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Here are the top 5 news updates of October 4, 2021: 1. COVID-19 third wave in Mumbai unlikely as 42 lakh people fully vaccinated, BMC tells High Court The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation told the Bombay High Court today that it does not expect a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic coming in the city as the vaccination drive is going on smoothly, with over 42 lakh people fully vaccinated and over 82 lakh people having received the first dose. BMC counsel Anil Sakhare also told the HC that 2,586 bed-ridden people have so far been administered both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine while 3,942 such people have got the first jab. "The work is on. It is going on smoothly. Now, there is no shortage of vaccines too. Mumbai is safe. We do not see a third wave coming," Sakhare said. --ADVERTISEMENT-- 2. Mumbai International Airport Terminal 1 to resume operations from October 20 Come October 20, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) is reopening its Terminal 1 (T1) for domestic flight operations, six months after it had briefly resumed operations in March this year. While the Terminal 1 will cater to approximately 156 flights daily, close to 396 flights will ply from Terminal 2. The resumption of services via T1 will help maintain social distancing measures, now that there is an increase in nationwide vaccination drive and passenger confidence in air travel. The press statement released by the CSMIA officials read that from midnight, October 20, GoFirst, Star Air, Air Asia and TruJet will resume all its domestic operations from Terminal 1. IndiGo's select flights will resume from October 31st with most of its flights operating from T2 and base flights will operate out of Terminal 1. 3. Retired HC judge to probe Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Uttar Pradesh govt The Uttar Pradesh government today announced that a retired High Court judge will probe the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and that the families of the four farmers killed in the incident will be given Rs 45 lakh compensation. The government will also give Rs 10 lakh to those injured in the violence, said Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Awanish Awasthi. "An agreement has been reached with the farmers. The government will give Rs 45 lakh to the family members of the four farmers who were killed in the violence on Sunday. Besides, one member from their families will be given a government job at the local level," he said. "The government will give Rs 10 lakh to the injured and get the incident probed by a retired High Court judge," he said. 4. SC orders Rs 50,000 ex-gratia for COVID-19 deaths to be disbursed within 30 days of applying The Supreme Court today while approving Centre's disaster management guidelines on payment of Rs 50,000 ex-gratia compensation to the next kin of those who died of COVID-19, said the money to be disbursed within 30 days of applying. A Bench of Justice MR Shah and Justice AS Bopanna ordered that no state should deny the ex-gratia compensation of Rs 50,000 to the next kin of persons who died of COVID on the sole ground that the death certificate does not mention COVID-19 as the cause of death. The Bench approved the guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority for grant of compensation in COVID-19 death cases. The apex court asked the Centre and States to give wide publicity to the ex-gratia scheme. 5. Sensex rallies 534 pts; Nifty ends near 17,700 Snapping its four-session losing streak, equity benchmark Sensex rallied 534 points today, led by gains in index heavyweights Reliance Industries, Infosys and ICICI Bank. The 30-share BSE index ended 533.74 points or 0.91 per cent higher at 59,299.32. Similarly, the NSE Nifty surged 159.20 points or 0.91 per cent to 17,691.25. NTPC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising around 4 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finserv, SBI, Bajaj Finance, Tech Mahindra, Dr Reddy's and Tata Steel. On the other hand, Bajaj Auto, HUL, Nestle India, Kotak Bank and Titan were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of October 2, 2021: 1. Over 90 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India: Health minister The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 90 crore, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said today. "Shastri ji gave the slogan 'Jai Jawan - Jai Kisan'. Revered Atal ji added 'Jai Vigyan' and PM @Narendra Modi Ji gave the slogan 'Jai Anusandhan'. Today the result of anusandhan is this corona vaccine.#JaiAnusandhan," Mandaviya tweeted. The country-wide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. --ADVERTISEMENT-- 2. Under Jal Jeevan Mission, 5 cr houses got water connection: PM Modi Since the launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission in 2019, five crore households have got water connection and now tap water is reaching every household in about 1.25 lakh villages, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today, asserting that today's India has done more work in just two years than what was done in seven decades. Speaking after interacting with gram panchayats and village water and sanitation committees (VWSC) on the Jal Jeevan Mission, Modi said the mission is not just about bringing water to people but it is also a decentralisation movement that is village and women-driven. "Today, water is reaching every household in about 1.25 lakh villages in about 80 districts of the country. That is, today's India has done more work in just two years than what was done in the last seven decades," he said. 3. Post or no post will stand by Rahul, Priyanka: Navjot Singh Sidhu Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had abruptly resigned as the Punjab Congress chief, said today he would stand with Gandhi siblings Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi whether he holds any post or not. Upset with some appointments after Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi took charge, Sidhu had put in his papers and, though efforts were made to placate him, it remains unclear if his resignation has been accepted. "Will uphold principles of Gandhi Ji & Shastri Ji. Post or No Post will stand by @RahulGandhi & @priyankagandhi ! Let all negative forces try to defeat me, but with every ounce of positive energy will make Punjab win, Punjabiyat (Universal Brotherhood) win & every Punjabi win !!," Sidhu tweeted. 4. Big political party like Congress needs a strong president: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut today said the Congress party is in need of a strong president. "If a big political party like Congress remains without a head, then it naturally causes confusion. Be it any political party, without a president, it creates a sense of dissatisfaction among the masses. I am sure Congress party will soon resolve the political turmoil happening inside the party," Raut said. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena in its mouthpiece Saamna today slammed the Centre after erstwhile Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh held a meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah in the national capital. 5. Samantha Akkineni confirms separation with Naga Chaitanya after 4 years of marriage Samantha Akkineni and Naga Chaitanya have confirmed separation today after four years of marriage. Rumours were rife that there's trouble in Samantha's marriage with actor Naga Chaitanya, son of superstar Nagarjuna. The murmurs of discontent started when Samantha removed her marital surname, Akkineni, from her social media pages. "To all our well-wishers. After much deliberation and thought Chay and I have decided to part ways as husband and wife to pursue our own paths. We are fortunate to have a friendship of over a decade that was the very core of our relationship which we believe will always hold a special bond between us," Samantha said in a note on Instagram.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of October 1, 2021: 1. Reports of Tata winning bid of Air India disinvestment are 'incorrect': Govt Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) secretary today termed media reports indicating approval of financial bids by the Central government in the Air India disinvestment as 'incorrect'. The DIPAM secretary also stated that the media will be informed of the government's decision as and when it is taken. The share purchase agreement (SPA) has been given to the bidders in the meeting recently and the process will start after a formal announcement is made after it is approved by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah-led ministerial committee. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia are also members of the committee. --ADVERTISEMENT-- 2. Lookout notice issued against Param Bir after inputs that he might have left country: Maharashtra home minister A lookout notice has been issued against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh following inputs that he might have left the country, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil has said. "There are inputs that Singh may have left the country. But there is no concrete information yet," he said. "Being a government officer, there are restrictions on travelling abroad. You can't leave the country without the government permission. Still if he has left, it is not good," Walse Patil added. He said the state government was in touch with the Centre to find Singh, who had levelled allegations of bribery against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. 3. Congress needs full-time chief, says Sena; claims party's old guard in secret pact with BJP to stop The Shiv Sena today called for the need to appoint a full-time Congress president, and said the confusion prevailing over the leadership in the party was as much responsible for the political crisis in Punjab as the BJP. The Sena also claimed that although Rahul Gandhi was trying to resolve the issues faced by the Congress, the old-timers in the party were in a secret pact with the BJP to stop him from doing so with the aim of sinking the party. Criticising former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and also Goa's ex-CM Luizinho Faleiro, who has now joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Sena said, "It is the height of their thick-skinned behaviour. These leaders were given top posts, like chief minister of their respective states by the Congress, but they are now leaving the party." 4. PM Modi calls for ensuring water, sewer line connections to every urban household Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for ensuring water and sewer line connections to every urban household in the country. He further said that an increase in sewage water treatment will help in keeping the country's rivers cleaner. Speaking at the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, PM Modi said, "We need to ensure 100 per cent urban families receive water connections and sewer line connections. Once sewage water treatment increases in our country, it will help in keeping our rivers cleaner." PM Modi also pointed out that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led Central Government had allotted nearly Rs 4 lakh crore for urban development. 5. Sensex slumps 361 pts; Nifty ends below 17,550 Extending its losses for the fourth straight session, equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 361 points today, weighed by HDFC twins, ICICI Bank and TCS amid a weak trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 360.78 points or 0.61 per cent lower at 58,765.58. Similarly, the NSE Nifty declined 86.10 points or 0.49 per cent to 17,532.05. Bajaj Finserv was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 3 per cent, followed by Maruti, Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finance and HDFC. On the other hand, M&M, Dr Reddy's, UltraTech Cement and PowerGrid were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of September 24, 2021: 1. US VP Kamala Harris 'suo moto' refers to Pakistan's role in terrorism during meeting with PM Modi US Vice President Kamala Harris has 'suo moto', referred to Pakistan's role in terrorism and asked the country to stop supporting terror groups during the first-ever meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, informed Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla. Shringla said, "When the issue of terrorism came up, the VP suo moto referred to Pakistan's role in that regard." She acknowledged the presence of terror groups in Pakistan, said Shringla when asked whether the issue of Pakistan emboldening Taliban came up during the discussion between PM Modi and Harris. "She agreed with PM's briefing on the fact of cross-border terrorism and the fact that India has been a victim of terrorism several decades now and the need to rein in and closely monitor Pakistan's support for such terror groups," added Shringla. --ADVERTISEMENT-- 2. Three, including gangster Jitender Gogi, killed in shootout in Delhi courtroom Shots were fired at the premises of Delhi's Rohini court today afternoon leading to the death of three people. As per reports, gunmen dressed as lawyers barged into the court hearing and shot gangster Jitender Gogi thrice. Special force personnel escorting the gangster then fired back, killing both the assailants on the spot. A total of 30 bullets were fired. Reports suggest that several others were injured. A rival gang, going by the name “Tillu Gang”, had plotted to kill Gogi when he was brought for his court hearing today, said the police. “Two from rival gang opened fire at Jitender Gogi inside the court. That when police retaliated and killed those two assailants,” Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana told NDTV. 3. Taliban government wants to 'co-exist with all the nations', says acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the newly-formed Taliban government in Afghanistan, said that the country wants to have friendly relations with the international community, including the neighbouring and regional nations. "The Islamic Emirate wants to have friendly relations with the international community and co-exist with all the nations including the neighbouring states. This is our message," Xinhua news agency quoted Muttaqi as saying while addressing a ceremony in Kabul. Muttaqi also said that Afghanistan will not be used against any country and the new administration will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against anyone. 4. Govt seals mega deal with Airbus for purchase of 56 C-295 military transport aircraft India today inked a nearly Rs 20,000 crore contract with Airbus Defence and Space to procure 56 C-295 transport aircraft to replace the Avro-748 planes of the IAF under a project that entails manufacturing of military aircraft in the country for the first time by a private company. Under the agreement, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircrafts in 'fly-away' condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain. The subsequent 40 aircrafts will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies. The chairman of Tata Trusts, Ratan Tata, congratulated Airbus Defence, Tata Advanced Systems Limited and the Defence Ministry on the inking of the contract, saying it is a "great step" forward in the opening up of the aviation and avionics projects in India. 5. Sensex scales historic 60K-mark; Nifty tops 17,850 Equity benchmark Sensex jumped 163 points to end above the 60,000-mark for the first time ever today, led by strong gains in HDFC Bank, Infosys and Asian Paints. The 30-share BSE index rose 163.11 points or 0.27 per cent to its lifetime closing high of 60,048.47. Similarly, the NSE Nifty advanced 30.25 points or 0.17 per cent to record finish of 17,853.20. It took a little over 31 years for the Sensex to traverse from 1,000 points to the historic 60,000 level. The benchmark index was at 1,000 points back on July 25, 1990 and took nearly 25 years before it touched the 30,000 level on March 4, 2015.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of September 21, 2021: 1. India facing new war paradigm on borders: Rahul Gandhi on China's infra ramp up India is facing a new war paradigm on its borders and ignoring it won't work, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said today, citing a media report on China ramping up its border infrastructure. The former Congress chief's remarks came over a media report which quoted sources in the security establishment as saying that China appears to have built at least 10 new air bases along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh besides ramping up infrastructure close to the Indian frontier. Gandhi has also repeatedly criticised the government for its handling of the border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries that erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area. --ADVERTISEMENT-- 2. 'India within right to take reciprocal measures...': Govt slams UK's 'discriminatory' new COVID-19 travel rules The Indian government today hit out at its British counterpart over recent COVID-19 rules that will see Indians inoculated with Covishield facing quarantine and a slew of precautionary measures. Calling the decision 'discriminatory', Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that India was within its rights to take "reciprocal measures". "The non-recogition of Covishield is a discriminating policy and impacts our citizens travelling to the UK. The External Affairs Minister has raised the issue strongly with the new UK foreign secretary. I am told that certain assurances have been given that this issue will be resolved," Shringla said at a press conference in New Delhi. 3. Will fight against 'Talibanisation' of Bengal: New BJP state chief Sukanata Majumdar hits out at Mamata Banerjee's 'autocracy' A day after taking charge as the state BJP president, Sukanata Majumdar attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee on the question of corruption and 'autocracy that is continuing in the state'. He also vowed to fight against the "Talibanisation of the state" and asserted that the party would rectify its mistakes and emerge victorious in days to come. Accusing the ruling TMC of running a Taliban government, Majumdar said, "Can anyone believe that a person has been hacked to death on open road after the election only because he is a supporter of another party? Is this democracy? There were elections in four states but apart from Bengal no person died in any other state. Only in this state so many people lost their lives!" 4. 7th Pay Commission: Dearness Relief hiked to 356% of basic ex-gratia for pensioners, beneficiaries The Centre has announced a hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for its employees and pensioners. The DR has been revised from to 356 percent from 312 percent of the basic ex-gratia for surviving CPF beneficiaries who retired from service between November 18, 1960 and December 31, 1985. The increased DR would be provided w.e.f. 1st of July, 2021, the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) said in an Office Memorandum dated 20th September 2021. The instalments of dearness relief for CPF beneficiaries was due from 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 and 01.01.2021. The Government has now decided that the DR admissible to the CPF beneficiaries in receipt of ex-gratia payment in the 5th CPC series will be enhanced w.e.f 01.07.2021. 5. Sensex rebounds 514 pts; Nifty reclaims 17,500-mark Equity benchmark Sensex rallied 514 points today, led by gains in Infosys, Bajaj Finance and ITC amid a supportive trend in global markets. The 30-share Sensex ended 514.34 points or 0.88 per cent higher at 59,005.27. Similarly, the NSE Nifty surged 165.10 points or 0.95 per cent to 17,562. Bajaj Finance was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising around 5 per cent, followed by IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel, ITC, Bajaj Finserv, Tech Mahindra and Infosys. On the other hand, Maruti, Bajaj Auto, Nestle India, PowerGrid and Axis Bank were among the laggards. Advertisement

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Here are the top 5 news updates of September 20, 2021: 1. 'Declined Rajya Sabha seats twice...': Actor Sonu Sood says he's 'not yet ready' for politics Actor-philanthropist Sonu Sood today revealed that he had received and subsequently turned down two offers to join the Upper House of the Indian Parliament. While leaving himself open to the possibility of a political career in the future, Sood insisted that he was "not ready" for the transition just yet. While Sood did not provide much detail, he told NDTV during an interview that the offers had come from two different political parties. "Mentally I was not ready. I am currently happy in my place. Whenever I am ready, I will shout from the rooftops that I am ready,” he was quoted as saying. --ADVERTISEMENT-- 2. Defamation case: Kangana appears before Mumbai court, says she has lost faith in it; files complaint against Javed Akhtar Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut appeared before a Mumbai court today in connection with a criminal defamation complaint filed against her by lyricist Javed Akhtar, and said she had "lost faith" in the magistrate's court as it indirectly "threatened" her of issuing a warrant if she failed to appear before it in a bailable offence. Ranaut also moved a counter complaint in the court against Akhtar for alleged "extortion and criminal intimidation", and her lawyer informed the court that they had filed an application before chief metropolitan magistrate, seeking transfer of hearing into the complaint to another court. 3. Former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai slams Taliban for not fulfilling promises on women's rights Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the Taliban have not fulfilled their commitments on various issues like the education of girls, women's rights, as well as a decision on the national flag, since they took over the country late last month. A report on Sunday quoted the former leader as saying in a recent interview that during his interactions with the Taliban, he focused mainly on three things -- girls' education, women's prestige in the Afghan society, and an all-inclusive government. He added that the people of Afghanistan "need a government in which they can live without intimidation, fear, have good relations with the world, work for development, and let people live in joy". 4. Charanjit Singh Channi takes oath as Punjab chief minister Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi was today sworn in as chief minister of Punjab, making him the first Dalit to hold the top post in the state. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni were also sworn in. They will be designated as deputy chief ministers. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered oath to the 58-year-old Channi at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan. The Congress on Sunday picked Channi as the next chief minister of Punjab after the resignation of Amarinder Singh. Prominent among those who were present at the oath-taking ceremony were Rahul Gandhi and Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. 5. Sensex tanks 525 pts on global selloff; Nifty drops below 17,400 Equity benchmark Sensex plunged 525 points today, led by losses in index majors HDFC twins, Tata Steel and ICICI Bank amid a selloff in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 524.96 points or 0.89 per cent lower at 58,490.93. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty tumbled 188.25 points or 1.07 per cent to 17,396.90. Tata Steel was the top loser in the Sensex pack, sinking nearly 10 per cent, followed by SBI, IndusInd Bank, HDFC, Dr Reddy's and M&M. On the other hand, HUL, Bajaj Finserv, ITC and HCL Tech were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of September 17, 2021: 1. PM Modi calls for SCO template to fight radicalisation, extremism Prime Minister Narendra Modi today pitched for developing a common template by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to fight radicalisation, saying it is a challenge to peace, security and trust deficit in the region as reflected by recent developments in Afghanistan. In a virtual address at the annual SCO summit, Modi also called for enhancing connectivity between the landlocked Central Asian countries and India but at the same time noted that connectivity projects should be consultative, transparent and they should be implemented while respecting the territorial integrity of all countries. The PM talked about Sufism and the cultural heritage of Central Asia, and said on the basis of this historical heritage, the SCO should develop a common template to fight radicalisation and extremism. --ADVERTISEMENT-- 2. WB Group decision to discontinue Doing Business report exposes China's fraud: Report The World Bank Group's decision to discontinue publication of the Doing Business ranking report has exposed China's fraud and would lead to shifting of manufacturing bases to India, a government source told news agency PTI. The World Bank Group has decided to discontinue publication of the report on country investment climates following allegations of irregularities. The decision was taken after data irregularities allegedly due to pressure by some top bank officials to boost China's ranking in 2017 came to light. "No irregularities were found in Indian data. India remains the preferred investment destination for the world and a reliable, trustworthy destination while China is slipping in attractiveness. Fraud by China will boost multilateral initiatives like Supply Chain Resilience Initiative to move manufacturing to India," the source said. 3. MVA govt suspends Anil Deshmukh's former personal secretary Sanjiv Palande over corruption case Maharashtra government suspended Sanjiv Palande, an additional collector rank officer who was personal secretary to former State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, in connection with a corruption case. According to the notice issued by the state government, Palande has been suspended under section 4(2) A of the Maharashtra Civil Service rule 1979. The collector rank officer was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 26, in the alleged corruption case of Anil Deshmukh. Police stated that the accused was in judicial custody in a PMLA case since July 6 and his suspension will be effective retrospectively from the date of his arrest. 4. New Zealand abandon tour of Pakistan citing security threat; PCB calls it unilateral The New Zealand cricket team today abandoned its ongoing tour of Pakistan before the start of the first ODI, citing a security threat which the host board insisted did not exist while declaring the pull-out a unilateral move. Trouble began when the first ODI of the white ball series could not begin on time at the Rawalpindi stadium on Friday with both teams remaining in their hotel rooms. New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White eventually issued a statement to say that it was simply not possible to continue with the tour given the advice he was receiving from his government. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board, on its part, said that New Zealand had unilaterally decided to postpone the series. 5. Sensex ends 125 pts lower; Nifty slips below 17,600 Equity benchmark Sensex ended 125 points lower today after scaling a fresh record peak of 59,737 in early trade, as investors booked profits at higher levels. After gyrating 866 points during the day, the 30-share BSE index settled 125.27 points or 0.21 per cent lower at 59,015.89. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty slipped 44.35 points or 0.25 per cent to 17,585.15. It touched a lifetime high of 17,792.95 intra-day. Kotak Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising over 5 per cent, followed by Bharti Airtel, HDFC Bank, Maruti, Axis Bank and Nestle India. On the other hand, Tata Steel, SBI, TCS and Reliance Industries were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of September 7, 2021: 1. Taliban fire shots to disperse crowd in Kabul protesting against Pakistan's involvement in Panjshir Chanting "death to Pakistan", Afghan protesters, including women, took to the streets of Kabul today, as they claimed that Pakistani jets conducted airstrikes in Panjshir province, according to a media report. The Taliban on Monday said they have seized Panjshir, the last province not in their control, after their takeover of the US-backed Afghanistan government last month. The Taliban members reportedly fired gunshots in the air to disperse the protestors but they were still agitating, the Khamma news agency of Afghanistan reported. A number of men and women took to the streets of Kabul chanting slogans against Pakistan as they claimed the country's jets conducted airstrikes in Panjshir province, it said. --ADVERTISEMENT-- 2. Justice Kailash Chandiwal Commission issues arrest warrant against Param Bir Singh An inquiry commission headed by a retired high court judge today issued a bailable warrant against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh for not appearing before it. The Maharashtra government in March this year formed a one-member commission of Justice (retd) Kailash Uttamchand Chandiwal to conduct a probe into corruption allegations levelled by Singh against the then state home minister Anil Deshmukh. The commission had issued summons to Singh multiple times to appear before it, but he failed to do so, hence, the panel issued a bailable warrant against him, a government lawyer said. Earlier, the commission had thrice imposed fines on Singh - Rs 5,000 in June and Rs 25,000 on two occasions last month - for failing to appear before it. 3. Karnal kisan mahapanchyat: Strict action against IAS officer over lathicharge among demands given to DC An 11-member farmers delegation from the kisan mahapanchyat presently going on in Haryana's Karnal, has presented a memorandum of their demands to the Karnal Deputy Commissioner at the secretariat. In the memorandum, the farmers have reiterated strict action against the IAS officer who ordered a lathicharge against the protesting farmers on August 28, compensation to the wounded persons along with the kin of Sushil Kajal, a farmer from Gharunda who received head injuries in the lathicharge and died later due to heart attack. The delegation was led by political activist Yogendra Yadav, farmer protest leader Rakesh Tikait and a member of Karnal-based Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni along other farmer leaders. 4. Centre 'blind' to student's distress, says Rahul Gandhi, urges postponement of NEET UG 2021 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today slammed the Centre for being "blind to student's distress" after the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition seeking appropriate directions and orders to the authorities concerned for rescheduling or deferring the NEET UG- 21. "Government of India (GOI) is blind to students' distress. Postpone #NEET exam. Let them have a fair chance," tweeted the Congress MP. On Monday, a bench of the apex court, headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar, refused to interfere with a petition filed seeking directions to the authorities concerned for rescheduling the NEET UG-21. "We are not inclined to pass any order. Sorry. You may approach and make your representation to the Competent Authorities with your prayers and reliefs you seek," the bench led by Justice Khanwilkar said. 5. Markets end flat; HDFC jumps over 2.50 pc Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ended with mild losses today after investors rushed to profit booking at higher levels amid weak cues from European markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex settled 17.43 points or 0.03 per cent lower at 58,279.48. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty fell 15.70 points or 0.09 per cent to 17,362.10. HDFC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising 2.56 per cent, followed by Bharti Airtel, IndusInd Bank, ITC, UltraTech Cement, Nestle India and Asian Paints. On the other hand, Sun Pharma, Tech Mahindra, Axis Bank, HCL Tech, Infosys and Tata Steel were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of August 23, 2021: 1. Maharashtra: Union Minister Narayan Rane's arrest under process for his 'slap' remark on CM Uddhav Thackeray

Union Minister Narayan Rane was on Tuesday arrested by Ratnagiri Police for his 'slap' remark on Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. The police has taken Mr Rane into custody from Sangameshwar in Ratnagiri by Ratnagiri Police. The Ratnagiri Sessions court has rejected Narayan Rane's plea in the matter. While, the Bombay High Court has also refused to grant urgent relief to Narayan Rane and asked his advocate to file petition in registry after the minister approached the high court seeking quashing of multiple FIRs filed against him for his remark. The BJP leader also sought an interim order granting him protection from arrest or any coercive action. The petition was mentioned before a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar, seeking urgent hearing on Tuesday itself.

Sena-BJP clashes, FIRs and arrest order - Here's what unfolded after Narayan Rane's remark on slapping Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray Union minister Narayan Rane has sparked off a row over his remarks about slapping Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for what he claimed as the latter's ignorance of the year of India's independence. The statement by Rane has drawn ire of Shiv Sena and at least theree FIRs were also resgistered against him in Pune, Nashik and Mahad. What did Rane exactly say? Rane, who was recently inducted into the Union cabinet, had sparked off a row over his remarks about slapping Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, for what he claimed as the latter's ignorance of the year of India's independence. "It is shameful that the chief minister does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to enquire about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given (him) a tight slap," Rane said during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra in adjoining Raigad district on Monday.
Sensex breezes past 56k to scale fresh high amid firm global cues; metal, oil and gas stocks soar Equity benchmark Sensex rallied 403 points to end at a fresh record on Tuesday, driven by gains in index majors HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Bajaj Finserv amid a positive trend in global equities. The 30-share index ended 403.19 points or 0.73 per cent higher at its lifetime peak of 55,958.98. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty surged 128.15 points or 0.78 per cent to its all-time closing high of 16,624.60. "Nifty made a bullish bar today. It closed at 16,615 up by 120 points. It closed above its key resistance of 16,550 but however the volumes were lesser than its average volumes. Nifty now has support on 16,600 and 16550 and will face resistance at 16,700 and 16,750. Buy on dips can be a good strategy for the current markets," said Gaurav Udani, CEO & Founder, ThincRedBlu Securities.
Power tussle in Chhattisgarh Congress? CM Bhupesh Baghel, TS Singh Deo meet Rahul Gandhi - Here is all you need to know Amid rift in Chhattisgarh Congress, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo. Baghel and Deo met Rahul Gandhi at his residence in Delhi on Tuesday. The meeting of these two leaders with Rahul Gandhi came amid Deo's reported claims for the top post in the state, demanding rotational chief ministership. Both Baghel and Deo met with Rahul Gandhi as the infighting in Chhatisgarh Congress threatens to boil over. According to party leaders, the two state leaders will also meet Chhattisgarh in-charge P.L. Punia and others.
FPJ Legal: AG reacts to Bombay HC's skin-to-skin verdict; says even man with surgical gloves feels entire body The Attorney General of India K.K. Venugopal termed the Bombay High Court judgment, which held that 'skin-to-skin' contact is necessary to constitute sexual assault under POCSO Act, as outrageous. Slamming this judgment, the AG argued that a person wearing surgical gloves can feel the entire body of a woman and get away with punishment. In January this year, the AG moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court judgment acquitting a person under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, after he pressed a girl's breast over the dress stating there was no skin-to-skin contact. The AG on Tuesday submitted before a bench comprising Justices U.U. Lalit and Ajay Rastogi that it is an outrageous judgement, as far as POCSO is concerned. The AG argued that the high court judge said skin-to-skin contact is required that would result in a person wearing surgical gloves and touching a woman inappropriately and getting an acquittal. He emphasized in this case, there was a girl child involved.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of August 23, 2021: 1. Maharashtra: Union Minister Narayan Rane's arrest under process for his 'slap' remark on CM Uddhav Thackeray

Sena-BJP clashes, FIRs and arrest order - Here's what unfolded after Narayan Rane's remark on slapping Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray Union minister Narayan Rane has sparked off a row over his remarks about slapping Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for what he claimed as the latter's ignorance of the year of India's independence. The statement by Rane has drawn ire of Shiv Sena and at least theree FIRs were also resgistered against him in Pune, Nashik and Mahad. What did Rane exactly say? Rane, who was recently inducted into the Union cabinet, had sparked off a row over his remarks about slapping Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, for what he claimed as the latter's ignorance of the year of India's independence. "It is shameful that the chief minister does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to enquire about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given (him) a tight slap," Rane said during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra in adjoining Raigad district on Monday.
Sensex breezes past 56k to scale fresh high amid firm global cues; metal, oil and gas stocks soar Equity benchmark Sensex rallied 403 points to end at a fresh record on Tuesday, driven by gains in index majors HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Bajaj Finserv amid a positive trend in global equities. The 30-share index ended 403.19 points or 0.73 per cent higher at its lifetime peak of 55,958.98. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty surged 128.15 points or 0.78 per cent to its all-time closing high of 16,624.60. "Nifty made a bullish bar today. It closed at 16,615 up by 120 points. It closed above its key resistance of 16,550 but however the volumes were lesser than its average volumes. Nifty now has support on 16,600 and 16550 and will face resistance at 16,700 and 16,750. Buy on dips can be a good strategy for the current markets," said Gaurav Udani, CEO & Founder, ThincRedBlu Securities.
Power tussle in Chhattisgarh Congress? CM Bhupesh Baghel, TS Singh Deo meet Rahul Gandhi - Here is all you need to know Amid rift in Chhattisgarh Congress, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo. Baghel and Deo met Rahul Gandhi at his residence in Delhi on Tuesday. The meeting of these two leaders with Rahul Gandhi came amid Deo's reported claims for the top post in the state, demanding rotational chief ministership. Both Baghel and Deo met with Rahul Gandhi as the infighting in Chhatisgarh Congress threatens to boil over. According to party leaders, the two state leaders will also meet Chhattisgarh in-charge P.L. Punia and others.
FPJ Legal: AG reacts to Bombay HC's skin-to-skin verdict; says even man with surgical gloves feels entire body The Attorney General of India K.K. Venugopal termed the Bombay High Court judgment, which held that 'skin-to-skin' contact is necessary to constitute sexual assault under POCSO Act, as outrageous. Slamming this judgment, the AG argued that a person wearing surgical gloves can feel the entire body of a woman and get away with punishment. In January this year, the AG moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court judgment acquitting a person under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, after he pressed a girl's breast over the dress stating there was no skin-to-skin contact. The AG on Tuesday submitted before a bench comprising Justices U.U. Lalit and Ajay Rastogi that it is an outrageous judgement, as far as POCSO is concerned. The AG argued that the high court judge said skin-to-skin contact is required that would result in a person wearing surgical gloves and touching a woman inappropriately and getting an acquittal. He emphasized in this case, there was a girl child involved.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of August 10, 2021:

Bombay HC cancels Maharashtra govt's CET for junior college admission The Bombay High Court today cancelled the Maharashtra government's Common Entrance Test (CET) for Class 11 admissions, while noting it was a case of "gross injustice" and would be a threat to the lives of students, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The state government does not have the power under law to issue such a notification and this court can intervene in an extreme case of gross injustice, such as this," a division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and R I Chagla said. The court said even if a petition challenging the notification was not filed, this was a fit case for the court to take suo motu (on its own) notice. As per a govt notification issued in May this year, the CET was to be held physically on August 21 across the state for all Class 10 students before admission to the junior college.
SC takes exception to parallel debates over Pegasus snooping row, says petitioners must have faith in system Taking exception over "parallel proceedings and debates" on social media by some petitioners who have sought independent probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping issue, the Supreme Court today said there must be some discipline and they must have "some faith in the system". A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana, which said it would take a call on August 16 on whether to issue notice to the Centre on pleas seeking probe into the Pegasus row, said it is not against debate but when the matter is pending in the apex court it should be deliberated upon here. The bench, also comprising justices Vineet Saran and Surya Kant, said it expects that petitioners who are interested in the matter would answer whatever queries the court would put to them by way of proper debate "in the court and not outside".
India urges its nationals around Mazar-e-Sharif to leave Afghanistan, arranges special flight India is evacuating its staff from its consulate in Afghanistan's Mazar-e-Sharif in view of the rapidly escalating violence by the Taliban around the capital city of Balkh province, people familiar with the development said today. The Indian-based staff of the consulate and a number of Indians residing in Mazar-e-Sharif are being evacuated due to the deteriorating security scenario in the city as well as areas around it, they said. It is learnt that a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force will evacuate the staff as well as the Indian citizens from the fourth-largest city of Afghanistan. It is also learnt that the consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif will continue to operate through the local staff members.
PM Modi launches Ujjwala 2.0 for providing free LPG connections Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said it was unfortunate that people had to wait decades for basics like hospitals, roads and electricity, indirectly targeting the previous governments as he launched the second phase of the Ujjwala cooking gas scheme. "As we will be celebrating 75th year of Independence this year and look at the progress in the past seven-and-a-half decades, we feel that some situation and conditions should have changed decades ago," the prime minister said in his address. The prime minister formally launched the second phase of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) -- Ujjwala 2.0 -- by handing over virtually LPG connections to some beneficiaries in Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh. CM Yogi Adityanath who was present in the Mahoba event handed over the documents to the women on behalf of the PM.
Sensex scales fresh peak, ends 152 points higher Equity benchmark Sensex rose by 152 points to end at a record high today, tracking gains in index majors HDFC, Bharti Airtel and Infosys amid a largely positive trend in global markets. The 30-share index ends 151.81 points or 0.28 per cent higher at its lifetime peak of 54,554.66, while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 21.85 points or 0.13 per cent to 16,280.10. Bharti Airtel was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising around 4 per cent, followed by Tech Mahindra, HDFC, Kotak Bank, M&M and HCL Tech. On the other hand, Tata Steel, NTPC, ITC and PowerGrid were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of August 9, 2021:

UK High Court grants Nirav Modi permission to appeal on depression, suicide risk grounds A High Court judge in London today granted fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi permission to appeal against a magistrates' court order in favour of extradition to India to face charges of fraud and money laundering before the Indian courts on mental health and human rights grounds. Justice Martin Chamberlain delivered his verdict remotely under COVID-19 rules to conclude that the arguments presented by the Modi's legal team concerning his "severe depression" and "high risk of suicide" were arguable at a substantial hearing. He also noted that the adequacy of the measures capable of preventing "successful suicide attempts" at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where Nirav Modi is to be detained upon extradition, also fall within the arguable ambit.
Extreme sea level events could happen every year by end of this century: New IPCC report Extreme sea level events that previously occurred once in 100 years could happen every year by the end of this century, the latest IPCC report on climate change said with scientists warning that sea level rise, floods, heavy rainfall and glacier melting are some of the irreversible effects. "Coastal areas will see continued sea level rise throughout the 21st century, contributing to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-lying areas and coastal erosion with extreme sea level events that previously occurred once in 100 years could happen every year by the end of this century," said the IPCC Working Group I report, which is the first installment of the AR6, to be completed in 2022.
'We want to make this country TB-free by 2025': Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today said that the government aims to make country TB-free (tuberculousis) by 2025. According to data provided by the Union health ministry in Lok Sabha in the last week, India reported 1.8 million TB cases between January and December 2020 as compared to 2.4 million the year before. Mansukh Mandaviya said, "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, definition of health has been comprehensive." "In coming days, India will achieve its target of making health sector more robust," he added.
Entry of new virus in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli forests kills two elephants Two elephants died last week following infection due to Herpes virus in Gadchiroli forests in Maharashtra. "Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHV) or Elephantid betaherpesvirus 1 (ElHV-1) is a type of herpesvirus, which can cause a highly fatal hemorrhagic disease when transmitted to young Asian elephants." Most elephants carry just as most humans carry a cold virus. When EEHV is triggered, the elephant dies of massive internal bleeding and symptoms which are hardly visible,” said experts. The virus is believed to be transmitted from one elephant to the other through trunk secretions and saliva.
Sensex rises 125 points; Nifty ends above 16,250 Equity benchmark Sensex rose 125 points today, tracking gains in index majors Infosys, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank amid a largely positive trend in Asian markets. The 30-share index ended 125.13 points or 0.23 per cent higher at 54,402.85, while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 20.05 points or 0.12 per cent to 16,258.25. M&M was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising over 2 per cent, followed by Axis Bank, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv, IndusInd Bank, Titan and Dr Reddy's. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel, L&T, NTPC and Bajaj Finance were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 26, 2021:

Nobody pressurised me, resigned on my own: Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa Stating that nobody pressurised him to resign, BS Yediyurappa today said he had stepped down so that somebody else could take over as Karnataka chief minister after the completion of two years of the BJP-led state government in the current term. Ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls, Yediyurappa assured that he shall work to bring the party back to power in the upcoming polls. Speaking to reporters after submitting his resignation to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot at Raj Bhavan, Yediyurappa said, "Nobody pressurised me to resign. I did it on my own so that someone else can take over as CM after the completion of two years of government. I'll work to bring BJP back in power in the next election. I've not given the name of anyone who should succeed me." He also assured that he and his supporters shall give their 100 pr cent to whoever will become the next Chief Minister.
West Bengal govt has formed inquiry panel to look into Pegasus snooping row: Mamata Banerjee West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said her government has formed a two-member inquiry commission to look into allegations of snooping on politicians, officials and journalists using Israeli spyware Pegasus. The decision to form a panel, with retired judges as its members, was taken at a special cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister during the day. "We thought the Centre would form an inquiry commission or a court-monitored probe would be ordered to look into this phone-hacking incident. But the Centre is sitting idle... So we decided to form a 'commission of inquiry' to look into the matter," she said.
Rahul Gandhi drives tractor to Parliament to protest farm laws Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today drove a tractor to Parliament along with other party MPs and demanded that the three contentious farm laws be repealed. Gandhi along with party MPs Pratap Singh Bajwa, Ravneet Singh Bittu and Deepinder Singh Hooda also carried banners and raised sloganss. "These laws are aimed at helping only two-three industrialists. The entire country knows for whom these laws have been brought. These laws are not for the benefit of farmers and that is why they have to be withdrawn," Gandhi said. Meanwhile, Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and Youth Congress chief BV Srinivas along with a number of party leaders were detained for taking out a tractor march in violation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Maharashtra rain fury: Death toll due to rain-related incidents rises to 164, 100 missing The death toll in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra rose to 164 today after the recovery of 11 more bodies in Raigad and two each in Wardha and Akola, while 100 people were still missing, the state government said. So far, 2,29,074 persons have been evacuated from the affected areas, the government said in a statement. It said till now, 71 people have died in Raigad district, 41 in Satara, 21 in Ratnagiri, 12 in Thane, seven in Kolhapur, four in Mumbai and two each in Sindhudurg, Pune, Wardha and Akola. Besides, 56 people have been injured in rain-related incidents, it said.
Sensex slips 123 points; Nifty ends below 15,850 Equity benchmark Sensex declined over 120 points today, tracking losses in index heavyweights Reliance, SBI and HDFC twins amid a largely subdued trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 123.53 points or 0.23 per cent lower at 52,852.27, while the broader NSE Nifty slipped 31.60 points or 0.20 per cent to 15,824.45. SBI was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 1 per cent, followed by Reliance Industries, Tech Mahindra, M&M, L&T, Bharti Airtel, IndusInd Bank and HDFC. On the other hand, Bajaj Finserv, UltraTech Cement, Sun Pharma, Titan, Tata Steel and Kotak Bank were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 24, 2021:

Tokyo Olympics 2020: First medal for India, Mirabai Chanu wins silver in weightlifting

Mirabai Chanu ended India's 21-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the Olympics by clinching a silver medal in the 49kg category to open the country's account here on Saturday.

The 26-year-old lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg) to better Karnam Malleswari's bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. With this, she exorcised the ghosts of the 2016 Games where she had failed to log a single legitimate lift.

The gold went to China's Hou Zhihui with an effort of 210kg (94kg+116kg) , while Aisah Windy Cantika of Indonesia took home the bronze with an effort of 194kg (84kg+110kg).

Considered her weakness in the run up to the marquee event, Chanu attempted 84kg in her first snatch attempt. The Manipuri took her time and cleanly heaved the barbell.

76 dead, 38 injured and 30 still missing in flood-ravaged Maharashtra; Uddhav Thackeray set to visit affected areas

The Maharashtra Government on Saturday released a status report of floods in various parts of the state due to incessant rains. As per the compilation made by the disaster management, relief and rehabilitation department, as many as 90,000 people from flood hit districts have been evacuated so far. Nearly 76 people and 75 animals lost their lives, 38 are injured and 30 people are still missing.

The department in order to aid response to the floods deployed teams of the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force across all the affected districts.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will be visiting the affected areas later on Saturday. He is set to leave for Mahad at 12 pm by chopper, following which he will visit Taliye by road at 1.30 pm. There, he will go to villages where more than 49 have died in landslides.

Pegasus row: Use mobile phones for official work only if necessary, Maharashtra govt tells employees

As the Pegasus spyware issue is being hotly debated in the country, the Maharashtra government on Friday asked its employees to keep the use of mobile phones to a minimum during officer hours, saying that landline phones are more preferable.

An order issued by the General Administration department (GAD) said mobile phones should be used only if necessary for official work.

Indiscriminate use of mobile phones in office maligns the government's image, the order said, without any reference to the spyware row.

Text messages should be used more if mobile phones are to be used at all and conversation through these devices should be as little as possible, it added.

The use of social media through mobile devices during officer hours should be limited, the government said.

Personal calls on mobile phones should be answered by stepping out of office, the `code of conduct' further said.

The order also said that conversations on mobile phone should be "polite" and carried on "in low voice", keeping in mind people in the vicinity.

Will Pralhad Joshi replace BS Yediyurappa as Karnataka CM? Here's what the Union Minister has to say

Amid the ongoing talks of Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa resigining from his post, there is new name doing the rounds who will be succeding the existing CM. If reports are to be believed, it is being said that BJP leader and union minister Pralhad Joshi may be the new chief minister of the Kannada state.

However, Mr Joshi when asked about the development said that no one has spoken to him about this and he was not aware that BS Yediyurappa has been asked to resign or not.

Joshi said, "There is no high command in the BJP but national leadership. We got different leaderships from time to time. There was Rajnath Singh, after which Nitin Gadkari came, who was succeeded by Amit Shah and now J P Nadda is there. In the present situation, we have supreme leaders in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. They will decide."

"No one has spoken to me about it (succeeding Yediyurappa). It's only the media, which is discussing it. As no one has spoken to me, there is no need to react to it," he said, as news agency PTI reported.

CISCE results: 99.98% students pass ICSE class 10, 99.93% ISC class 12

Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations has declared ICSE, ISC Result 2021. The result for both Class 10 and Class 12 was announced at 3 pm. Students who have registered for ICSE and ISC exam can check the result on the official site of CISCE on www.cisce.org or www.results.cisce.org

According to the council, girls outshined boys by 0.2 percent margin in ISC class 12 results.

The exam board announced that no merit list will be announced this year for classes 10 and 12 in the view of exceptional circumstances owning to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In class 10, girls and boys have achieved a pass percentage of 99.98 per cent. In class 12, the pass percentage of girls is 99.86 per cent while that of boys is 99.66 per cent," CISCE Chief Executive and Secretary Gerry Arathoon said.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 23, 2021:

'Politics of change': Navjot Singh Sidhu's hint to Amarinder after taking charge as Punjab Congress chief

With a quick, stylish swish of his air-bat, Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday took charge as the new President of the Punjab Congress amid loud chants of his name from the audience. With Chief Minister Amarinder Sindh in attendance on the dais, the cricketer-turned-politician looked set for a new innings, leaving behind months of a crisis in the state party unit.

His first speech as Punjab Congress President also hinted at his approach towards managing the affairs there.

"I will work shoulder-to-shoulder with you. I have no ego...The Congress is united today, contrary to what our opposition is saying," he said in his, by now well-known, aggressive style.

"We need to resolve all these issues, We have to do the politics of change," he said, hinting at the Chief Minister.

'We have clarified everything on Pegasus': Govt turns down Rahul Gandhi's call for probe into phone hacking claims

The Centre has turned down Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's demand for a court-monitored into the Pegasus 'phone hacking' allegations. The development came soon after the Wayanad MP accused the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of using the malware against "the Indian state and our institutions". He had also demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.

"We have clarified everything in the spyware case. There is no issue for any probe. Those who are making allegations are political failures and they have no other issue," MoS Ajay Kumar told NDTV.

Earlier today, Gandhi had contended that the only word that would describe the situation was "treason". "They have used it politically, they've used it in Karnataka, they've used it to scuttle probes, they've used it against Supreme Court, they have used it against all the institutions of this country," he alleged.

Recent reports had suggested that the military-grade malware from Israel-based NSO Group was being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents.

Porn films case: Court extends Raj Kundra's police remand till July 27

A court in Mumbai on Friday extended till July 27 the police custody of businessman Raj Kundra in a case related to alleged creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps.

Kundra, husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, was arrested on the night of July 19 by the city police's crime branch after being booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

He was produced before the magistrate court at the end of his earlier remand on Friday. Police sought extension of his custody to probe the matter further.

The police had earlier told the court that the 45-year-old businessman was gaining financially from the illegal activity of making and selling pornographic material.

The police had claimed they have seized Kundra's mobile phone and its contents need to be scrutinised and also his business dealings and transactions have to be looked into.

Apart from Kundra, the police also produced another accused, Ryan Thorpe, before the court, which extended his custody till July 27.

Second case of extortion registered against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh

Sharad Agarwal, the nephew of real estate developer Shyam Agarwal, filed an FIR against former Thane and Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, then deputy commissioner of police (crime) Parag Manere and three others at Kopri police station in Thane on Friday. Shyam Agarwal had filed a case of cheating and extortion against Singh and five other police officers at Marine Drive police station on Thursday.

Sharad Agarwal in his complaint has claimed that the officers had extorted Rs 9 crore from him by threatening into invoke MCOCA sections against his uncle Shyam Agarwal, and for helping to get bail for his uncle.

Sharad, in his statement to police, said that in 2011 Sanjay Punamia and Agarwal were business partners. Later they had a dispute and to take revenge Punamia filed a complaint against Agarwal in 2016 at Thane Nagar police station.

At that time Singh was the Thane police commissioner and Manare was DCP (Crime) in Thane. "After the case was registered Shyam was arrested and was in custody. Meanwhile, the police officials were in touch with Sharad. They demanded Rs 30 crore or threatened to file a case under MCOCA act. Later, they took Rs 1 crore as cash and took over the property of Agarwal costing Rs 8 crore. Punamia took over the property paper claiming it for Parambir Singh. It was a complete case if ransom to release Agarwal on bail and not invoke MCOCA," said Shekar Jagtap, advocate presenting Agarwal family.

Sensex ends short of 53k, gains 139 points; Zomato makes stellar debut

After a volatile move, the Nifty index traded higher for the day to close at 15848.20 levels with a gain of 24 points while BankNifty has gained almost 1 percent in a day to close at 34996 levels.

Shares of Zomato on Friday zoomed nearly 53 per cent in its debut trade against its issue price of Rs 76.The stock made its debut at Rs 115, reflecting a huge gain of 51.31 per cent against the issue price on the BSE. It then hit a high of Rs 138, a jump of 81.57 per cent.

At the NSE, it got listed at Rs 116, registering a premium of 52.63 per cent.

Stocks like ICICI Bank, ITC, Wipro and SBI Life were the top gainers which supported the index for the day while Tata Motors, Grasim, L&T, Adani Ports were the draggers for the day. On the sectoral front, banking, IT< and metals closed in positive territory while Nifty PSE, Capital Goods and consumer durables were the prime laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 21, 2021:

Won't apologise to Amarinder Singh, say Navjot Singh Sidhu's supporters as he visits Golden Temple

In a show of strength, 62 MLAs, arrived at the newly-appointed Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu's residence in Amritsar today and at least one of them rejected a demand from Amarinder Singh's camp that the cricketer-turned-politician should apologise to the Chief Minister publicly. "Why should Sidhu apologise? It's not a public issue. CM has not solved many issues. In that case, he should also apologise to the public," Congress MLA Pargat Singh said. Amarinder Singh's media advisor had yesterday tweeted, "The Chief Minister will not meet Sidhu till he publicly apologises for his personally derogatory social media attacks against him."

India sees first bird flu death of 2021 as 12-year-old boy undergoing treatment at AIIMS succumbs

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Tuesday reported the first bird flu death in the country for this year after a 12-year-old boy undergoing treatment for H5N1 Avian influenza died at its pediatric department. "The 12-year-old boy being treated at the hospital's D5 ward was found to be infected with H5N1 (Avian flu) after the diagnosis. The boy was suffering from leukemia and pneumonia. He was under treatment and admitted to the ICU of AIIMS in Delhi," AIIMS officials told news agency ANI. "All staff who had exposure to him should monitor themselves for any signs and symptoms of flu and should report if any are present," AIIMS officials added.

Modi govt wants to establish "surveillance state": Mamata Banerjee hits out over Pegasus row

Latching on to the Pegasus snooping row, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused the Modi government of trying to establish a "surveillance state". She also asked the Supreme Court to take cognizance of snooping scandal that purportedly targetted politicians, activists, journalists and even judges using the Pegasus spyware, and asked Opposition parties to come together to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "BJP wants to convert a democratic country into a surveillance state rather than a welfare state," she said addressing the Martyrs' Day rally in Kolkata online.

Cabinet rejig on the cards in Maharashtra: KC Padvi, Aslam Shaikh may be axed for non-performance

A reshuffle of the council of ministers led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is on the cards, following talks between ruling partners Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress to the effect. Non-performers will be shown the door, it is learnt. A Congress minister told The Free Press Journal that the party is expected to remove Tribal Development Minister KC Padvi and Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Aslam Shaikh. As far as Shiv Sena is concerned, it is likely to fill up the vacancy created after the resignation of former Forest Minister Sanjay Rathod in connection with a Tik Tok star’s alleged suicide. Shiv Sena insiders pointed out that the CM was likely to take a call over his rehabilitation and re-induction after the final police report on the Tik Tok star’s death. The NCP, meanwhile, is likely to fill up the vacancy created by the resignation of former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who is currently being probed by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case.

Data on COVID-19 deaths generated by States, Centre just collects: BJP

The Centre just collects data on COVID-19 deaths, it doesn't generate it, said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra today. Health is a state subject, Patra pointed out while addressing a press conference, and no state or union territory sent any data regarding deaths, specifically due to a shortage of oxygen. Responding to a question by Congress MP KC Venugopal on Tuesday, during the Parliament's monsoon session, on whether a large number of COVID-19 patients died on roads and hospitals due to acute shortage of oxygen in the second wave, Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Rajya Sabha that no deaths due to lack of oxygen had been specifically reported by states/Union territories during the second wave of COVID-19.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 20, 2021:

Raj Kundra sent in police custody till July 23; cops allege he profited from porn films business Businessman Raj Kundra, arrested in a case related to alleged creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps, was today remanded in police custody till July 23 by a Mumbai court, after the crime branch alleged he was making financial gains through this illegal business. The police claimed there were several WhatsApp chats that revealed Kundra (45), the husband of Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty, was involved in the financial dealings of the app and its contents. The police also said three women have come forward with complaints in the case, saying they were "forced to act in pornographic movies". The accused persons took advantage of struggling models, actors and other workers, and made them work in these pornographic movies, the police said, adding that these movies were shot in rented bungalows in Mumbai.
PM Modi asks BJP MPs to defeat Congress' lies with truth, make people aware about govt work Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Bharatiya Janata Party Members of Parliament to take truth and facts about the government's work before the people so that the opposition's lies won't fill the vacuum created by lack of communication or truth. At the BJP's parliamentary party meeting, PM Modi urged the MPs to keep telling people the truth to defeat lies propagated by opposition, especially Congress. Sources told news agency ANI that the PM expressed concern over the sense of entitlement of Congress which is preventing them to even fulfil their role as opposition.
Mumbai Congress Prez slams BMC over waterlogging, alleges corruption amid speculations of rift in MVA The Congress today lashed out at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose reins are held by the Shiv Sena, for alleged corruption and mishandling of the monsoon situation in Mumbai. This comes at a time when there are speculations of a rift in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance which consists of the Shiv Sena, the Congress, and the NCP. Speaking to news agency ANI, Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap said, "Evey year BMC makes promises for better management waterlogging due to rain but failed every time. We did a survey and informed the BMC officials before the monsoon about issues related to drainage. Hundreds of crores rupees were spent but not even 25 per cent work has been done." "If work is not completed then where has this money gone? There is definitely corruption involved at various levels in BMC," he alleged.
900 animals allowed to be sacrificed inside Mumbai's Deonar abattoir during Bakri Eid, BMC tells Bombay HC The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has informed the Bombay high court today that they are permitting the sacrifice of 900 animals at the Deonar abattoir on the occasion of Bakri Eid which is scheduled to be held from July 21 to July 23. BMC counsel Anil Sakhare informed the HC that they have issued a circular on July 19 stating that people will be able to sacrifice 300 animals per day between 6 am and 6 pm during the three days of Bakri Eid at the Deonar abattoir. However, strict Covid-19 protocols will have to be followed by those who come for sacrifice inside the abattoir.
Sensex drops 355 points; Nifty falls below 15,650 Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 355 points today, weighed by losses in HDFC twins, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel amid a weak trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 354.89 points or 0.68 per cent lower at 52,198.51, while the broader NSE Nifty fell 120.30 points or 0.76 per cent to 15,632.10. IndusInd Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 3 per cent, followed by Tata Steel, NTPC, Bharti Airtel, HCL Tech, ICICI Bank, M&M and HDFC Bank. On the other hand, Asian Paints rallied over 6 per cent, followed by UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Auto, HUL and Nestle India.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 19, 2021:

No substance behind this sensationalism, says IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav on Pegasus row IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has slammed the release of "over-the-top" media reports about the government's use of Pegasus to spy on opposition leaders, journalists and others, including its own ministers and a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, and said it "can't be a coincidence" that they were published a day before the opening of Parliament's monsoon session. He said the data shared has nothing to do with surveillance. "No concrete basis of allegations. Allegations made in the past as well," he said. The minister said the National Statistical Office has already denied all these allegation. He said in India, there is a clear procedure lay down for any interception or surveillance. "There is no substance in any allegation other than sensationlism," he said.
Did Pegasus 'scandal' happen in Maharashtra? Congress asks; demands probe Maharashtra Congress today sought to know if snooping and phone tapping took place in the state using the Israeli software Pegasus during the previous BJP-led state government. State Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant also demanded an inquiry into the issue. "Did the Pegasus scandal happen in Maharashtra?" asked Sawant, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and NCP in the state. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state should conduct a probe into it, he said in a statement. Sawant said in Maharashtra, a case of alleged "unauthorised phone-tapping" by (senior IPS officer) Rashmi Shukla during the previous Devendra Fadnavis-led government has already come to light. "But, there were also reports of the use of Pegasus software," he claimed.
Will appear before ED after SC's decision on my plea: Anil Deshmukh Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh today said he will appear before the Enforcement Directorate to record his statement in connection with its probe into a money laundering case after the Supreme Court's decision over his petition seeking protection from any coercive action in the case. The NCP leader's comments came a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at two of his residences in Nagpur district. Deshmukh had earlier skipped ED's summons for questioning in the case. He recently moved the Supreme Court seeking protection from any coercive action in the money laundering case.
How many years can an undertrial languish in jail without trial? Bombay HC asks NIA on Bhima-Koregaon violence The Bombay HC bench of Justices Sambhaji Shinde and Nizamoodin Jamadar today asked the National Investigations Agency (NIA) as to for how many years could an undertrial be languishing in jail without trial. The bench was referring to the fact that several activists, some of them senior citizens, arrested in the Bhima-Koregaon violence case, have been in prison without charges being framed against them, since last three years. The bench also stated that it has "great respect for Father Stan Swamy and his work, rendered to the society." The bench was hearing a plea filed by deceased Jesuit Priest Stan Swamy, who had sought interim bail on medical grounds.
Sensex tanks 587 points; HDFC Bank slumps over 3% Equity benchmark Sensex tanked 587 points today, tracking heavy losses in HDFC twins, Reliance Industries and Axis Bank amid a weak trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 586.66 points or 1.10 per cent lower at 52,553.40, while the broader NSE Nifty fell 171 points or 1.07 per cent to 15,752.40. HDFC Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, slumping over 3 per cent, followed by IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC, Maruti and Bajaj Finance. On the other hand, NTPC, Nestle India, Dr Reddy's and Sun Pharma were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 17, 2021:

Navjot Singh Sidhu to be appointed as Punjab Congress chief: Sources

Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to be appointed as chief of the Congress' Punjab unit shortly, sources said Saturday afternoon, adding, four working presidents will be appointed along with him. Sources close to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi's residence reiterated that the Punjab Congress cirsis will be resolved soon.

Earlier today, eneral Secretary in-charge of Punjab Congress, Harish Rawat met Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh at his residence in Mohali.

Rawat informed, "Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh reiterated that whatever decision will be taken by the Congress president, it will be honoured by him".

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu met Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar at his residence in Panchkula, Haryana earlier today. Sidhu, whose long-running feud with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was the highlight of the infighting, will replace Sunil Jakkar, with four other leaders likely to be named Working Presidents.

Meanwhile, Sidhu reached his residence in Patiala along with party MLAs including Kulbir Singh Zira & Amarinder Singh Raja

Amarinder Singh and Navjot Sidhu have maintained a running feud since the 2017 election; Sidhu hoped to be made Deputy Chief Minister but that move was reportedly scuttled by Singh.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar meets PM Modi; submits letter on amendments in Banking Regulation Act, highlights 3 inconsistencies

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday met PM Modi with regard to amendments to the Banking Regulation Act and a slew of problems faced by the co-operative sector especially due to demonetization and Covid-19 induced lockdown.

Earlier this month, a minister had said that NCP chief Sharad Pawar will soon meet prime minister Narendra Modi, expressing concerns over the amendments to the Banking Regulation Act reiterating that it was necessary to preserve the ‘Co-operative’ character of co-operative banks having a legacy of more than 100 years.

The NCP chief submitted a six-paged letter to the PM's office regarding the Banking Regulation Act and the issues faced the co-operative sector. Mr Pawar has pointed down three inconsistencies and the resulting legal inefficacy of normative provisions of the Act that are in conflict most specifically with the 97th Constitutional Amendment, State Co-operative Societies Acts and with the Co-operative Principles.

Is Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa planning to resign? Here's all you need to know

Disgruntlement in the ranks and recent meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP officials have fuelled speculation that Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa might resign from his post. And while the CM has vehemently denied the claims, reports quoting sources suggest that he had offered to quit.

Thus far, there has been no official indication of a change of Chief Minister or even a Cabinet rejig. Speaking to the media, he had recently laughed off suggestions about an upcoming leadership change. But while he dubbed the rumours as being baseless, an NDTV report quoted sources to say that there might be more to the story.

As per the article, Yediyurappa had offered to resign citing ill health during his meeting with Modi. Yediyurappa vehement denial would indicate that such a decision had not been accepted. As such, there does not seem to be any change looming.

On Saturday Yediyurappa had dismissed the rumours. "Not at all. Not at all," Yediyurappa told reporters at the Karnataka Bhavan when asked if he has resigned. Having already met the Prime Minister, he also said that he will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP chief J P Nadda before returning to Bengaluru.

Disgruntled leaders within the Karnataka BJP have openly critiqued Yediyurappa, levelling allegations of corruption and interference in administration - something that has embarrassed the party and the government. Another section of the party is reportedly demanding the replacement of 79-year-old Yediyurappa citing his age and the need of projecting a new Chief Ministerial face ahead of assembly polls in 2023.

Mumbai: Bombay HC says sexual assault without penetration is also rape, upholds conviction

Holding that a sexual assault without penetration also falls within the definition of rape under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, the Bombay High Court has upheld the conviction of a 33-year-old man for rape.

Justice Revati Mohite-Dere also upheld the sentence of 10 years rigorous imprisonment awarded to the man, a city resident, by the trial court in 2019.

In a judgement passed last month, the judge dismissed the man's appeal challenging the sessions court's order finding him guilty of raping an intellectually-challenged woman.

The appeal argued that there had been no penile intercourse between him and the victim.

But the HC noted that forensic evidence proved a case of sexual assault.

'Sorry for Danish Siddiqui’s death': Taliban says they need to be informed if journalists enter war zone

The Taliban has said it does know how Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui came in between the line of fire and expressed sorrow over the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist’s death in Afghanistan's Kandahar during their clashes against Afghan forces. “We are not aware during whose firing the journalist was killed. We do not know how he died," Taliban’s spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid told CNN-News18 on Friday.

“Any journalist entering the war zone should inform us. We will take proper care of that particular individual," Mujahid was quoted as saying by CNN-News18. “We are sorry for Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui’s death. We regret that journalists are entering war zone without intimation to us," he added.

Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Saturday said Afghan authorities must conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the killing of Reuters photojournalist Danish Siddiqui.

Siddiqui was talking to shopkeepers when the Taliban attacked and was killed in a subsequent crossfire, an Afghan commander told Reuters.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters that the group had not been aware there was a journalist on the scene and said it was unclear how Siddiqui was killed.

Siddiqui was a member of the Reuters photography team that won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography for "shocking photographs that exposed the world to violence Rohingya refugees faced in fleeing Myanmar."

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 16, 2021:

Uttar Pradesh '100%' cannot hold Kanwar Yatra, Says Supreme Court The Supreme Court today pointed out that fear of a third Covid wave looms large over all Indians as it asked the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider its decision on a physical Kanwar Yatra, emphasizing that a Yogi-government nod for a 100 per cent physical yatra is not advisable. A bench comprising justices R.F. Nariman and B.R. Gavai said authorities should reconsider whether to hold physical Kanwar Yatra at all, otherwise court will pass order in the matter. "We are prima facie of the view that this is a matter concerning every citizen and all other sentiments, including religious are subservient to right to life of citizens," said the bench.
Danish Siddiqui, Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian photojournalist, killed while covering Afghan-Taliban clashes Danish Siddiqui, a Pulitzer Prize winner Indian photojournalist who worked for Reuters news agency, has been killed in Afghanistan while covering the fierce fighting between Afghan troops and the Taliban militants in Kandahar. "Deeply disturbed by the sad news of the killing of a friend, Danish Siddiqui in Kandahar last night (Thursday). The Indian Journalist and winner of the Pulitzer Prize was embedded with Afghan security forces," Afghanistan's Ambassador to India Farid Mamundzay tweeted. Siddiqui, in his early 40s, was killed during clashes in Spin Boldak district in Kandahar, reports said.
PM Modi asks states with rising COVID-19 cases to take proactive steps to prevent third wave Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that rising COVID-19 cases in some states remain a matter of concern as he asked them to take proactive measures to rule out a third wave by moving forward with the strategy of test, track, treat and 'tika (vaccine)'. In a video interaction with chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra and Kerala, where many districts have been reporting a high number of cases, Modi said the country stands at a point in its battle with the pandemic where apprehensions about a third wave are being continuously expressed.
ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India to face arch-rivals Pakistan in group stage The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the groups for the Men's T20 World Cup 2021 to be hosted by the BCCI in Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 17 to November 14. Arch-rivals India and Pakistan have been placed in Group 2 of the Super 12s. This will see the two teams clash in the group stages of the showpiece event. The groups, selected on the basis of team rankings as of March 20, 2021, see defending champions the West Indies pooled along with former champions England, Australia and South Africa in Group 1 of the Super 12s, with two qualifiers from Round 1 joining them. Group 2 will comprise of former champions India and Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and the other two qualifiers from Round 1.
Sensex, Nifty end flat after scaling fresh lifetime highs Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ended flat after scaling fresh intra-day peaks today amid a mixed trend in global markets. After surging to a lifetime peak of 53,290.81 in opening session, the 30-share BSE index ended 18.79 points or 0.04 per cent lower at 53,140.06, while the broader NSE Nifty slipped 0.80 points or 0.01 per cent to 15,923.40. HCL Tech was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 3 per cent, followed by Infosys, Bajaj Finserv, NTPC, ICICI Bank and IndusInd Bank. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel, UltraTech Cement, Tata Steel and PowerGrid were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 14, 2021:

'Riddled with misinformation': Indian Army refutes report on recent India-China clash in Eastern Ladakh The Indian Army today refuted claims about clashes occurring along the India-China border in recent months. The clarification came after a news report quoted government sources to state that Chinese troops had once again crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at several points in eastern Ladakh leading to an altercation. The Army however said that no such incident had taken place "since the disengagement agreement in February this year". "The article is riddled with inaccuracies and misinformation. It is reiterated that the news report mentioning that agreements with China have collapsed, is false and baseless," the Army said in a statement.
Union minister Piyush Goyal appointed as Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Union minister Piyush Goyal has today been appointed as the leader of house in Rajya Sabha, reported news agency PTI. He will succeed Thawar Chand Gahlot who has been appointed the governor of Karnataka. The Parliamentary Affairs Ministry has intimated the Rajya Sabha Secretariat that Goyal will be the Leader of House, the report added. Goyal, a two-time Rajya Sabha MP, is currently the deputy leader of the NDA and is also Union Minister in the Cabinet. He is holding the charge of various ministries, including commerce and industry, food and consumer affairs, and textiles.
Useless statements being made to create panic: Mansukh Mandaviya on vaccine shortage charge Amid complains by some states about shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today said "useless"' statements are being made only to create panic among the people, and asserted that states know very well when and in what quantity they will get the doses. The Centre has informed states about the allocation of doses in advance, he said. In a series of tweets, Mandaviya said the availability of vaccines can be better understood by an "actual analysis of the facts".
Nandigram election: Calcutta HC admits Mamata's plea, asks EC to preserve all records Admitting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's petition for hearing, the Calcutta High Court today directed that notice be served upon Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, whose victory from Nandigram in the assembly elections was challenged by her. Justice Shampa Sarkar directed that Banerjee's election petition will be taken up for hearing on August 12. The judge directed that in the meantime, notice be served upon Adhikari, a BJP MLA, and other parties in the matter. The court also directed the Election Commission to preserve all records and devices related to the polls in Nandigram.
Sensex rises 134 points; Nifty tops 15,850 Equity benchmark Sensex jumped 134 points today, tracking gains mainly in IT stocks, despite weak global cues. The 30-share BSE index ended 134.32 points or 0.25 per cent higher at 52,904.05, while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 41.60 points or 0.26 per cent to 15,853.95. Tech Mahindra was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising over 2 per cent, followed by HCL Tech, Infosys, L&T, Tata Steel and ITC. On the other hand, Maruti, HUL, Nestle India and Dr Reddy's were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 12, 2021:

PM Modi expresses pain at loss of lives due to lightning, announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed pain at the loss of lives in various parts of the country due to lightning and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased. At least 18 people died in Rajasthan and 10 in Uttar Pradesh, according to reports received on Sunday night, and the toll could go higher. Casualties have also been reported from Madhya Pradesh. PM Modi also expressed anguish at the deaths caused by lightning in two other states and announced similar relief.
Maharashtra needs 3 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses per month, says state Rajesh Tope Maharashtra needs a minimum of three crore vaccine doses per month to inoculate the entire eligible population against coronavirus at the earliest, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said today. Talking to news agency PTI, Tope said the state's capacity is to vaccinate 15 lakh people daily, but as of now only two to three lakh people are being inoculated in a day because of the "shortage of vaccine doses". Till Sunday, a total of 3,65,25,990 vaccine doses were administered in the state, as per official data.
Central teams rush to Maharashtra amidst surge in COVID-19 cases: MoS Health Dr Bharati Pawar Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar today said the Central government has already sent teams to the states where COVID-19 cases are rising. While speaking to news agency ANI on the rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra and Kerala, Pawar said, "Central government's team is working on the ground. We are continuously monitoring the situation, taking feedbacks from State governments regularly." She said that the Centre has given guidelines and the state government needs to follow this and urged people to wear masks and avoid crowded places.
Former Mumbai commissioner Param Bir Singh seeks more time to appear before ED citing health issues Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh today sought more time from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear before it ahead of his summons citing health reasons. According to ED, Param Bir Singh has cited health reasons for skipping ED summons, saying that he is unwell and is scheduled to undergo surgery. The ED had summoned the former Mumbai Police Commissioner to record a statement in connection with the Rs 100 crore money laundering case against ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
Sensex, Nifty end flat after volatile session Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty closed on a flat note after a volatile session today, following a mixed trend in global equities. The 30-share BSE Sensex ended 13.50 points or 0.03 per cent lower at 52,372.69, while the broader NSE Nifty inched 2.80 points or 0.02 per cent higher at 15,692.60. Bharti Airtel was the top loser in the Sensex pack, slipping around 1 per cent, followed by Tata Steel, HDFC Bank, Infosys, HDFC, Bajaj Auto and PowerGrid. On the other hand, Ultratech Cement, ICICI Bank, SBI, Axis Bank, Kotak Bank and IndusInd Bank were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 6, 2021:

President appoints new governors in 8 states, Union MInisters Thawarchand Gehlot gets Karnataka Amid buzz around cabinet reshuffle, Union minister Thaawarchand Gehlot was today appointed as Governor of Karnataka. PS Sreedharan Pillai, who is currently the Governor of Mizoram, has been transferred to Goa. BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati will be the governor of Mizoram. Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya has been transferred to Tripura, and the current Governor of the northeastern state Ramesh Bais will serve as Jharkhand Governor. Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatraya has been transferred and appointed as the Governor of Haryana, while Goa minister Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has been made the Governor of Himachal Pradesh. BJP leader from Gujarat Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel will serve as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh.
Maharashtra govt announces high-level probe into Congress leader Patole's phone-tapping allegation Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil today announced a high-level inquiry into the allegation of Congress MLA and state party president Nana Patole that his phone was tapped during the previous BJP-led state government. Earlier this year, Patole alleged that along with his phone, the phones of several important leaders of NCP, BJP, Shiv Sena as well as those of IAS and IPS officers were also tapped in 2016-17 during the previous Devendra Fadnavis-led government. The Congress leader had demanded a high-level probe into the matter. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly today, Walse Patil said the issue needs to be probed thoroughly.
Delhi HC directs Twitter to inform by when it will appoint resident grievance officer as per IT Rules The Delhi High Court today directed Twitter to inform it by July 8 as to when it will appoint a resident grievance officer (RGO) in compliance with the new IT Rules after the microblogging platform submitted that it was in the process of doing so. Justice Rekha Palli took exception to the fact the court was not informed that the earlier appointment of the RGO was only on interim basis and he has already resigned. The high court pointed out that only an interim RGO was appointed by Twitter and a wrong impression was given to the court on May 31 as it was not informed that the appointment was on interim basis.
Maharashtra: BJP to challenge suspension of 12 MLAs in Bombay High Court BJP has decided to approach the Bombay High Court to challenge the suspension of its 12 party legislators. This was announced by the state unit chief Chandrakant Patil who along with leader of opposition in the state assembly Devendra Fadnavis participated at the protest against the suspension. Meanwhile, BJP legislators boycotted the proceedings of the legislature but held a parallel session at the entrance of the Vidhan Bhavan today. However, after the deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal ordered the mikes were removed and the legislators were asked to vacate their entrance. Later they continued their parallel session in the area reserved for press and TV media.
Sensex snaps 2-day winning run, ends marginally lower Equity benchmark Sensex closed marginally lower after a choppy session today, tracking losses in index majors TCS, Infosys and Reliance Industries amid a largely weak trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 18.82 points or 0.04 per cent lower at 52,861.18. The broader NSE Nifty fell 16.10 points or 0.1 per cent to 15,818.25. Tech Mahindra was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 2 per cent, followed by TCS, Maruti, Reliance, Sun Pharma and Infosys. On the other hand, UltraTech Cement, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, Titan and ICICI Bank were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 5, 2021:

12 BJP MLAs suspended from Maharashtra Assembly for 1 year for 'misbehaving' with presiding officer 12 BJP MLAs were suspended from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for one year after the state government accused them of "misbehaving" with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker's chamber today. The motion to suspend the MLAs was moved by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab and passed by a voice vote. Parab said during the period of suspension, the 12 legislators will not be allowed to enter the Legislature premises in Mumbai and Nagpur. Objecting to the decision, BJP members, led by Devendra Fadnavis, said the opposition would boycott the House proceedings.
And his bail plea remained pending...: 84-year-old Father Stan Swamy dies in Holy Family hospital Father Stan Swamy, the 84-year-old Jesuit priest and arguably the oldest Indian to be booked under terror charges for his alleged role in the Bhima-Koregaon violence at Pune in Maharashtra, died at around 1.30 pm today at the Holy Family Hospital in Bandra. Swamy's Senior Advocate Mihir Desai informed the Bombay High Court judges Justice S.S. Shinde and Justice N J. Jamdar of the development when his bail plea came up for hearing this afternoon. "Its with a very heavy heart I have to inform you that Fr. Stan Swamy has passed away," a doctor treating him informed the court. He added that early on Saturday the 84-year old activist had suffered a cardiac arrest and could not be revived.
'Approached SC to protect my rights, ensure fair probe': Anil Deshmukh responds to fresh ED summons Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh today responded to fresh summons sent by the Enforcement Directorate seeking his appearance in a money laundering case. While the NCP leader reiterated his cooperation, he added that he would follow the orders of the court. Putting forth a multi-point clarification he also sought to dispel "any adverse impression and prejudice" that the department was "hell bent on creating" "adverse impression and prejudices" against him. Deshmukh, who was summoned to the ED office today skipped appearing at the investigation agency's office again. He wrote a letter to ED Assistant Director Tassine Sultan to inform that he has approached the Supreme Court in the matter to ensure that the investigation against him is within the ambit of the procedure established by law.
TMC delegation meets President Ram Nath Kovind, seeks SG Tushar Mehta's removal A delegation of the Trinamool Congress today met President Ram Nath Kovind and submitted a memorandum alleging 'impropriety concerning the office of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta' and sought his removal. After the meeting, TMC MP Mahua Moitra said, "We ask for the immediate removal of the SG on the grounds of gross misconduct and impropriety." She alleged that on July 1, the Leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari met with the Home Minister at his residence and immediately proceeded to the home of the Solicitor-General. Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, another TMC MP alleged that the meeting was a case of conflict of interest and against the rules.
Sensex rallies 395 points led by banking, finance stocks Equity benchmark Sensex rallied over 395 points today, tracking gains in index majors HDFC twins, Infosys and Reliance Industries amid a mixed trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 395.33 points or 0.75 per cent higher at 52,880. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty surged 112.15 points or 0.71 per cent to 15,834.35. State Bank of India was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, climbing nearly 2 per cent, followed by Tata Steel, L&T, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, M&M and ICICI Bank. On the other hand, Tech Mahindra, Dr Reddy's, HCL Tech and Titan were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 2, 2021:

TMC seeks removal of Solicitor General over meeting with Suvendu, writes to PM The Trinamool Congress today wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking the removal of Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta over his meeting with West Bengal Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari in Delhi. The letter, written by TMC MPs Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Mahua Maitra, stated that the meeting between Adhikari and Mehta "reeks of impropriety" as the BJP MLA is an accused in the Narada and Saradha cases where investigations are underway. According to the letter, the meeting "curiously" took place subsequent to Adhikari's meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah.
Duration of monsoon session can't be extended due to COVID-19: Maha CM in letter to Guv Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today wrote a letter to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, in which he defended the government's decision of holding the monsoon session of the state legislature only for two days starting July 5, saying that its duration cannot be extended in view of the coronavirus situation. He also appeared non-committal on holding the legislative assembly speaker's election during the two-day session, saying there was no "time-frame" for it. Thackeray also urged Koshyari to pursue with the Centre the state government's demand of sharing the empirical data on the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in order to take steps for restoring the political reservation for the community in local civic bodies.
Pakistan's drone tries to cross International border in Jammu's Arnia, backs off after BSF firing A drone from Pakistan entered the Indian territory at the International Border (IB) in the Arnia area of Jammu district today morning, said the Border Security Force (BSF). After BSF jawans opened fire, they flew back into Pakistani territory, officials said. According to the BSF, the alert personnel fired at a small Hexa-copter belonging to Pakistan today morning at about 04: 25 am as it was trying to cross IB in the Arnia sector. "Due to the firing, it returned immediately. It was meant for carrying out surveillance of the area," said BSF officials. Since the last week, at least five drone activities have been reported in Jammu.
Maha Congress chief Nana Patole alleges irregularities in handing over coal supply work to pvt firm, seeks probe Alleging irregularities in the process of selecting a private firm by the Maharashtra State Mining Corporation Ltd (MSMC) for the work of supplying coal, Congress's state unit chief Nana Patole has demanded a probe into the tendering procedure. He claimed that Rukhmai Infrastructures Private Limited has been selected for the work of washing coal and supplying it to Mahagenco (Maharashtra State Power Generation Company) although the company does not fulfil the criteria. In a letter written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Patole said the tender awarded to the company should be stopped immediately since there were irregularities in the process.
Sensex snaps 4-day losing streak, ends 166 points higher Snapping its four-session losing run, equity benchmark Sensex jumped 166 points today, led by gains in index majors Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and HDFC. After trading in a range through the day, the 30-share BSE index ended 166.07 points or 0.32 per cent higher at 52,484.67. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 42.20 points or 0.27 per cent up at 15,722.20. Reliance Industries was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising over 1 per cent, followed by ICICI Bank, SBI, HDFC, M&M, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, Titan and Infosys. On the other hand, Tata Steel, PowerGrid, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma and Bajaj Auto were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 30, 2021:

SC directs Centre to frame guidelines to pay ex-gratia to kin of COVID victims The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to frame guidelines to grant ex-gratia compensation to families of those who lost their loved ones to COVID-19. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, in its judgement, directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to ascertain within six weeks whether the ex-gratia amount can be paid to the family members of the victims. The Apex Court also said in its judgement that the NDMA is statutorily mandated to provide the minimum amount of relief, including an ex-gratia amount to Covid victims' families. If it (NDMA) fails to provide ex-gratia amount of compensation, then it has failed in discharging its statutory duty, the Apex Court said in its judgement.
Bombay HC fumes over political rallies for Maratha quota, Navi Mumbai airport naming The Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni today lashed out at politicians for defying Covid protocols and holding political rallies. The bench even slammed politicians that have been mobilising people for rallies against the Maratha Reservation judgement of the Supreme Court. The bench while dealing with a clutch of PILs on Covid crisis took note of media reports showing huge political rallies. The bench particularly referred to the massive rally carried out at Belapur, Navi Mumbai last week for naming of the proposed airport in the district. "You (State) have to use your entire machinery to stop any kind of political rallies defying Covid norms. And if you can't do that then tell us, we will do it," the chief justice said.
DGCA extends ban on international flights until July 31 The coronavirus-induced suspension of scheduled international passenger flights has been extended till July 31, aviation regulator DGCA said today. "However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) added. Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 2020 and under bilateral "air bubble" arrangements with selected countries since July 2020.
BCCI to recommend Mithali Raj and Ravi Ashwin for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award The BCCI has decided to recommend women's cricket great Mithali Raj and premier spinner R Ashwin for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, country's highest sporting honour. For Arjuna Award, the Board will send the names of senior batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who was ignored last year, K L Rahul and pacer Jasprit Bumrah. "No women cricketer has been nominated for Arjuna. Mithali's name has been recommended for Khel Ratna," a BCCI official told news agency PTI today. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had earlier decided to extend the last date of submission of application for the upcoming National Sports Awards 2021. Earlier, the last date for submitting applications was June 21.
Sensex ends 67 points lower amid profit-booking Equity benchmark Sensex surrendered early gains to end 67 points lower today as investors booked profits at higher levels amid a largely negative trend in global markets. After rallying nearly 400 points during the day, the 30-share BSE index made a U-turn to settle 66.95 points or 0.13 per cent lower at 52,482.71. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty slipped 26.95 points or 0.17 per cent to close at 15,721.50. PowerGrid was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 1 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finserv, ICICI Bank, HDFC, NTPC, HUL and L&T. On the other hand, Infosys, Reliance Industries, Nestle India and Martui were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of July 1, 2021:

Common man hit: After hike in milk prices, LPG cylinder rates go up by Rs 25.50 The price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders or cooking gas cylinders has also gone up by Rs 25.50. On the first day of every month, state-owned oil companies decide on whether a tweak in the prices of gas cylinders is required or not. This is the ninth LPG price hike imposed by the central government since March 1. The last revision in the prices of LPG cylinders came in April when the rate of a cylinder was cut by Rs 10. Previously, LPG cylinder prices were increased in February and March. In Delhi, a 14.2 kg cylinder is available at Rs 834.50 instead of Rs 809 earlier. In Mumbai, it is now priced Rs 834.50 from Rs 809 earlier.
Amid row over COVID-19 'green pass', several EU nations clear Serum Institute's Covishield A day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar said he has taken up with European Union to accept COVID-19 vaccines, such as Covishield and Covaxin, for Indian nationals travelling to Europe, Switzerland, Iceland and seven European Union countries today allowed the Serum Institute-manufactured Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine. According to ANI report, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Estonia and Spain have confirmed accepting Covishield for travel entry. Switzerland has also allowed Covishield for the Schengen state. Estonia has confirmed that it will recognize all the vaccines authorized by Government of India for travel of Indians to Estonia, the report added.
Zydus Cadila applies for emergency use authorisation for COVID-19 vaccine with DCGI Zydus Cadila today said it has applied for emergency use authorisation (EUA) with the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for its COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D. The company said it has conducted the largest clinical trial for its COVID-19 vaccine in India so far in over 50 centres. Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Cadila Healthcare, said the vaccine when approved will help not only adults but also adolescents in the 12 to 18 years age group. The company said it has also evaluated a two-dose regimen for ZyCoV-D vaccine using a 3 mg dose per visit and the immunogenicity results had been found to be equivalent to the current three dose regimen.
Mumbai: Former BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi quits hours after appointment as ACS in Marathi Bhasha Department Hours after appointment as additional chief secretary in Marathi Bhasha Department, Former BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has quit. He will now join as Member (administration) in the newly formed Capacity Building Commission in New Delhi for a three-year tenure. He decided to quit to join the Commission as he could not go on deputation in the Government of India since he was not empaneled. In a bureaucratic reshuffle on Wednesday, the Maharashtra government had appointed Pardeshi as ACS of the Marathi Bhasha Department.
Sensex drops 164 points; Nifty slips below 15,700 Equity benchmark Sensex dropped 164 points today following losses in index majors Infosys, HDFC twins and Reliance Industries amid a weak trend in Asian peers. The 30-share BSE index ended 164.11 points or 0.31 per cent lower at 52,318.60. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty inched 41.50 points or 0.26 per cent down to 15,680. Bajaj Finserv was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 2 per cent, followed by Infosys, Tech Mahindra, UltraTech Cement and IndusInd Bank. On the other hand, Dr Reddy's, Bajaj Auto, Sun Pharma, Asian Paints and NTPC were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 29, 2021:

Cipla gets DCGI nod to import Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for restricted emergency use in India: Report India's drug regulator DCGI has granted permission to Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company Cipla to import Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for restricted emergency use in the country, official sources told news agency PTI today. Moderna's vaccine will be the fourth COVID-19 jab to be available in India after Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik. "This permission is for restricted use in emergency situations in public interest. The firm has to submit 7 days safety assessment of the vaccine in first 100 beneficiaries before rolling out of vaccine for further immunisation programme, according to the approval order," the official said.
No request received yet for EU authorisation of Covishield vaccine, says official A European Union (EU) official today said that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has not received any request for approval of authorisation of the COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield. Speaking to news agency ANI, the EU official said: "Concerning a possible EMA authorisation for Covishield, as of yesterday, the EMA stated that it had not received a request for approval. It will examine any such request when received, as per its procedures." "The EMA does not investigate new drugs on its own, unless it is asked by the relevant companies," he said.
'Need to understand Pratap Saranaik, Anil Deshmukh': Sanjay Raut hints at 'big decision' by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut today said that it is necessary to understand the side of Pratap Saranaik and Anil Deshmukh, both of whom are under the scanner of Central agencies. As per a report, Raut also said that soon Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar are likely to sit together and take a big decision. "There is diagreemnet on few issues in Maha Vikas Aghadi government, but no one is upset. All three parties did a great job in the last two years," Raut added. Raut on Monday had met Thackeray and Pawar separately, his second such meeting with the two leaders in the last three days.
BJP to form 5-member committee for each page of voters list ahead of next year's Assembly polls Ensuring more penetration at booth level, the BJP has decided to form a five-member committee for each page of electoral roll ahead of next year's assembly polls in five states. Earlier, the saffron party used to appoint 'Panna Pramukh', in charge of one page (both front and back) of a voters list, which is now replaced with 'Panna Committee' consisting of voters from the same page. The BJP believes that the panna committee will ensure a minimum 60 per cent of votes of the page in its favour. Meanwhile, Assembly elections are to held in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa in the early part of next year.

5. Sensex drops 186 pts on profit-booking; Nifty ends below 15,800 Equity benchmark Sensex declined 186 points today, tracking losses in ICICI Bank, Kotak Bank and Infosys as investors booked profits at higher levels. The 30-share BSE index ended 185.93 points or 0.35 per cent lower at 52,549.66. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty tumbled 66.25 points or 0.42 per cent to 15,748.45. Kotak Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 1 per cent, followed by ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Auto, Mahindra and Mahindra, SBI and Axis Bank. On the other hand, PowerGrid, HUL, NTPC, Dr Reddy's and Nestle India were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 25, 2021:

FM announces stimulus package for economic revival, raises ECLGS scheme limit to Rs 4.5 lakh cr To help revival of the economy battered by COVID-19, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced a slew of measures, including Rs 1.1 lakh crore credit guarantee scheme for improving health infrastructure, and enhancing the limit under the ECLGS by 50 per cent to Rs 4.5 lakh crore for the MSME sector facing liquidity crunch. Sharing the details of stimulus package, the finance minister said this comprises eight relief measures. The existing limit for ECLGS scheme, announced as part of Rs 20-lakh crore Atmanirbhar Bharat Abiyan package in May 2020, was Rs 3 lakh crore.
Hope to resolve issues faced by Indians vaccinated with Covishield travelling to EU soon: Adar Poonawalla Vaccine major Serum Institute of India chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla today said he has taken up the issues faced by Indians who have taken the Covishield jab travelling to the European Union at highest levels and hoped to resolve them soon. Covishield is the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in India by the Pune-based vaccine maker. "I realise that a lot of Indians who have taken Covishield are facing issues with travel to the EU, I assure everyone, I have taken this up at the highest levels and hope to resolve this matter soon, both with regulators and at a diplomatic level with countries," Poonawalla said in a tweet.
Delhi oxygen row: BJP stages dharna at Jantar Mantar seeking CM Kejriwal's resignation Delhi BJP leaders sat on a dharna at the Jantar Mantar today, demanding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation over his government "inflating" the city's oxygen need during the second wave of coronavirus. Leading the protest along with MPs, MLAs and office bearers of the party, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta also said Kejriwal should be "arrested for criminal negligence". "The interim report of a Supreme Court committee has said that the Kejriwal government raised a four-time higher demand of oxygen than actual consumption that caused shortage in other states and led to deaths of Covid patients. Kejriwal himself is responsible for this and should step down from his post," Gupta said.
Good news for Mumbaikars! CM Uddhav Thackeray inaugurates 2nd arm of newly built Sealink-BKC flyover Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray officially inaugurated the new flyover today afternoon, built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Now, commuters travelling from the Sea Link to BKC will not have to wait for long time at the Kalanagar Junction's signal anymore, as the two-lane flyover will provide them with a seamless travel experience. The MMRDA, the special planning authority of the BKC, had proposed three flyovers in an effort to relieve the Kalanagar signal snarl. The first, with two lanes, allowing commuters travelling from BKC Junction towards the Bandra-Worli Sea Link is already operational, the second two-lane flyover from the Sea Link towards BKC will be accessible from today.

5. Sensex drops 189 points; Nifty slips below 15,850 Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 189 points today led by losses in index heavyweights Reliance Industries, TCS and HDFC amid a negative trend in global markets. After touching a lifetime high of 53,126.73 in opening session, the 30-share BSE index ended 189.45 points or 0.36 per cent lower at 52,735.59. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty settled 45.65 points or 0.29 per cent down at 15,814.70. It touched a lifetime intra-day peak of 15,915.65.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 26, 2021:

ED arrests two aides of ex-Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh in PMLA case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) late on Friday night arrested former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh's personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency is investigating money laundering charges against Deshmukh. The agency sources also said that Deshmukh is likely to be summoned to visit the ED office on Saturday.

On Friday, ED had claimed that they have found a money trail of Rs 4 crore that was allegedly extorted from around a dozen bar owners by Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze, (now dismissed from service) over a few months. The agency sources had alleged that the said money was then allegedly diverted to Deshmukh through some shell companies.

Following this revelation, the ED officials conducted searches at Deshmukh's residence in Nagpur and Mumbai and few other places on Friday.

Derek Chauvin gets 22.5 years in prison for murder of George Floyd

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvin's knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the US in generations.

The punishment - which fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested - came after Chauvin broke his more than yearlong silence in court to offer condolences to the Floyd family and say he hopes more information coming out will eventually give them "some peace of mind." With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

In imposing the punishment, Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing "your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty" shown to Floyd.

OBC reservation protest: Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis detained in Nagpur

Nagpur Police have detained former Maharashtra chief minister and leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis during a protest held by BJP workers in support of OBC reservation today, ANI reported.

The Maharashtra unit of the BJP on Saturday held 'chakka jam' protest across the state to press for its demand of restoring reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in local governing bodies.

The party had earlier announced that it would hold agitation at 1,000 locations across the state. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis participated in a protest in his home district Nagpur, while Leader of Opposition in the Council Pravin Darekar took part in an agitation in Thane, due to which the road connecting the city with Mumbai got blocked for some time.

Former minister Pankaja Munde, who led a protest in Pune, said if the BJP's demand are not met, the party will launch bigger protests in future.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state has failed to retain political reservation for the OBCs, she alleged.

India's active COVID-19 tally drops below 6 lakh mark: 48,698 cases and 1,183 deaths reported in last 24 hours

India reported 48,698 new COVID-19 cases and and 1,183 deaths in the last 24 hours. At the same time, data from the Health Ministry on Saturday morning indicates that 64,818 people recovered from the virus. With this, the total number of active cases in the country has dropped below the six lakh mark after 86 days, now standing at 5.95 lakh.

The latest update puts India's cumulative COVID-19 tally at 3,01,83,143 since the pandemic began in 2020. The death toll stands at 3,94,493. Daily recoveries continue to outnumber new cases for the 44th consecutive day, with the recovery rate increasing to 96.72%. The weekly positivity rate now stands at 2.97%.

What did Jammu and Kashmir leaders discuss with PM Modi during all-party meeting? Here's what we know so far

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with political leaders from across Jammu and Kashmir. The all-party meet in Delhi was the first high-level interaction between the Centre and the political leadership from the Union Territory since August 2019. While initially slated to last for one-and-a-half hours, the meeting reportedly went on for over three hours.

While there was no set agenda for the meeting, delimitation, statehood and assembly elections were expected to be key issues for discussion. As per updates shared by news agency ANI, the Prime Minister had noted during the meeting that a government run by the bureaucracy was no substitute for one run by public representatives. He reportedly said that he wanted to remove 'Dilli ki Duri as well as Dil Ki Duri'.

"It was definitely an ice breaker. If Delhi was looking south and we were looking north. This meeting brought things in a similar direction. All Jammu and Kashmir leaders heard everyone uninterruptedly in the meeting," explained Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Saturday.

While several political leaders who attended the meeting are allied under the Gupkar Declaration, National Conference vice president explained that the leaders had not been called to the meeting as a single unit. "We did not say anything at the meet that is outside agenda of Gupkar Alliance," he explained.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 25, 2021:

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray instructs health dept to prepare for possible third wave of COVID-19

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has instructed the state health department to make ample preparations for the possible COVID third wave including providing oxygen, ICU beds, field hospital facilities to all the districts.

In a notice issued by the Chief Minister to the health department, Thackeray said that seven districts with a high rate of infection should be more careful, informed the state Public Relations department.

He further directed the health department to increase COVID testing and vaccinations.

"7 districts with a high rate of infection should be more careful. Increase tests, vaccinations. Don't rush, don't take risks," read the notice.

India's active COVID-19 tally drops further: 51,667 new cases and 1,329 deaths reported in last 24 hours

India's active COVID-19 tally continues to drop, with the daily recoveries exceeding new cases for the 43rd consecutive day. On Friday morning, Health Ministry data indicated that there had been 51,667 new cases and 1,329 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. During this time, 64,527 patients recovered from COVID-19.

With this, India has reported 3,01,34,445 positive cases since the pandemic began last year. The cumulative death toll now stands at 3,93,310. The recovery rate has now increased to 96.66% while the weekly positivity rate stands at 3%.

At the same time India's vaccination drive continues to gain momentum, with 30.79 crore doses having been administered till date. As per the Health Ministry update, India administered 60.73 lakh vaccine doses in last 24 hours.

ED carried out raids at former home minister Anil Deshmukh's Nagpur and Mumbai residences

A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials conducted a search early on Friday morning at the Nagpur and Mumbai residences of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in connection with their money laundering probe.

The moves comes a day after ED recorded the statement of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Raju Bhujbal in the case, who is presently the in-charge of the enforcement wing of Mumbai Police and has the social service branch under his jurisdiction. The social service branch conducts checks and raids on pubs, hookah parlours, dance bars, bars, and restaurants.

Mumbai: NCB arrests Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar in narcotics case

Iqbal Kaskar, younger brother of fugitive underworld don and global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NC) on Friday. Kaskar was produced before a local court in Bhiwandi which has remanded him to NCB’s custody for two days.

NCB officials said that Kaskar’s name had cropped up during the questioning of Shabir Usman Shaikh and Nizamuddin Ahmad Taza who were arrested with 12 kilograms of hashish from Padga in Bhiwandi on June 23. “This is the second case against Kaskar,” said an NCB officer, requesting anonymity.

On Wednesday, NCB had taken a production warrant from the court to examine Kaskar after his name cropped up during the questioning of Kamlesh Gupta, Amit Prakash Patel, Rajvinder Singh, Gurmit Singh who were arrested on June 14 with two kilograms for hashish and cash worth Rs 2.20 lakh from a lodge in Dadar.

Govt may announce over Rs 20,000 cr economic relief package soon: Report

The government is working towards an Emergency COVID Response Preparedness (ECRP-2) package to boost the economy which was badly hit by the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in April-May. The ECRP-2 package of more than Rs 20,000 crore is aimed at containing or minimising a possible third wave of infections in the country, according to a report in The Economic Times.

“The idea is to prepare in advance for another possible wave and halt its spread,” a senior government official was cited as having said, in the financial daily. The Health and Finance Ministry is working to finetune the package, and it will be announced after a nod from the cabinet, the report said.

The package will focus on augmenting dedicated COVID-19 treatment facilities, including ramping up of hospital beds, strengthening procurement of essential medical equipment and drugs, bolstering the national and the state health infrastructure, and setting up more laboratories and testing centres, ET said.

The measures may be likely introduced in June-July. It may include a scheme to promote health infra in tier 2 cities, and an increased Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) limit of 4.5 lakh crore are likely to be announced around June - July, said CNBC-TV18 citing sources.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 24, 2021:

Reliance AGM 2021: RIL-Google's JioPhone Next to be available from September 10, says Mukesh Ambani Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani today announced the launch of JioPhone Next, a fully-featured smartphone being developed in partnership with Google. "JioPhone Next is one of the most affordable smartphones globally which has cutting-edge technology," he said while addressing the company's 44th annual general meeting held virtually. "Despite Covid, Jio sustained its track record of its robust performance and became the first operator outside China to cross 400 million subscribers in a single country," said Ambani. Jio handled at one point a monthly traffic of over 6 billion GB a month and is the world's second-largest mobile data carrier, he said.
Supreme Court directs state boards to declare internal assessment results of Class 12 by July 31 The Supreme Court today directed the state boards to declare internal assessment results of Class 12 examination by July 31, making it clear that there can't be a "fit-all" scheme and each board was autonomous and free to formulate its own evaluation method for students. Stating that it will not pass any direction for having a uniform scheme for assessment across the country, the apex court directed the state boards to ensure that scheme be formulated at the earliest and not later than 10 days from today. A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari observed that each board will have to evolve their own scheme.
Judge hearing Mamata Banerjee's Nandigram poll plea reserves order on recusal petition linking him to BJP The Calcutta High Court today reserved its order on a plea by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that the judge assigned to hear her election petition against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari recuse himself from the case as he was an "active member" of the BJP like her Nandigram rival. Banerjee appeared before the court of Justice Kaushik Chanda through video conference, as directed by him on June 18. Justice Chanda, against whom the recusal petition has been filed, heard the matter and reserved his order. The judge did not specify the date for pronouncement of the verdict. Banerjee had moved the high court claiming she apprehended that she may not get justice from the judge due to his alleged BJP links.
Delta variant of COVID-19 reported in 85 countries, expected to become 'dominant lineage', says WHO The Delta variant, the significantly more transmissible strain of COVID-19, is expected to become a "dominant lineage" if current trends continue, the WHO has warned after it was reported in 85 countries and continues to be detected in more places around the world. The COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update released on June 22 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that globally, the variant Alpha has been reported in 170 countries, territories or areas, Beta in 119 countries, Gamma in 71 countries and Delta in 85 countries.

5. Sensex rallies 393 pts amid firm global cues; IT stocks shine Equity benchmark Sensex rallied 393 points today, tracking gains in Infosys, TCS and HDFC Bank amid a positive trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 392.92 points or 0.75 per cent higher at 52,699. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty surged 103.50 points or 0.66 per cent to 15,790.45. Infosys was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising over 3 per cent, followed by TCS, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech and Asian Paints. On the other hand, Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel, PowerGrid and SBI were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 23, 2021:

COVID-19: Delta Plus 'variant of concern', around 40 cases reported in India, says govt Around 40 cases of the Delta plus variant, classified as a variant of concern (VOC), have been detected sporadically in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, the Union Health Ministry said today. Delta variant as well as all Delta sub-lineages including Delta plus are classified as VOC, it said. "As of now among the samples sequenced (45000+) in India, Delta plus variant has been observed sporadically in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, with around 40 cases identified so far and no significant increase in prevalence," the ministry said in its statement. These three states have been advised to strengthen surveillance and take appropriate public health measures.
Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi's assets worth Rs 9,371 cr transferred to state-run banks: ED About 40 per cent of the money lost by banks in alleged frauds perpetrated by fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya has been recovered so far, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said after the sale of attached shares worth over Rs 5,800 crore today. According to the agency, the latest sale proceeds take the total value of recovery to Rs 9,041.5 crore, or 40 per cent of the over Rs 22,000 crore allegedly defrauded by the trio. Commenting on the development, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted, "Fugitives & economic offenders will be actively pursued; their properties attached & dues recovered."
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor meets Sharad Pawar, 3rd time in a fortnight Political strategist Prashant Kishor met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar today, a day after leaders of eight opposition parties gathered at Pawar's residence and discussed various issues facing the country. According to PTI, the closed-door discussions between Kishor and Pawar, held at the latter's residence in Delhi, lasted for about an hour. This was their third meeting within a fortnight. These meetings with Pawar has fuelled speculations about the possibility of opposition parties coming together to form a third front against the BJP.
76% parents say not sending children to school till Covid-19 cases down to zero: Study A total of 76 per cent parents are not ready to send their children to school till cases in their district go down to zero or children get vaccinated. According to a survey by Local Circles, the percentage of parents who will send their children to school has reduced from 69 per cent to 20 per cent in 4 months. 65 per cent parents approve of their children receiving the Covid vaccine if it is made available by September 2021. Earlier, the government in its daily briefing announced this week that opening schools will be difficult till a major chunk of the population is vaccinated.
Sensex drops 283 points; Nifty ends below 15,700 Equity benchmark Sensex gave up early gains and tumbled 283 points today following losses in index heavyweights Reliance Industries, HDFC and ICICI Bank. The 30-share BSE index ended 282.63 points or 0.54 per cent lower at 52,306.08. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty declined 85.80 points or 0.54 per cent to 15,686.95. Kotak Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 1 per cent, followed by L&T, Tata Steel, HDFC, TCS, Reliance Industries, HCL Tech and ICICI Bank. On the other hand, Maruti, Titan, Bajaj Finserv and M&M were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 22, 2021:

Rahul Gandhi releases white paper on COVID-19 mismanagement, says its purpose is to help nation prepare for third wave Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today urged the government to prepare for the third wave of coronavirus by improving medical infrastructure and vaccinate on a war footing to protect all Indians. He also released a "white paper" by the party on the Centre's Covid handling, saying, "It is pretty clear that the management of the first and second wave was disastrous." Gandhi also took a swipe at the prime minister for turning emotional while talking about Covid deaths in his address to the nation, and said the deaths have been needless and could have been avoided.
23 states availed of additional borrowings of Rs 1.06 lakh crore through special reforms: PM Modi in blog post Titled, "Reforms by Conviction and Incentives", Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his blog on Tuesday wrote, 23 states availed of additional borrowings of Rs.1.06 lakh crore out of a potential Rs 2.14 lakh crore through implementing a set of reforms that allowed them to borrow more from the Centre. He said states were able to raise an extra Rs 1.06 lakh crores in 2020-21 through the reforms. "This significant increase in availability of resources was made possible by an approach of Centre-State bhagidari," PM Modi wrote.
Navneet Kaur-Rana gets temporary relief as SC stays Bombay HC verdict cancelling her caste certificate The Supreme Court today stayed the Bombay High Court verdict which cancelled the caste certificate of Navneet Kaur Rana, an independent Lok Sabha MP representing reserved Amravati constituency in Maharashtra. A vacation bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari took note of Rana's appeal and issued notice to Maharashtra and others including the person who had complained against the caste certificate of the lawmaker. The high court had on June 9 cancelled the caste certificate of Rana saying it was obtained fraudulently using fabricated documents and had imposed Rs 2 lakh fine on her.
Bharat Biotech's Covaxin shows 77.8 pc efficacy in Phase III trials: Report Bharat Biotech's Covaxin has shown 77.8 per cent efficacy after the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) under the drug regulator reviewed its Phase III trials data today, sources told news agency ANI. The Hyderabad-based COVID vaccine manufacturing company had submitted data from the Phase III clinical trials of Covaxin to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) over the weekend. Bharat Biotech's 'pre-submission' meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO) will take on Wednesday for the approval for Covaxin. Covaxin is one of the three vaccines which are currently being used in India. The phase III data of its vaccine has been questioned various times and this is what makes the data that ascertains the efficacy of the vaccine crucial.
Sensex ends flat, retreats from 53,000 mark on profit-booking Equity benchmark Sensex ended on a flat note after scaling the 53,000 mark today as investor booked profits at higher levels. After touching a lifetime intra-day peak of 53,057.11, the 30-share BSE index settled 14.25 points or 0.03 per cent higher at 52,588.71. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 26.25 points or 0.17 per cent to 15,772.75. Maruti was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying over 5 per cent, followed by L&T, UltraTech Cement, TCS and Titan. On the other hand, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finance, Nestle India and HUL were among the laggards.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 21, 2021:

AAP's CM face for Punjab to be from the Sikh community: Arvind Kejriwal Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal today announced that the party's chief ministerial face for the 2022 Punjab assembly polls will be from the Sikh community. When asked who will be the CM's face of the party for the 2022 polls, Kejriwal said, "Discussions are going on in the party regarding this, when time comes, you will be informed". "But one thing I can tell you is that the entire Punjab will be proud of him. One thing is certain that AAP's CM face will be from the Sikh community," he said. Kejriwal, who is the AAP national convener, asserted that the people of Punjab are fed up with the present leadership ruling the state and added that the state is looking for a new type of leadership.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor meets Sharad Pawar Poll strategist Prashant Kishor today met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar in Delhi, their second meeting this month amid heightened speculation about the possible formation of a Third Front to take on the BJP. The closed-door discussions between Kishor and Pawar at the latter's residence lasted for about one-and-a-half hours, sources told PTI. The meeting comes a day before the NCP's general body meeting scheduled to be held at Pawar's residence. Kishor, who was instrumental in the Trinamool Congress' victory in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, had also met Pawar on June 11, fuelling the talk of opposition parties coming together against the BJP.
'General public won't be able to commute in Mumbai local trains till end of pandemic': Maharashtra Minister Vijay Wadettiwar Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Vijay Wadettiwar today said that the general public won't be able to commute in Mumbai local trains till the pandemic is over. Although Mumbai has qualified to move to Level 1 of the phased unlocking measures in place, the city will continue to remain at Level 3, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had said on Friday. This is in the view of the possible third wave of the pandemic. A senior BMC official had told The Free Press Journal that for the time being, Mumbai would continue to remain at Level 3, as it is anticipated that a possible third wave could strike.
Supreme Court reserves verdict on pleas for Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia compensation to kin of COVID-19 victims The Supreme Court today reserved verdict on the pleas seeking directions that ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh be paid to the families of those who have died of COVID-19. A special vacation bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah heard Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate S B Upadhyay and other lawyers for almost two hours. The top court asked the parties to file written submissions in three days and specifically directed the Centre to simplify the process of grant of death certificates to the dependents of those who have died of COVID-19.
Sensex rebounds 230 pts; Nifty ends above 15,700 Equity benchmark Sensex rebounded from the day's low to end 230 points higher today, tracking recovery in HDFC twins, SBI and Reliance Industries amid a mixed trend in global equities. After plunging over 600 points in early trade, the 30-share BSE index made a U-turn to settle 230.01 points or 0.44 per cent higher at 52,574.46. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 63.15 points or 0.40 per cent to 15,746.50.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 19, 2021:

Milkha Singh, 91, passes away due to COVID-19; to get state funeral as Punjab marks one day of mourning

Milkha Singh, one of independent India's biggest sporting icons, passed away on Friday night after a month-long battle against COVID-19. He had lost his former national volleyball captain wife Nirmal Kaur to the same ailment days earlier. According to a spokesperson for the family his cremation will take place at 5 pm today.

On Saturday morning, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced a state funeral for the 91-year-old track legend. "Have directed that Late Milkha Singh Ji will be given a State Funeral by our Government. Also Punjab will observe one day of State mourning as a mark of respect to the departed legend," he tweeted.

Taken 1st dose of Covishield? Can wait for 12-16 weeks for 2nd shot, says govt and AstraZeneca

The chief investigator of the AstraZeneca vaccine trials on Friday said that the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, being sold under the name 'Covishield' in India, increases significantly in the second and third months after taking the dose.

Amid the ongoing debate over the efficacy and duration of various COVID-19 vaccines and the Centre’s directives, AstraZeneca on Friday backed the idea of keeping a 12-16 week gap between the two doses of its vaccine. Meanwhile, India has increased the gap between the COVID-19 vaccine twice. In the beginning it the gap between two Covishield doses was set at four to six weeks, then increased to six to eight, and is now 12-16.

Professor Andrew Pollard, who is also the Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said the immunization policy in Britain and India should not be compared because of the different circumstances in the two countries.

Third wave of COVID-19 'inevitable' in India: AIIMS Chief predicts fresh surge in cases within 6-8 weeks

India's COVID-19 cases may be dropping steadily, but experts say that the pandemic is far from over. Doctors and researchers have continue to insist that a third wave of cases is likely to hit the country in the upcoming months. While there is some debate about the exact date or month of arrival, many cite the relaxation of COVID-19 norms in various states as being the catalyst.

AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria said on Saturday morning that covidiotic behaviour and crowding in public spaces may push India into the third wave sooner, rather than later.

"It will take some time for the number of cases to start rising at the national level. But it could happen within the next six to eight weeks... may be a little longer," he said, adding that a lot depended on how pandemic appropriate behavior was enforced in the days to come.

Similar concerns have also been voiced by state administrations. In Maharashtra for example, the Health department reportedly believes that the highly virulent Delta Plus variant of the virus, combined with the relaxation of curbs could lead to the third wave within the next two to four weeks.

German Ambassador to India fears fourth wave of COVID-19, says, 'more transmissible and vaccine-resistant variants are increasing'

While many countries are fearing third wave of the novel coronavirus, German Ambassador to India, Walter J Lindner has cautioned that a fourth wave may arrive as covid numbers of potentially more transmissible and vaccine-resistant variants especially Delta variant.

Walter J Lindner has opined that a rise in such cases which are growing in many countries may cause a fear of fourth wave and could reverse the achieved.

Commenting on easing of travel restrictions, Mr Linder said, lifting restrictions on travel from virus-mutation countries is not easy case to make.

He further said, "We try to find realistic solutions. We see and hear students' plights, who wouldn't understand? But job of virologists & health experts to protect own citizens against next wave."

FinMin says Indians' accounts in Swiss banks halved since 2019; ask Swiss authorities to share details

Walter J Lindner has opined that a rise in such cases which are growing in many countries may cause a fear of fourth wave and could reverse the achieved.

Commenting on easing of travel restrictions, Mr Linder said, lifting restrictions on travel from virus-mutation countries is not easy case to make.

He further said, "We try to find realistic solutions. We see and hear students' plights, who wouldn't understand? But job of virologists & health experts to protect own citizens against next wave."

In its statement, the ministry said the figures "do not indicate the quantum of much debated alleged black money held by Indians in Switzerland. Further, these statistics do not include the money that Indians, NRIs or others might have in Swiss banks in the names of third-country entities."

The ministry noted that customer deposits have actually fallen from the end of 2019. The funds held through fiduciaries have also more than halved from 2019-end.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 18, 2021:

Delhi riots: Supreme Court says HC's judgement granting bail to 3 activists not be treated as precedent Reading down of anti-terror law is an important issue and may have pan-India ramifications, the Supreme Court said today and sought responses from three student activists granted bail by the Delhi High Court in north-east Delhi riots case. The high court judgements will "not to be treated as precedent by any Court" to give similar reliefs, the apex court said while hearing Delhi Police appeal against the bail. A vacation bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and V Ramasubramanian made it clear however that the bails granted to these student activists will not be affected for the time being.
Owner of Delhi's 'Baba ka Dhaba' attempts suicide, hospitalised The owner of south Delhi's 'Baba ka Dhaba', Kanta Prasad, allegedly attempted suicide and has been admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital, police said today. Prasad, 81, attempted suicide on Thursday. The reason behind his extreme step is not yet known, they said. "On Thursday at 11.15 pm, information was received from the Safdarjung Hospital that Prasad was admitted there. Police reached the hospital and collected MLC (medico-legal case) which mentions the intake of alcohol and sleeping pills as the cause of unconsciousness," Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur said.
Supreme Court refuses to cancel or postpone PG final year medical exams The Supreme Court today refused to direct the medical universities to cancel or postpone the final year Post Graduate exams on the ground that the examinee-doctors have been engaged in COVID-19 duty. A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and M R Shah said it cannot pass any general order to all the universities to not conduct or postpone the final year postgraduate medical examination. The top court noted that the National Medical Council (NMC) has already issued an advisory in April asking the universities in the country to take the COVID situation into consideration while announcing the dates for the final year examination.
IMA holds nationwide protest seeking central law to protect doctors against violence The Indian Medical Association (IMA) today observed 'National Protest Day' demanding a central law to protect doctors against violence. The slogan of the protest is - 'Save the Saviour' and doctors and healthcare workers could be seen across the country with placards stating 'Stop violence against profession and professionals'. At the IMA office in Hyderabad, the staff and doctors protested wearing black badges. The doctors at All India Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi also took part in the protest. There have been incidents of violence in which doctors serving in COVID wards were beaten and brutally assaulted in Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
Sensex, Nifty end flat after choppy trade Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ended on a flat note after a volatile session today amid a largely negative trend in global equities. The 30-share BSE Sensex ended 21.12 points or 0.04 per cent higher at 52,344.45, while the broader NSE Nifty inched 8.05 points or 0.05 per cent lower to 15,683.35. ONGC was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 4 per cent, followed by NTPC, PowerGrid, M&M, Nestle India, SBI and HCL Tech. On the other hand, HUL, Bajaj Auto, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 17, 2021:

NIA arrests ex-Mumbai cop Pradeep Sharma in Ambani security scare-Hiran murder case The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today arrested former "encounter specialist" police officer Pradeep Sharma in Mumbai for his alleged involvement in the 'Antilia' bomb scare case and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, an official said. An NIA team had picked up Sharma from Lonavla near Mumbai late on Wednesday night, after which he was brought to the central agency's office in south Mumbai for questioning, he said. "The NIA also conducted a raid at his residence located in J B Nagar in Mumbai's Andheri (west) around 6 am, and the operation continued for several hours. The officials recovered some incriminating documents from his house," the official said.
CBSE will adopt 30:30:40 formula for evaluation of marks of class 12 students: Centre to SC The Centre today told the Supreme Court that the CBSE will be adopting a 30:30:40 formula for evaluation of marks of Class 12 students based on results of class 10, 11 and 12 respectively. A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari was told by Attorney General K K Venugopal that CBSE students who are not satisfied with the evaluation formula will be given an opportunity to take up Class 12 examination when the pandemic situation becomes conducive. The top court told Venugopal to come up with modalities for dispute resolution mechanism in the CBSE scheme itself, so that grievances of students can be taken care of. Venugopal assured the bench that a committee will be constituted for redressal of students' concern, if any.
Delta plus variant may trigger third COVID-19 wave in Maharashtra in next 2-4 weeks, says health dept The highly virulent "Delta plus" variant of the novel coronavirus could stoke the third wave in Maharashtra, according to a presentation made at a meeting attended by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday. "The number of active patients could reach up to eight lakh, while 10 per cent out of them could be children," said the presentation made by the state health department, as per an official release. The meeting was held to take stock of preparations to tackle a possible third wave of COVID-19 even as Maharashtra, the state worst hit by the pandemic, emerges out of a devastating second wave of the infection.
FIR against Baba Ramdev for spreading 'false information' on allopathy Police in Chhattisgarh's Raipur have registered an FIR against yoga guru Ramdev for allegedly spreading "false" information about the medicines being used by the medical fraternity for the treatment of COVID-19, a police official said today. The case was filed on Wednesday night against Baba Ramdev based on a complaint filed by the Chhattisgarh's unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Raipur's Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Yadav said. As per the complaint, Ramdev has been allegedly propagating false information and his threatening statements on social media against medicines being used by medical fraternity, Government of India, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other frontline organisations in treatment of coronavirus infection. There are several videos of him on social media in which he had allegedly made such misleading remarks, it said.
Sensex drops 179 points; Nifty ends below 15,700 Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 179 points today, weighed by losses in index heavyweights HDFC twins, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank amid a largely negative trend in global equities. The 30-share BSE index ended 178.65 points or 0.34 per cent lower at 52,323.33. The broader NSE Nifty declined 76.15 points or 0.48 per cent to 15,691.40. IndusInd Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 3 per cent, followed by Dr Reddy's, NTPC, Maruti, Axis Bank, Bajaj Auto, Bharti Airtel and HDFC. On the other hand, UltraTech Cement, TCS, Asian Paints and Infosys were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 15, 2021:

SC closes criminal cases in India against Italian marines for killing 2 Indian fishermen in 2012

The Supreme Court today directed the closure of criminal proceedings in India against two Italian marines, accused of killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in February 2012. A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and M R Shah quashed the FIR and proceedings emanating from the case against the two Italian marines. The bench said that as per the international arbitral award accepted by India, the Republic of Italy shall resume further investigation in the case. The top court termed the Rs 10 crore compensation paid by the Republic of Italy over and above the payment already made as "reasonable and adequate".

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal detained by Punjab police amid protest outside CM Amarinder Singh's residence

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal was detained by Punjab Police during a protest against the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government today. Badal and his party workers were protesting outside the chief minister's residence in Siwan and demanding the dismissal of state health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu and a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into alleged selling of vaccines at an exhorbitant price. "If a storm rises, Captain won't be able to stop it, even if he uses all his force. There is a scam in vaccination, there is a scam in Fateh Kit, there is a scam in SC scholarship, farmers' land is being acquired," said Badal before getting detained.

Suspended BSP MLAs meet Akhilesh Yadav, may join SP

At least five MLAs suspended by the BSP last year met Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav today, triggering speculation that they may join his party. "The meeting with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, which lasted for 15-20 minutes, witnessed discussions on the upcoming UP Assembly elections, and it was a nice meeting," Sushma Patel, MLA from Mungra Badshahpur assembly constituency in Jaunpur district told PTI. When asked about the future course of action, Patel said, "Personally, I have made up my mind to join the Samajwadi Party." At present, there are 18 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

'Shooting can wait': Bombay HC refuses to grant urgent hearing to Kangana Ranaut

In a setback for actor Kangana Ranaut, the Bombay High Court bench of Justices Prasanna Varale and Surendra Tavade today refused to grant an urgent hearing to her. The actress has moved the bench seeking directives to the Passport Authority (PA) to renew her passport as its officials refused to do so owing to the FIR lodged against her for spreading hatred through her tweets. Kangana through her counsel Rizwan Siddiqui had petitioned the bench challenging the 'objection' raised by the officers of PA for renewing her passport. She sought renewal of her passport as she wants to visit Hungary, where she is slated to shoot for her upcoming film Dhaakad.

Sensex, Nifty leap to new highs

Equity benchmark Sensex jumped by another 221 points to scale a new closing high of 52,773 today, propelled by gains in index majors Reliance, Infosys, and HDFC twins amid largely positive global cues. At the closing bell, the 30-share BSE index quoted 221.52 points or 0.42 per cent higher at 52,773.05. Likewise, the broader NSE Nifty rose 57.40 points or 0.36 per cent to settle at a fresh high of 15,869.25.

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Revised Health Ministry guidelines drop Ivermectin, Doxycycline from COVID-19 treatment

The Union Health Ministry on Monday issued revised guidelines for the management of COVID-infected patients and dropped all medicines, except antipyretic and anti-tussive, for asymptomatic and mild cases.

According to reports, the Union Health Ministry has dropped the use of ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, and the anti-viral favipiravir from its COVID-19 treatment guidelines. The guidelines has been issued by the directorate general of health services (DGHS) of the health ministry.

The nine-page guidelines have not mentioned the use of these medicines which have been used widely by doctors to treat Covid-19 patients.

WHO scientist in dock for opposing Ivermectin’s use for Covid-19 cure

'People propagating misinformation, doctors assaulted': IMA writes to PM Modi urging intervention over attacks on medical staff

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over incidents of assaults on several doctors by the kin of patients in the last few days. The IMA sought PM Modi's personal intervention to resolve its pleas to ensure "optimum milieu" for medical professionals to work without fear.

IMA also requested that in 'The Health Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019', which seeks to punish people who assault on-duty doctors and other healthcare professionals by imposing a jail term of up to 10 years - which ought to be promulgated immediately along with the incorporation of provisions from the IPC/CrPC and with stipulations for a fixed time schedule for speedy conclusion of trials.

'Addition of Coronil with allopathic drugs shall amount to mixopathy': Uttarakhand IMA raises concerns over Ramdev Baba's therapy

Haryana: Kisan unions end gherao at Tohana police station after two arrested farmers were released

Farmers leaders have called off the gherao at Tohana Sadar police station in Fatehabad district of Haryana after the state government released the two arrested farmers on Monday morning.

Farmers Ravi Azad and Vikas Sisar have been released from Hisar Jail in the early hours of Monday, reported ANI. "We have decided to no longer gherao Tohana PS. One more person still in jail, meeting underway with police administration to release him," Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The duo was arrested for gheraoing local Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) MLA Devender Sigh Babli's residence on June 1.

An FIR was registered against a group of farmers for allegedly trying to gherao Babli's residence on Wednesday night. Two farmers, Vikas Sisar and Ravi Azad were arrested in connection with the incident. They were booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

As farmers agitate against arrest of two people, bovine protester heads to police station in Haryana 4. Mumbai returns to normalcy as five-level unlock begins after COVID-induced lockdown

The Maharashtra government on Friday issued a notification for a five-level plan to relax the coronavirus-induced restrictions in the state, based on the weekly positivity rate and the occupancy of oxygen beds.

Traders heaved a sigh of relief as shops selling non-essential items and other commercial establishments reopened on Monday in Thane city and neighbouring Navi Mumbai, which are categorised under level-2 of the Maharashtra government's 'unlock' plan.

In Mumbai restaurants, shops selling non-essential items, and public places reopened from Monday. As per the BMC rules, the restaurants are operating at 50 per cent capacity for dining till 4 pm on weekdays.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) also informed on Sunday that the local bus service will resume in Mumbai from Monday onwards.

Bus services in Mumbai resume from today; long queues at bus stops - See pics

Markets regain strength as Sensex, Nifty close at fresh record highs

The market has managed to register a new high today with the Nifty at 15,773/52,378, before again correcting back to 15,750/52,330 levels. However, the trading range is not expanding, which is an indication of cautiousness at higher levels. The Bank-Nifty closed around the opening levels for the day, bringing huge volatility in tomorrow’s date.

After a positive opening, the benchmark index continued the upside move and made a new record high at 15773.45 levels on Monday's trading session. Sumeet BagadiaExecutive Director, Choice Broking, said, technically, the Index has been trading in Higher Highs and Higher Lower formation, which suggests a continued upside move in the index. Moreover, the index has been trading continuously above the Ichimoku Cloud formation, which confirms that the bullish trend may continue for the long term. A momentum indicator MACD is also trading with a positive crossover as well as above the zero lines. At present, the nifty seems to have resistance at around 15850 levels while immediate support shifted up to 15650 levels, he added.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 4, 2021:

Defence Ministry clears Navy proposal to issue Rs 50,000 cr tender for submarines The Indian Navy will soon issue a tender worth around Rs 50,000 cr to build six new advanced conventional submarines with the Defence Ministry clearing a proposal for the same at the Defence Acquisition Council meeting today. The project named P-75 India has been in the making for a long time now and would be the successor to the Scorpene or Kalvari class submarines being built at the Mazagon Dockyards Limited in partnership with France. The Navy has identified and cleared MDL and Larsen and Toubro as the strategic partners who can tie up with five global manufacturers including French Naval Group, German TKMS, South Korean Daewoo, Spanish Navantia and Russian Rosoborboexport, they said.
PM Modi lauds scientists for developing made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lauded Indian scientists and said that India used to wait for years for innovations achieved abroad but now researchers are working shoulder to shoulder with their international counterparts. "They are working at the same quick pace," PM Modi said. Addressing a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Society via video conferencing, PM Modi lauded Indian scientists developing made-in-India vaccine against COVID-19 and boosting other measures to fight the pandemic within a year of its outbreak.
Indian team sent to bring back Mehul Choksi leaves Dominica, heads home India's multi-agency team that had gone to Dominica to bring back Mehul Choksi is headed back home on a Qatar Airways private jet after the island nation's high court adjourned the hearing on the fugitive diamantaire's habeas corpus petition, sources said. Publicly available flight data showed that the jet took off from the Melville Hall Airport in Dominica at 8.09 PM (local time) on June 3 and is travelling towards Madrid. The multi-agency team of officials is also returning, the sources said. The team led by CBI DIG Sharda Raut was stationed in Dominica for nearly seven days to bring back Choksi, who is wanted in the Rs 13,500-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, to India.
RBI slashes GDP growth forecast for FY22 to 9.5% The Reserve Bank today lowered the country's growth forecast for the current financial year by a percentage point to 9.5 per cent in view of the uncertainties created by the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Observing that unlike the first wave, the impact of the second wave of COVID-19 is likely to be relatively contained, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said that taking several factors into consideration, "real GDP growth is now projected at 9.5 per cent in 2021-22 consisting of 18.5 per cent in Q1; 7.9 per cent in Q2; 7.2 per cent in Q3; and 6.6 per cent in Q4 of 2021-22."

5. Sensex drops 132 points after RBI policy outcome; banking stocks drag Equity benchmark Sensex declined 132 points today, led by profit-booking in banking stocks after the Reserve Bank of India's monetary policy announcements. The 30-share BSE index ended 132.38 points or 0.25 per cent lower at 52,100.05, while the broader NSE Nifty slipped 20.10 points or 0.13 per cent to 15,670.25. Nestle India was the top laggard in the Sensex pack, shedding around 2 per cent, followed by SBI, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, HUL and Dr Reddy's. On the other hand, Bajaj Finserv, ONGC, L&T, Bajaj Finance and HDFC were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 2, 2021:

Pfizer vaccine in India by July? Govt makes plan to vaccinate all by year end; may soon grant indemnity

COVID-19 cases in India may be showing a downward trend, but the fight against the deadly virus is far from over. At present, there are more than 17.93 lakh active cases in India, and many experts have flagged the possibility of there being a third wave of the pandemic in the coming months. Against this backdrop, the Centre has amped up efforts to vaccine the population, seemingly having put aside many earlier reservations.

"The government has made action plans to vaccinate all by end of December 2021 and for production of 250 crore vaccine doses after speaking to several pharma companies. Sputnik arrived in Hyderabad yesterday, discussions are on to get Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson too," said MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday.

His remarks come hours after the Centre said that foreign-made vaccines such as those manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna will not have to undergo local bridging trials. This relaxation from the Drugs Controller General of India applies only for vaccines that have already been approved by certain other health bodies and governments.

According to reports, that quote sources at the Health Ministry, the government may soon grant indemnity to foreign vaccine makers. Reportedly, the Centre is ready to grant indemnity to companies such as Pfizer that have applied for Emergency Use Authorisation in India. This is likely to be along the lines of what has been allowed in other countries, and would mean that the companies would have legal protection from any claims linked to the use of its vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccines in India: Pfizer, Moderna move a step closer to approval as govt waives need for local trials

Mumbai: Haffkine Bio-Pharma gets approval for Covaxin production; in talks with Bharat Biotech to initiate process

Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited (HBPCL), a Maharashtra government undertaking, Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical under state government has said it has received approval for Covaxin production. It is in talks with Bharat Biotech for further process and will initiate production in 8 months.

HBPCL is preparing for mass production of Covaxin and will have the capacity to produce over 22 crore doses of the COVID-19 vaccine every year once the requisite facilities are in place.

The Department of Biotechnology has given permission to HBPCL for producing Covaxin under Mission Covid Suraksha. Covaxin has been developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR.

COVID-19 vaccine: Maharashtra govt gives Rs 94 crore to Haffkine Bio Pharma from contingency fund

Attention! CBSE, CISCE Class 12 board exam cancelled - What about state boards?

Ending the uncertainty looming over Class 12 exams, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and the Central Board of Secondary Education cancelled the exams.

Along with CBSE and CISCE, several state boards have all ocanclled the Class 12 exam, while several others said that they will take the decision soon. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh has cancelled Class 12 board exam.

Maharashtra Minister Varsha Gaikwad welcomed the Centre's decision and said that the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led government will soon announce the decision for HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) students in the state. Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board has cancelled Class 12 board examination.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said it was an important step to ensure the health and safety of students.He said a decision about the Class 12 exams of the UP Secondary Board would soon be taken after a meeting with the chief minister.

Mumbai: Schools await objective criterion for assessment after CBSE, CICSC Class 12 exams are cancelled

'Arbitrary and irrational': Supreme Court on Centre's policy of paid vaccination for 18-44 age group

The Supreme Court today slammed the Centre's policy of paid vaccination for 18-44 age group and termed it 'arbitrary and irrational'. As per a NDTV report, the apex court called the issue of vaccination "absolutely crucial" and said "Reports indicate that persons between 18-44 years of age have not only been infected by COVID-19, but have also suffered from severe effects of the infection, including prolonged hospitalisation and, in unfortunate cases, death. Due to the changing nature of the pandemic, we are now faced with a situation where the 18-44 age group also needs to be vaccinated, although priority may be retained between different age groups on a scientific basis."

The order further reads, "Hence, due to the importance of vaccinating individuals in the 18-44 age group, the policy of the Central Government for conducting free vaccination themselves for groups under the first 2 phases, and replacing it with paid vaccination by the State/UT Governments and private hospitals for the persons between 18-44 years is, prima facie, arbitrary and irrational,"

On May 31, the Supreme Court gave a tongue lashing to the Centre on its Covid vaccination policy, flagging "various flaws" in the drive, which it faulted for different streams of pricing, shortage of doses and lack of access in rural areas, and gave it two weeks to respond.

Why start vaccination centres with pomp if second dose of Covaxin not available: HC asks Delhi govt

Key indices end mixed in another lacklustre session; market undercurrent remains positive

After a negative opening, the index kept sliding down in the first half and made an intraday low at 15,459.85 levels while in the dying hours the index bounced and closed with a moderate gain of 1 point at 15,576.20 levels. While Bank nifty closed at 35373 levels with a gain of 36.55 points. On the sectoral front, Nifty Metal (2.18 percent) and Nifty Auto (1.82 percent) were the top gainer while Nifty Financial Service and Nifty IT showed some profit booking. Stocks like UPL, TATASTEEL, ADANIPORT, SBILIFE & INDUSINDBNK were the top gainers, whereas ITC, TECHM, AXISBANK & KOTAKBANK were the laggards for the day.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of June 1, 2021:

'Inept and incompetent': P Chidambaram hits out at BJP-led govt over state of Indian economy India's economy contracted by 7.3% during FY21, weighed down by a nationwide lockdown that pummeled consumption and halted most economic activities. This is the first full-year contraction in the Indian economy in the last four decades since 1979-80, when GDP had shrunk by 5.2 per cent. And while COVID-19 is believed to be the primary reason behind the same, Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram has held the Centre responsible. "The GDP in 2020-21 is lower than the GDP in 2018-19. 2020-21 has been the darkest year of the economy in four decades. The performance in the four quarters of 2020-21 tells the story," he said. The "ineptitude and incompetent economic management" of the BJP-led NDA government was responsible, he added.
8-member team from India in Dominica to bring back Mehul Choksi Even as a private jet from Qatar landed in Dominica with documents related to fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, wanted in the PNB loan fraud case, IANS sources on Tuesday said members of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and Ministry of External Affairs are camping in the island nation. According to informed sources, an eight member team from India reached Dominica on Saturday afternoon in a private jet that left from New Delhi on Friday evening. The sources said that two members each from MEA, CBI and ED along with two CRPF commandos were in Dominica for the hearing in the Choksi extradition matter scheduled on June 2.
Sharad Pawar may have advised Devendra Fadnavis on opposition leader's role, says Sanjay Raut Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut today quipped that NCP president Sharad Pawar may have advised former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on how to be a "good opposition leader" during their meeting a day ago. Talking to reporters, Raut dismissed prospects of any new political arithmetic emerging in the state. "Forget about 'Operation Lotus' in Maharashtra. It will not happen here, not in West Bengal. Why to bring political angle into every meeting?" he said. Fadnavis, who is the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, called on Pawar on Monday and later termed it as a "courtesy meeting".
Mumbai: 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' actor Karan Mehra arrested for assaulting wife Nisha Rawal Television actor Karan Mehra, who shot to fame with the show 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' was arrested late on Monday night after his wife, actress and model Nisha Rawal, approached police for being assaulted by her husband. According to police, Mehra allegedly pushed Rawal against the wall following a heated domestic brawl in their Goregaon home. The actor was subsequently booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for assault. The actor was, however, granted bail today morning.

5. Sensex, Nifty end marginally lower on profit-booking Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ended marginally lower after range-bound trade today as investors booked profits at higher levels amid largely positive cues from global markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex ended 2.56 points lower at 51,934.88, while the broader NSE Nifty slipped 7.95 points or 0.05 per cent to 15,574.85. ICICI Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding nearly 2 per cent, followed by UltraTech Cement, Asian Paints, ITC, Kotak Bank, Axis Bank and PowerGrid. On the other hand, ONGC, Bajaj Finance, SBI, Bajaj Auto and HDFC were among the gainers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of May 31, 2021:

Central Vista essential project, work to continue: Delhi HC Describing the Central Vista project as "vital and essential", the Delhi High Court today allowed construction work on the project to continue and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioners for their "motivated" plea. The court said the legality of the project was already upheld by the Supreme Court. It added that even the Delhi Disaster Management Authority allowed it to continue, workers were already present at the site and, therefore, "we see no reason to stop the work". A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh dismissed the plea seeking to halt the project during the coronavirus pandemic, saying the petition was "motivated" and "not a genuine PIL". It imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioners.
Mamata requests PM Modi to rescind order recalling CS, says will not release him West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to withdraw the Centre's order recalling Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, and said her government "is not releasing" the top bureaucrat. In a five-page letter, Banerjee urged the PM to reconsider the Centre's decision to recall the chief secretary after giving him a three-month extension. Banerjee said she was shocked by the Centre's decision and termed the order as "unilateral", which was issued "without any prior consultation" with the state government.
China announces 3-child policy as declining birthrate, ageing population spark fear of impending demographic crisis In a major shift, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) today announced that it will allow all couples to have three children, ending a two-child policy that has failed to boost the country's declining birthrate and ageing population. China's once-a-decade census, released this month, showed that 12 million babies were born in the last year, the lowest since 1961, during the Great Famine. This comes after the census 2020 showed an alarming fall in the country's fertility rate. According to the seventh nationwide census of 2020, China's population has grown by merely 5.38 per cent over the last 10 years. China's birthrate has been on the decline since 2017, despite easing of the 'one-child policy' in order to avert an incoming demographic crisis.
Maharashtra govt announces 10% EWS reservation for Maratha students and candidates Amid the ongoing Maratha reservation controversy, the Maharashtra government today announced that Maratha students and candidates in the state will now be able to avail 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) reservation. Besides, the candidates can also avail 10 per cent reservation in direct service recruitment including admission in educational institutions. The state government is trying to provide relief to the Maratha community after the Supreme Court cancelled the Maratha reservation. The government had decided that the Maratha community could not take advantage of the 10 per cent EWS reservation when the Maratha reservation was in force in the state. But now that the Maratha reservation has been cancelled, the government has decided to give EWS reservation benefit to the Maratha community.
Sensex rallies over 500 points; Nifty at lifetime high Equity benchmark Sensex rallied around 515 points today while the NSE Nifty closed at a fresh peak, led by gains in RIL, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank amid a mixed trend in global markets. A steady decline in daily COVID-19 caseload also strengthened investor sentiment, brokers said. The 30-share BSE Sensex ended 514.56 points or 1.00 per cent higher at 51,937.44, and the broader NSE Nifty surged 147.15 points or 0.95 per cent to its fresh closing record of 15,582.80.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of May 28, 2021:

PM Modi's 'nautanki' is behind COVID-19 second wave, says Rahul Gandhi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today took a sharp swipe at the Narendra Modi-led central government alleging that the Prime Minister, with his poor vaccine strategy, was responsible for the second wave of COVID-19 in the country. Gandhi also said that the COVID-19 death rate put out by the Centre was inaccurate and underreported and if it did not act immediately it will be left grappling with several successive waves of the pandemic, as the virus goes on mutating. "The Prime Minister's 'nautanki' is the reason behind the second wave of COVID19 in India. He did not understand COVID19. India's death rate is a lie. The government should tell the truth," Rahul Gandhi said at a virtual press conference.
Delhi to start unlocking from May 31, factory and construction activity to resume: CM Arvind Kejriwal Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said Delhi has somehow gained control over the second wave of COVID-19 and the government will now start the process of lifting the lockdown gradually, starting with resumption of construction activities and reopening of factories for one week from Monday. This doesn't mean the fight against the deadly disease has ended, he stressed. However, if the cases start rising again, we will have to stop the unlock exercise, he added and appealed to people not to step out unless it is absolutely necessary.
West Bengal: Calcutta HC grants interim bail to arrested TMC lawmakers in Narada case The Calcutta High Court today granted interim bail to two West Bengal ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee, arrested by CBI in the Narada sting tapes case. Imposing conditions, a five-judge bench of the high court directed the four accused persons, who are under house arrest, to furnish bail bonds of Rs 2 lakh each. The bench directed them not to make any comment in public or in media with regard to the matter. They were also directed to meet the investigating officer through virtual mode as and when required.
NCB arrests Sushant Singh Rajput's flatmate Siddharth Pithani in drug case The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested Siddharth Pithani, a roommate of Sushant Singh Rajput, in a drug case linked to the Bollywood actor's death last year, an official said today. Pithani was arrested from Hyderabad and brought to Mumbai, he said. Pithani was Rajput's friend and was also staying with the late actor at his Bandra residence in suburban Mumbai, he said. The alleged role of Pithani in the drug case, that emerged post the actors death, came to light during the NCB's investigation and hence he was arrested, the official said. A team of the NCB, led by Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, had launched a search for Pithani who was traced in Hyderabad, the official said.

5. Sensex rallies 308 pts; Nifty hits fresh record at 15,436 Equity benchmark Sensex rallied 308 points and NSE Nifty hit a fresh record today, tracking gains in index heavyweights Reliance Industries, HDFC twins and Kotak Bank amid positive cues from global markets. Further, decline in daily COVID-19 caseload too bolstered investor sentiment, analysts said. The 30-share BSE index ended 307.66 points or 0.60 per cent higher at 51,422.88. The broader NSE Nifty surged 97.80 points or 0.64 per cent to close at its fresh peak of 15,435.65.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of May 27, 2021:

Dominica has agreed for Mehul Choksi's repatriation to India, Antigua will not accept him back: PM Gaston Browne Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has said that fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who has been found in Dominica, will be repatriated to India and Indian authorities are in touch with those in Dominica. In an exclusive interview with news agency ANI, Browne said Dominica has agreed Choksi's repatriation and Antigua will not accept him back. Browne said he has requested PM Skerrit and law enforcement in Dominica to not return Choksi to Antigua where he has legal and constitutional protection as citizen.
COVID-19: Bombay High Court lauds 'Mumbai Model', asks why it isn't used by other civic bodies Bombay High Court today once again appreciateed "effective" work done by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in second COVID-19 wave and asked as to why other local bodies particularly Pune and Nashik are not using the successful "Mumbai Model". The court also asked the Maharashtra government as to why BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal hasn't conducted a video conference with commissioners of other municipal corporations and shared Mumbai Model. "Our only anxiety is the successful Mumbai Model should reach to all Corporations in Maharashtra," HC noted.
Twitter calls out intimidation by police over manipulated media tags Twitter today called the visit by Delhi Police to its offices a form of "intimidation" and said it was concerned about its employees and the potential threat to freedom of expression. In its first official statement after the Delhi Police visited the company's offices in Delhi and in Gurugram to serve notice to its country managing director about an investigation into the 'manipulated media' tag, Twitter said it will continue to be strictly guided by principles of transparency and protecting freedom of expression. The company said it will "strive" to comply with applicable law in India to keep its service available in the country but will "advocate for changes to elements of these regulations that inhibit free, open public conversation."
Centre respects right of privacy: Ravi Shankar Prasad on WhatsApp row A day after WhatsApp moved the Delhi HC against the Centre's recent IT Rules, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said the Central government fully recognises and respects the right of privacy, adding that ordinary WhatsApp users have nothing to fear about the new rules. Taking to microblogging site Koo, the Union Minister said the objective of the new IT Rules is to find out who started the message that led to the commissioning of specific crimes. The minister said the obligation to reveal the first originator of an offensive message already in circulation relates only to offences relating to "sovereignty, integrity and security of India, public order, rape, and child sexual abuse" and that too when other less intrusive measures are not effective.
Sensex rises 98 points amid F&O expiry; Nifty holds 15,300 Equity benchmark Sensex advanced 98 points after a choppy session today as monthly derivatives expired amid a largely weak trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE index ended 97.70 points or 0.19 per cent higher at 51,115.22, and the broader NSE Nifty rose 36.40 points or 0.24 per cent to 15,337.85. SBI was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, jumping around 3 per cent, followed by Kotak Bank, Axis Bank, Bajaj Auto, Tech Mahindra, UltraTech Cement and PowerGrid. On the other hand, HDFC, Bajaj Finance, ONGC and Bharti Airtel were among the laggards.

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Kairav Shah in his podcast examines economic concepts like Compounding and Tail events from a philosphical standpoint.

"The years are compounding my friends. The last tail event of our lives will be the end of life itself. That is a truth you cannot run away from. Make the most of the time you have got. We all experiment and fail and reflect and learn. If this doesn’t work for you then something else will."

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In her podcast, Pari addresses the issue of female infanticide in India. Through a gut-wrenching narration, she imagines what an unborn girl child might experience if they were conscious of the so called traditions and rituals followed by society.

"Many girls are killed even before they are born just because the families want a boy who can earn and bring prosperity to their homes. What they don’t understand is even a girl can bring the same pride, honour and prosperity.

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In her podcast, Krisha tells us the story of how she was emboldened after receiving the gift of music and how it empowered her to become a more developed human being.

"Music does help you relieve your stress, whenever I am angry or stressed listening to music does help me calm down"

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Saksham in his paradoxical podcast "Optimistic Nihilism" speaks about the futility of the philosophy of Nihilism and emphasizes the point that we alone are responsible for making our lives meaningful

"Meaning is contextual. While a collectable card may mean nothing to you, it could mean the entire world a child who bought it with his pocket money. Our choices dictate the meaning of our life"

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Ananya in her podcast, urges us in a calm and meditative tone, to refrain from chasing the vain idea of perfection and recommends that we instead spend time and effort in making the world a more unified community, which can only be achieved when we are at peace with ourselves and our fellow men.

"Chasing perfection may be arduous to quantify, therefore we must be more inclined in making the world a better place as a more unified and amalgamated element"

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Aditi, in the podcast, takes us through her life experiences as a young musician and the challenges faced by her and artists across the world who are looking to get their break. A staggering 91% of musical talent she said remains undiscovered due to factors such as Nepotism and language barriers. She speaks about her failures and how learning from them helped make her a better musician.

"Whoever you are and wherever you are you can do it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise because you won't be happy that way"

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Aisha from Don Bosco International School - Grade in her podcast " For a girl" addresses the pressing issue of gender discrimination in society. She speaks on behalf of women & girls everywhere when she says

"I firmly believe that credit must be given where due and if you're good it's not because you're a girl or boy, it's because you're you"

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Anargha in her podcast "I JUST DON’T UNDERTSAND".In an episode named "vicious humour", she narrates what this category of humour is all about and why she's so fond of it. One of her favourite type of vicious humour, she said was Sarcasm.

"Sarcasm is a language it is a religion. You might be aastic or naastic but me?

I’m just sarcastic"

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Here are the top 5 news updates of May 25, 2021:

Sea water enters residential areas in West Bengal's Digha as Cyclone Yaas rages

As Cyclone Yaas passed through coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha, several areas have now been inundated, with villages and towns in the coastal districts have faced damages. One individual has passed way in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district.

The seaside towns of Digha and Mandarmoni in Purba Medinipur and Fraserganj and Gosaba in South 24 Parganas were among the areas affected by a storm surge of more than 2 metres above the astronomical tide level. The surging waters have breached embankments at several places in the two coastal districts and the water levels of several rivers including Bidyadhari, Hooghly and Rupnarayan had also risen.

Visuals shared online showed sea waves touching coconut tree-tops and cars floating in floodwaters. Over the last few days, people living in low-lying and vulnerable areas had started moving to a cyclone shelter in Digha. The NDRF had earlier said that it was undertaking evacuation efforts in the area, with people in temporary shelters being moved out.

Visuals share on Wednesday show water from the sea enters residential areas along New Digha Sea Beach in East Midnapore. As per images shared by the Congress' West Bengal unit, roads are now flooded, with waves cresting over the embankment.

Amid vaccine supply crunch, Delhi in talks to procure Sputnik V; quantity yet to be decided says Kejriwal

In recent days, a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines in Delhi had let to the closure of numerous inoculation centres, even as the state government sought to procure vaccines directly from the manufacturers. But while talks with two of these - Pfizer and Moderna may not have panned out, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that Delhi would soon get doses of Sputnik V.

According to Kejriwal, talks with the makers of Sputnik V are presently underway. "Talks with the makers of Sputnik V are on. They will give us vaccines, but the quantity is yet to be decided. Our officials and the representatives of the manufacturers met on Tuesday, too," the CM told reporters at the launch of Delhi's first drive-through vaccination centre at Vegas Mall in Dwarka.

The Centre has asked states to procure vaccines from the international market, but no state government has been able to purchase even "one additional vaccine" so far, he said.

"All state governments have tried everything, they have (floated) global tenders and talked to all vaccine-manufacturers. All firms have declined to talk to us," he said. The Centre needs to demonstrate a sense of urgency and run the vaccination drive on a war-footing, he added. He said it is the Central government's responsibility to procure vaccines.

Six months of farmers' protest marked by burning of effigies and black flags; security tightened at Delhi border

On November 26, 2020, hundreds of farmers began marching towards Delhi's borders in protest against three recently passed farm laws. The agitators congregated in and around Delhi, setting up makeshift camps and braving heat, cold and the COVID-19 pandemic to make their points heard. Multiple rounds of talks with the Central government failed to resolve the issue, and six months later they still remain in the vicinity of Delhi, with no clear end in sight.

On Wednesday, protesting farmers at the Ghaziabad border observed a 'black day' amid heavy security deployment. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed men and women waving black flags and milling about even as uniformed officials stood by. As people gathered, security has also been tightened at Delhi's Singhu border.

The protest comes even as Punjab, Haryana and Delhi are observing a lockdown due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation. But while many were photographed wearing masks, some appeared to be ignoring both social distancing protocols and rules regarding mask usage.

The hashtag 'National Black Day' is now trending on Twitter, used by the Congress and other critics. Similar hashtags are also being used by the protesters. Visuals shared by the Kisan Ekta Morcha Twitter handle shows farmers lighting effigies on fire and protests with posters and black flags in various parts of the country.

'COVID-19 vaccines absolutely important to defeat pandemic': PM Modi as cases surge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted the nation on the occasion of Buddha Purnima and said that the coronavirus pandemic is the worst crisis humanity has faced in decades and has not seen a crisis like this in a century.

In a keynote address on the occasion of Virtual Vesak Global Celebrations on Buddha Purnima, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the ongoing Covid-19 crisis "the worst crisis humanity has faced in decades".

PM Modi said that the planet will not be the same after COVID-19 and noted that the events in the future will be remembered as either pre or post-Covid.

“The pandemic has impacted every nation. Our planet will not be same after Covid-19. In the times to come, we will remember events in the future as either pre or post-Covid,” PM Modi said.

Sensex scales past mount 51,000 on extended buying support; F&O expiry to determine market trajectory tomorrow

The markets ended the day on a positive note with Nifty50 closing above the resistance level of 15,300.

The 30-share BSE index ended 379.99 points or 0.75 per cent higher at 51,017.52, and the broader NSE Nifty surged 93 points or 0.17 per cent to 15,301.45.

The top gainers were the Bajaj twins. Bajaj Finserv and Bajaj Finance closed the trading session with gains of 4.5 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. Among the sectoral indices, the Nifty IT acted as the major gainer in today's trade with the gains of over 1.7 percent.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of May 24, 2021:

HM Amit Shah reviews preparation for Cyclone Yaas with CMs of W Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh Union Home Minister Amit Shah today reviewed the preparations for Cyclone Yaas including the evacuation of people on the high seas as well as in vulnerable coastal areas and the safety of COVID-19 facilities. He discussed the possible impact of the cyclone on oxygen generation plants located in West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and asked the state governments to ensure their safety. Shah specifically conveyed to the states likely to be impacted by the cyclone which is forming in the Bay of Bengal to make adequate power backup arrangements in all COVID-19 hospitals, laboratories, vaccine cold chains and other medical facilities, a home ministry statement said.
On-site registration for 18-44 years age group now enabled on CoWin On-site registration and appointment has now been enabled for the 18-44 years age group on the CoWin platform for COVID-19 vaccination, the Union Health Ministry said today. However, this feature is being enabled only for government COVID Vaccination Centers (CVCs) at present, it said. This feature will not be available for private CVCs and they will have to publish their vaccination schedules exclusively with slots for online appointments. This feature will be used only upon decision of respective states and UT governments.
After white and black fungus, Ghaziabad reports first case of yellow fungus Even as the country is battling the second COVID-19 wave with new infections like black and white fungus cropping up, as per the latest report, a yellow fungus case has been reported from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. Reportedly, the patient who has been diagnosed with the yellow fungus is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital of ENT surgeon Brij Pal Tyagi in Ghaziabad. The symptoms of yellow fungus are: Lethargy, weight loss, low appetite, leakage of pus from the wound. It also reportedly affects the healing process of wounds and slows it down. It also results in sunken eyes and organ failure and eventually leads to necrosis.
Won't arrest Param Bir Singh in atrocities case till June 9, Maha Govt tells Bombay High Court The Maharashtra government today told the Bombay High Court bench of Justices Sambhaji Shinde and Nitin Borkar that it wouldn't arrest Param Bir Singh, former Mumbai Police Commissioner, in the alleged SC-ST case lodged against him by a Thane-based police officer, till June 9. The bench also pulled up Singh for making a "false" statement before the Supreme Court that the HC isn't hearing his pleas. The bench would hear the final arguments in the matter on June 9.

5. Sensex jumps 111 pts; Nifty ends near 15,200 Equity benchmark Sensex advanced 111 points today, tracking gains in HDFC twins, SBI and L&T amid mixed cues from global markets. The 30-share BSE index climbed 111.42 points or 0.22 per cent to finish at 50,651.90. The broader NSE Nifty rose 22.40 points or 0.15 per cent to 15,197.70. SBI was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, advancing over 2 per cent, followed by L&T, ITC, Dr Reddy's, Axis Bank and PowerGrid. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, UltraTech Cement, Titan and Bajaj Finserv were among the losers.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of May 19, 2021:

Johnson and Johnson to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine with Telangana-based Biological E US pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson has joined hands with Biological E Limited (Telangana-based pharma company) for the manufacturing of the COVID-19 vaccine, said an official statement. The company's vaccine named, Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is currently approved for use in the United States, the European Union and other nations including Thailand and South Africa. On April 5, the company had said it is in discussion with the Government of India to soon begin bridging clinical trials in the country for its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Janssen.
Cyclone Tauktae: PM Narendra Modi conducts aerial survey of affected areas of Gujarat, Diu Prime Minister Narendra Modi today conducted an aerial survey of the Cyclone Tauktae affected areas of Gujarat and Diu. He conducted an aerial survey of areas such as Una, Diu, Jafarabad, and Mahuva. Tauktae stands to be the strongest storm to impact Gujarat since 1998 as it battered parts of the state and left behind a trail of destruction along the coast, uprooting electric poles and trees, and damaging several houses and roads, before weakening, officials said on Tuesday. The Cyclone has also impacted the weather conditions in several parts of Northern India including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi where rainfall was witnessed today.
Maharashtra govt floats EOI to procure 5 cr doses of COVID-19 vaccine from global manufacturers Amid uncertainty over the availability of supply of vaccines, the Maharashtra Government has floated an expression of interest for the procurement of 5 crore COVID 19 vaccine doses. The Public Health Department officer clarified it is not a tender but an EoI to know the stock, price, supply schedule from global vaccine producers approved by the World Health Organisation and United States Food and Drug Administration. The government's move came a day after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was forced to extend time limit by a week due to lack of response for its tender for the supply of 1 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses.
17,300 beds arranged at isolation and COVID-19 care centers amid pandemic, says RSS With over 5100 volunteers and 3800 help centres, the Rashtriya Sayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has been actively working amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to the organisation they have set up 17,300 beds at isolation and COVID-19 care centers. Sunil Ambekar, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of RSS, said volunteers have initiated many things including, isolation centers for patients with possibility of COVID-19 infection and care centers for infected patients, helpline number for assistance, online medical advice, blood donation, plasma donation, helping with funerals, counselling, oxygen supply and ambulance service, distribution of food and masks, help with vaccination campaign and vans to take bodies of the deceased for the last rites.

5. Sensex drops 291 pts; Nifty ends below 15,100 Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 291 points today, weighed by losses in index majors HDFC twins, ICICI Bank and Kotak Bank amid a negative trend in global markets. Profit booking at higher levels to led to the decline in benchmark indices, analysts said. Giving up the 50,000 mark, the 30-share BSE index ended 290.69 points or 0.58 per cent lower at 49,902.64. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty fell 77.95 points or 0.52 per cent to 15,030.15.

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1. COVID-19: PM Modi seeks immediate audit of installation, operation of ventilators provided by Centre

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took serious note of some reports claiming ventilators lying unutilised in storage in some states and directed that an immediate audit of installation and operation of ventilators provided by the Central government.

During a high-level meeting on COVID-19 and the vaccination situation in the country, PM Modi said that refresher training for the proper operation of ventilators should be provided to healthcare workers if necessary.

"The Prime Minister took serious note of some reports about ventilators lying unutilised in storage in some states and directed that an immediate audit of installation and operation of ventilators provided by the central government should be carried out," read a release by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Horrifying! Over 2,000 bodies found within 1,140 kms on banks of River Ganga in Uttar Pradesh

People living near the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh have been witnessing the ghastly sight of dead bodies washing up on the ghats of the river.

Over 2,000 bodies were found in 1,140 kms on the bank of River Ganga which is spread across several districts in Uttar Pradesh, reported Hindi Daily Dainik Bhaskar.

Ganga flows across 1,140 kms in UP and then enters Bihar.

Incidents such as these have sparked fears about the scale of the Covid crisis in the country, especially in rural areas. Authorities believe the relatives of those who succumbed to the virus, may not have been able to find space for the last rites.

Cyclone Tauktae hits Karnataka coast with wind speed up to 75 km per hour; brings in heavy rainfall

Cyclone Tauktae has hit the coastal region of Karnataka resulting in heavy rainfall especially in Dakshina Kannada district, where wind speed of around 75 km per hour was recorded, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said here on Saturday.

The IMD also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in few places adjoining Western Ghat region - Belagavi, Chikkamgaluru, Dakshin Kannada, Hassan, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Udupi and Uttar Kannada districts on Sunday.

"Extremely heavy rainfall in few places on Sunday," the IMD said in its statement released at 12.15 hrs on Saturday.

Delhi govt sets up oxygen concentrator bank; COVID-19 patients isolating at home can now get delivery in 2 hours

The Delhi government will start the functioning of oxygen concentrator banks from Saturday across the city in order to provide adequate oxygen to COVID patients on time.

While addressing a press conference here, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal informed that banks have been set up in each district with 200 concentrators each. Oxygen concentrators will be delivered to the homes of patients who are home isolating in less than two hours time.

"It is very important for COVID-19 patients to receive oxygen on time. These oxygen concentrator banks (OCB) have been created for patients who are isolating at home or those who are recovering from COVID-19," he said.

West Bengal govt announces complete lockdown till May 30

As COVID-19 cases in West Bengal rise, the state lockdown has been extended till the end of this month. While the state had enforced a partial lockdown at the beginning of this month, additional curbs have now been introduced. From Sunday, only emergency services will be allowed, and there will be a night curfew of sorts.

Note that there will be a night curfew in place between 9 pm and 5 am, with restrictions above and beyond these.

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Here are the top 5 news updates of May 14, 2021:

First jab of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine administered in Hyderabad; to cost around Rs 1,000 With the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine receiving clearance in India, Deepak Sapra, Global Head of Custom Pharma Services at Dr Reddy's Laboratories received the first jab of the vaccine in Hyderabad. The first consignment of imported doses of Sputnik V vaccine landed in India on May 1 received regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory at Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh on May 13. As per a statement, imported doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine are presently priced at Rs 948 (+5 per cent GST) per dose, with the possibility of a lower price point when local supply begins. Further consignments of imported doses are expected over the upcoming months, the company said in a statement.
PM CARES ventilators: Maharashtra Congress claims 'big scam'; demands state-level inquiry Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant today alleged a big scam in the ventilator provided under PM CARES Fund and demanded a state-level inquiry into all ventilators provided by the Centre to Maharashtra. Sawant took to Twitter to share the report submitted by the committee of Medical experts appointed by Government Medical College Aurangabad. He said that the committee has found all ventilators provided under PM CARES to the institution to be useless. "As per their report, even company technicians could not repair those. It is a big scam," Sawant said.
Mucormycosis: Centre should cut prices of black fungus medicines, says Rajesh Tope Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said the Centre should bring down the prices of medicines used to treat black fungus, a serious but rare fungal infection now affecting coronavirus patients, and increase their quota for the state. Symptoms of Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, include headache, fever, pain under the eyes, nasal or sinus congestion and partial loss of vision. Tope was speaking after attending a video conference meeting with Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, who interacted with health ministers from six states with a high COVID-19 caseload.
PM Modi transfers Rs 19,000 crores to 10 crore farmers under PM-KISAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi today directly transferred around Rs 19,000 crores to the bank accounts of 10 crore farmers across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). While speaking at the occasion of transferring of the eighth installment under the PM-KISAN, the PM said that farmers from West Bengal will benefit from the scheme for the first time. "On this auspicious day of Akshaya Tritya, around Rs 19,000 crores have directly been transferred to the banks of farmers. It would benefit close to 10 crore farmers. For the first time, farmers from West Bengal will be benefitted from this scheme," PM Modi said.
Sensex ends marginally higher; Nifty stays below 14,700 Equity benchmark Sensex ended marginally higher after a choppy session today as concerns over the economic impact of the second wave of COVID-19 and pace of vaccination weighed on investor sentiment. While the 30-share BSE index ended 41.75 points or 0.09 per cent higher at 48,732.55, the broader NSE Nifty fell 18.70 points or 0.13 per cent to 14,677.80. Asian Paints was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying over 8 per cent, followed by ITC, Nestle India, L&T, HUL and Reliance Industries. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, M&M, Dr Reddy's, SBI and NTPC were among the laggards.

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