around 222.88 million tonnes of gold reserve, including 37.6 tonnes of mineral-rich ore, are present in Jamui district.

"The state Mines and Geology Department is in consultation with agencies engaged in exploration, including GSI and the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), for exploration of gold reserves in Jamui.

2:45 PM

Linking Yoga, Ayurveda with religion is unfortunate: President Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said that associating Ayurveda and Yoga with a particular religion or community is "unfortunate".

President Kovind made the observation while inaugurating Arogya Manthan programme "One -Nation One Health System' organised by 'Arogya Bharti'.

The President hailed Arogya Bharti for working in an organised manner with a holistic approach of making citizens healthy. He praised the institution for expanding its activities at the national level.

2:14 PM

Anbumani Ramadoss elected as PMK president

PMK leader and party founder Dr S Ramadoss' son, Dr Anbumani, was on Saturday elected as the party's president, succeeding G K Mani.

The Rajya Sabha member, a former Union health minister in the UPA regime, was elected to the post at a special general council meet of the party held here in the presence of his father, Mani said.

"I extend my wholehearted greetings to Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on being elected PMK president," Mani, representing Pennagaram constituency in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, said in a tweet.

2:07 PM

Pakistan PM Shehbaz calls himself majnoo, tells court he refused salary as Punjab CM

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif testified on Saturday in a special court hearing in the PKR 16 billion money laundering case against him that he had refused to take any salary when he was the Chief Minister of Punjab province, and termed himself a majnoo for doing so.

Shehbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman were booked by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in November 2020 under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Hamza is currently the Chief Minister of Punjab province, while Suleman is absconding and residing in the UK.

2:04 PM

'Goal to ensure 100 pc coverage of benefits of schemes': PM Modi on 8-year of NDA govt

Emphasizing the Centre's commitment to the welfare of the poor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the government aims to ensure 100 per cent coverage of the benefits of schemes.

PM Modi on Saturday inaugurated the newly-built Matushri KDP Multispeciality Hospital in Atkot, Rajkot.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister said, "The BJP-led NDA government at the Center is completing eight years of service to the nation. Over the years, we have given top priority to service to the poor, good governance and welfare of the poor. Following the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas, we have given a new impetus to the development of the country."

"Our government is running a campaign to ensure the schemes become 100 per cent accessible to the citizens. When the goal is to provide facilities to every citizen, then discrimination also ends, there is no scope for corruption. In eight years, we made honest efforts to build India of the dreams of Bapu and Sardar Patel. Bapu wanted an India that would empower the poor, Dalit, tribals and women; where hygiene and health become a way of life; whose economic system has indigenous solutions," he stated.

2:02 PM

India home to world's most affordable health care facilities, fast emerging as medical tourism hub: Prez

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said India is providing the most affordable medical facilities in the world and people from abroad, especially the neighbouring nations, visit the hospitals in the country to avail the health care services.

He also said that India is fast emerging as a medical tourism hub.

"India has the cheapest medical facilities in the world and in the hospitals, especially in Delhi, people from neighbouring countries are found getting treatment more than the local patients," Kovind said here after inaugurating 'Arogya Manthan', a conference on the topic 'One Nation, One Health System'.

Referring to the coronavirus pandemic, Kovind said an invisible disease started plaguing the country two-and-a-half years back.

2:02 PM

Fire breaks out at EV maker Ather Energy's premises in Chennai

As EV fires continue to make headlines in the country, a fire broke out at electric scooter manufacturer Ather Energy's experience centre in Chennai.

The company said in a tweet that there has been a minor fire incident on its premises in Chennai.

"While some property and scooters got affected, thankfully all employees are safe and things are under control. The experience centre will be operational shortly," the EV company said late on Friday.

1:44 PM

Assam govt working to make state 'industrial hub': CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that his government is working to make the state an industrial hub.

Sarma said, "Northeast is India's gateway to Southeast Asia. Our government is working to make Assam an industrial hub not only for the region but also for catering requirements of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries."

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen also participated in the inaugural session of the NADI conference 2022 "Asian Confluence River Convlave 2022" at Radisson Blu in Guwahati.