Covid LIVE: Delhi, Maharashtra, Bengal see big jump in cases

Mumbai sees 12% rise in daily Covid cases while Gujarat and Karnataka also see an uptick in cases

11:33 AM

ATM service charges increase, to cost Rs 21 per transaction from today

Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) across banks are all set to increase service charges per transaction from Saturday, following an order from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and customers will have to Rs 1 more beyond the permissible free transactions for cash as well as non-cash purposes.

As per the RBI notification dated June 10, 2021, from January 1, 2022, banks have been permitted to charge Rs 21, instead of Rs 20 with applicable taxes, if any, shall be additionally payable.

However, the customers are eligible for five free transactions (inclusive of financial and non-financial transactions) every month from their own bank ATMs.

11:14 AM

Minor altercation led to stampede situation at Vaishno Devi shrine: DGP Dilbag Singh

A minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people "unfortunately" died, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said on Saturday.

Talking to PTI, he said the incident was very unfortunate, and police and other officials responded to the situation in no time.

Preliminary information from the scene suggests there was an altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation, Singh said.

11:13 AM

'If we end inequity, we end COVID-19 pandemic': WHO chief

As the world enters its third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was confident that the pandemic will end in 2022 "if we end inequity" together.

On Friday, Tedros said "while no country is out of the woods from the pandemic, we have many new tools to prevent and treat COVID-19. The longer inequity continues, the higher the risks of this virus evolving in ways we can't prevent or predict. If we end inequity, we end the pandemic."

As we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, I'm confident that this will be the year we end it - but only if we do it together, he said.

Highlighting that COVID-19 is not the only health threat the world's people will face next year, he said, millions of people have missed out on routine vaccination, services for family planning, treatment for communicable and non-communicable diseases.

10:51 AM

China harvests droves of data from Western social media: Report

China is mining Western social media to equip its military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a new report by The Washington Post.

This revelation was made following the review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts, and company filings.

This new report says that China maintains a nationwide network of data surveillance services that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online.

The software, which targets domestic Internet users and media, also collects data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook, and other Western social media.

10:50 AM

If COVID-19 cases keep rising there will be strict restrictions, says Maha deputy CM

More than ten ministers and at least 20 MLAs in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday and added that strict restrictions might be clamped if the new COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state.

Pawar's warning came a day after Maharashtra reported 8,067 fresh coronavirus positive cases, as much as 50 per cent more than Thursday.

"We cut short the Assembly session recently. So far, over 10 ministers and over 20 MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus. Everybody wants to be part of the celebrations of New Year, birthdays and other occasions. Keep in mind that the new variant (Omicron) spreads fast and hence caution is needed. PM Narendra Modi has appealed and some states have announced a night curfew. In Maharashtra, cases are increasing in Mumbai and Pune," he told reporters after visiting the Jaystambh military monument in Perne village on the occasion of the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima.

10:37 AM

Commercial LPG cylinder prices slashed by Rs 102.50

In some relief for consumers on New Year, National Oil Marketing companies have slashed the prices of 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder cost by Rs 102.50 effective from January 1, 2022.

The 19 kg commercial cylinder will cost Rs 1998.50 in Delhi from today, sources told ANI.

It will provide some relief to restaurants, eateries and tea stalls etc which constitute the largest user segment of the 19 kg cylinder.

Last month on December 1, prices of 19 Kg LPG cylinders were increased by Rs 100 bringing the prices of 19 kg commercial cylinders to Rs 2,101 in Delhi which was the second-highest price of 19 kg commercial cylinder after 2012-13 when it cost around Rs 2,200 per cylinder.

10:36 AM

Mamata vows to strengthen federal structure on TMC's foundation day

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday congratulated TMC workers on her party's foundation day and vowed to strengthen the federal structure of the country.

Banerjee had left the Congress and formed the TMC on January 1, 1998.

"On #TMCFoundationDay, I extend my best wishes to all our workers, supporters and members of the Maa-Mati-Manush family. Our journey began on January 1st, 1998 and since then we have been committed in our efforts towards serving people and ensuring their welfare," she said on Twitter.

10:09 AM

India records 22,775 new infections in a day, Omicron tally in India rises to 1,431

India has logged 161 fresh Omicron cases, taking their tally in the country to 1,431, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

The 1,431 cases of the new variant of the coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and union territories so far, and 488 of these have either recovered or migrated.

Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of 454 cases, followed by Delhi with 351, Kerala 118 and Gujarat 115.

The daily rise in COVID-19 cases crossed the 16,000-mark in the country after around 65 days, taking the infection tally to 3,48,61,579, while the count of active cases increased to 1,04,781, according to the data updated at 8 am.

India saw 22,775 new infections being reported in a day, while the death toll climbed to 4,81,080 with 220 daily fatalities, the data stated.

10:06 AM

People of Myanmar face 'unprecedented' crisis in 2022: UN report

The turmoil in Myanmar is projected to have driven almost half the population into poverty heading into 2022, wiping out the impressive gains made since 2005, according to a UN Humanitarian Needs Overview published on Friday by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

This comes as people in the Southeast Asia country are facing an unprecedented political, socioeconomic, human rights and humanitarian crisis with needs escalating dramatically since the military takeover and a severe COVID-19 third wave, UN News reported.

The situation has been worsening since the beginning of 2021, when the military took over the country, ousting the democratically elected Government. Nearly 14 out of 15 states and regions are now estimated to be within the critical threshold for acute malnutrition.

For this year, the analysis projects that 14.4 million people will need aid in some form, approximately a quarter of the population. The number includes 6.9 million men, 7.5 million women, and five million children.

10:04 AM

'Lockdown stage' approaching, CM will decide, says Maharashtra minister

The stage of imposing a fresh lockdown is approaching in Maharashtra but Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will take a call on it, state minister Vijay Wadettiwar said here on Friday.

 

Maharashtra recorded 8,067 new coronavirus cases during the day, a rise of 2,699 compared to Thursday, and eight deaths. The stage of lockdown is approaching. But the chief minister will take a decision on when to impose it, Wadettiwar, the minister for disaster management, told reporters.

 

Decision on restrictions on travel and colleges will be taken together, he added. Maharashtra has seen a sharp rise in new daily coronavirus cases in the last 11 days of 2021.

10:04 AM

PM Modi extends New Year wishes to people

Greeting people on the new year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday wished joy and good health to everyone.

 

"Happy 2022! May this year bring abundance of joy and good health in everyone's lives. May we keep scaling new heights of progress and prosperity, and work even harder to fulfil the dreams of our great freedom fighters," he tweeted.

 

Modi also shared a clip of the recent episode of 'Mann ki Baat', his monthly radio broadcast, in which he had extended his wishes to people in the new year.

 

10:00 AM

J-K: Vaishno Devi Yatra resumes after brief halt due to stampede incident

Vaishno Devi Yatra has resumed once again on Saturday after a brief suspension following a stampede incident at the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra which has claimed 12 lives while leaving many others injured.

"A total of 12 people were killed and 13 others injured in a stampede at the shrine atop Trikuta hills early this morning. The stampede was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees on New Year's Day. The yatra (pilgrimage) to the holy shrine has been suspended after the incident," said Dilbagh Singh, chief of Jammu and Kashmir Police earlier this morning.

The injured have been admitted to various hospitals, including Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of many of the injured was stated to be "serious".

9:59 AM

Yogi Adityanath expresses grief over stampede incident at Vaishno Devi temple

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra, Jammu, and Kashmir that took place early this morning, resulting in the death of at least 12 persons and injuring 13 others.

"The mind is deeply pained by the unfortunate accident that took place in Mata Vaishno Devi Dham. May Maa Adishakti grant peace to the souls of those who died in the accident and speedy recovery to those injured in the accident. My condolences are with the bereaved families. Om Shanti," the Chief Minister tweeted.

The registration at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra has been resumed hours after the stampede incident.

9:46 AM

Greece registers record 40,560 new COVID-19 cases over past 24 hrs

Greece has confirmed 40,560 new coronavirus cases within the past 24 hours, marking thus the largest daily increase since the start of the pandemic, the National Public Health Organization (NPHO) said.

Within the same period of time, the country recorded 76 fatalities.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Greece has surpassed 1.2 million while the death toll has reached 20,790 people.

9:39 AM

Maharashtra may report 200,000 active COVID-19 cases by January 3rd week, says Dr Pradeep Vyas

Maharashtra Additional Chief Secretary Health Dr Pradeep Vyas on Friday predicted that the state may report a total of 200,000 active COVID-19 cases by the third week of January.

 

Speaking to ANI, Dr Pradeep Vyas said, "Based on the current trend of rising COVID cases in the state, it is expected that we will have about 200,000 active cases by the third week of January 2022. Separate instructions are issued for managing these numbers, in case some of them need hospitalization."

 

In view of the rising concern of a possible third wave of COVID-19 infection, the Additional Chief Secretary warned people not to be lulled by the narrative that the third wave or Omicron wave is mild and not fatal.