New Delhi: Yashwant Sinha, former Union Finance Minister under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, today joined the Trinamool Congress weeks ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election. The 83-year-old had quit his earlier party, the BJP, in 2018. His joining Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's side is likely to be viewed as a prize catch for an outfit that has seen a steady outflow of both leaders and cadres in the past few months.
Mr Sinha joined his new party a little after 12 noon at the Trinamool Bhawan in Kolkata in the presence of Derek O Brien, Sudip Bandopadhyay, and Subrata Mukherjee.
Meanwhile, India on Saturday recorded 24,882 fresh COVID-19 infections, the highest so far this year, which took the caseload to 1,13,33,728, according to Union health ministry data.
This is also the highest daily rise in the last 83 days. As many as 26,624 new infections were recorded on December 20.
The death count climbed to 1,58,446 with 140 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The country's active caseload increased to 2,02,022, which constitutes 1.74 per cent of the total infections. The recovery rate dropped to 96.82 per cent.
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Mar 14, 2021 02:47 (IST)
Ethiopia launches vaccinations
Ethiopia gives its first coronavirus vaccine doses as the health ministry warns of an "alarming" increase in cases. Africa's second most populous country is targeting health workers during the first phase of its vaccine drive, having received 2.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab last week.
Mar 13, 2021 23:29 (IST)
"Don't Force To Impose Lockdown": Uddhav Thackeray Warns Hotels, Restaurants
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday ordered hotels and restaurants in the state to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols in their premises and not force the state to enforce drastic measures like lockdown.
Speaking at a virtual meeting attended by representatives of hotel and restaurant associations, shopping centre groups, the Chief Minister said a "lackadaisical" attitude towards outbreak norms had crept in lately.
"Do not force us to impose a strict lockdown. Consider this as the last warning. Follow all the rules. Everyone has to realise there is a difference between self-discipline and restrictions," Mr Thackeray said.
The Chief Minister pointed out that crowds had increased in most places since activities resumed in a phased manner from October, and safety rules were not being followed and this had resulted in a steep surge in cases.
Incidentally, Maharashtra on Saturday recorded 15,602 COVID-19 cases and 88 deaths, taking the tally to 22,97,793 and the count to 52,811.
Mar 13, 2021 22:35 (IST)
Over 15,000 Covid Cases In Maharashtra For Two Days In A Row
Maharashtra on Saturday recorded 15,602 fresh COVID-19 cases and 88 deaths, taking the tally to 22,97,793 and the count to 52,811, the state Health department said.
Of these 88 fatalities, 40 occurred in the last 48 hours and 21 in the last week. Rest 27 deaths had occurred in the period preceding the last week, it said.
With 7,461 patients getting discharged from hospitals during the day, the count of recoveries in Maharashtra rose to 21,25,211. Maharashtra is now left with 1,18,525 active cases, it said.
At 1,828, Nagpur city recorded the highest number of fresh COVID-19 cases in the state, followed by 1,709 in Mumbai and 1,667 in Pune city.
Mar 13, 2021 22:09 (IST)
Schools in Punjab Closed, Night Curfew Imposed In 8 Districts Amid Surge In COVID-19 Cases
The Punjab government imposed a night curfew in four more districts on Friday and closed all schools amid a rise in coronavirus cases in the state, officials said. In total, the night curfew is imposed from 11 pm to 5 am in eight districts -- Ludhiana, Patiala, Mohali, Fatehgarh Sahib, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur.
The Department of School Education has declared "preparatory leaves" for all classes in government and private schools, state Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla said. However, the teachers will continue to remain present in the schools.
The students who want to take any guidance from their teachers regarding exam preparation can come to school, the minister said.
Mar 13, 2021 21:05 (IST)
Farmer Leader Rakesh Tikait To Hold Mahapanchayat In Bengal's Nandigram
Amid an intense Trinamool vs BJP fight over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee getting injured last week, farmers' leader Rakesh Tikait is visiting Bengal's Nandigram today, where he will hold a mahapanchayat (public meeting). Ms Banerjee has filed her poll nomination from the assembly seat and will take on BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, whose exit from the Trinamool last year triggered an exodus of leaders from the party.
Mr Tikait, who has been leading a massive farmers' protest against the three central agriculture laws at the Delhi-UP border, was welcomed in Kolkata by Trinamool MP Dola Sen today.
Before leaving for Nandigram, Mr Tikait - a critic of the BJP-led central government over farm issues - met party leaders at Kolkata's Mayo Road.
Calling the alleged attack on Ms Banerjee unfortunate, he said he will travel across Bengal to campaign against the BJP if needed.
Mar 13, 2021 19:56 (IST)
Night Curfew Likely In Bhopal, Indore, Says Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan
Night Curfew Likely In Bhopal, Indore, Says Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that night curfew might be imposed in Bhopal and Indore from Sunday or Monday in view of spurt in coronavirus cases in these two districts.
He said this during a meeting held on Friday evening to review the coronavirus situation in the state.
"Look at the rise in infection cases...Tough measures will be taken to flatten the curve. Night curfew might be clamped in Bhopal and Indore from Sunday or Monday," Mr Chouhan was quoted as saying in an official statement.
The chief minister said that people coming to the state by air, trains or roads from neighbouring Maharashtra, where there is a spike in cases, should be thermally scanned.
During the meeting, ways to restrict the influx of people from Maharashtra were also discussed, the statement said.
Mar 13, 2021 18:25 (IST)
Bitcoin Passes $60,000 For First Time
Bitcoin briefly rose above $60,000 for the first time on Saturday, as the world's most popular virtual currency continued its record-breaking run.
Mar 13, 2021 17:49 (IST)
"Effortless And Painless": Ratan Tata Gets First Shot Of COVID-19 Vaccine
Tata Group's Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata on Saturday took his first dose of COVID-19 vaccination.
He said the vaccine shot was painless and expressed his hope that everyone would get immunised against coronavirus in the near future.
"Very thankful to have gotten my first vaccination shot today. It was effortless and painless. I truly hope everyone can be immunised and protected soon," he tweeted.
Mar 13, 2021 17:31 (IST)
Looking At All Adverse Events: India On Concern Over AstraZeneca Shots
India is looking at all "serious" post-vaccination side effects as it carries out the world's largest coronavirus immunisation drive, a top medical expert said today amid suspension of AstraZeneca shots in several countries over risk of blood clots. Panels are constantly monitoring "adverse events" for both Covishield and Covaxin, the expert added.
Covishield has been developed by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, world's largest vaccine maker, in partnership with the Oxford University and Swedish-British firm Astrazeneca. Covaxin has been developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech. Both the vaccines were cleared in January by India's drug regulator DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) for emergency use.
"We are not looking at any particular vaccine at the moment. When the analysis is available, it will be reported, according to the vaccine, if there is any cause for concern," said Dr NK Arora, a member of the National Task Force set up by top medical body - ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research). The ICMR is the nodal agency for the drive against coronavirus.
Mar 13, 2021 17:31 (IST)
Over 6 COVID-19 Vaccines To Come Up In India, Says Health Minister
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday announced that more than six coronavirus vaccines will come up in India.
He also said that 1.84 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered to people so far, while 23 crore tests have been conducted.
"India has developed two vaccines, which have been given to 71 countries. Many more nations are seeking the vaccines, and these are not little-known nations...Canada, Brazil and other developed countries are using Indian vaccines with a great zeal," he said.
"More than half a dozen vaccines are going to come up," he said.
"Till Saturday morning, 1.84 crore vaccine shots have been given in the country and 20 lakh people were inoculated yesterday," the minister added.
He was speaking while inaugurating the new green campus of the National Institute of Research in Environmental Health near Bhopal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to create a new India to turn it into a ''vishwa guru'' (world leader), he added.
