LIVE: India records 3,824 Covid cases, biggest month rise in 12 mnths

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

6:44 PM

After Karnataka victory, Congress gears up for next Assembly elections . 97% MLAs crorepatis in Karnataka new

After Karnataka victory, Congress gears up for next Assembly elections

6:41 PM

PM Modi's visit: From seas to stars, technology seals India-US ties11

PM Modi's visit: From seas to stars, technology seals India-US ties11

11:41 PM

Indian media strong enough to set narrative across world: Thakur

Union minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday said the Indian media is strong enough and has the capability to set narrative across the world.

He alleged that some foreign media houses carried "false" reports about India during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this agenda of spoiling the country's image was not only being run from outside the country, but many Indian leaders used that opportunity for their self-interests.

The Information and Broadcasting Minister also said that Indian media was independent in the past and will remain so in the future as it is today.

11:20 PM

Global Pharma recalls 50,000 tubes of eye ointment in US: USFDA

Global Pharma Healthcare is recalling 50,000 tubes of eye ointment in the US market due to bacterial contamination, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).

As per its latest Enforcement Report, the US health regulator noted that the Chennai-based drug firm is recalling the affected lot of "Artificial Eye Ointment" in the US market.

The lot has been manufactured by Chennai-based Global Pharma Healthcare and distributed in the US market by New York-based Delsam Pharma, the USFDA said.

10:52 PM

Delegates from 14 countries arrive in Agartala to attend G20 summit

Delegates from 14 countries on Sunday arrived in Agartala to attend the two-day G20 summit in the city starting April 3 on the theme of 'Clean Energy for Greener Future'.

The delegates and close to 90 high officials arrived at Agartala's Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) international airport at 2 pm on Sunday. They were then checked into Agartala's Hotel Polo Towers.

The delegates on their visit are likely to visit the historical Albert Ekka Park and then visit the light and sound show at Kumari Tilla near Agartala's G B Pant Hospital.

The delegates will be attending the summit tomorrow.

9:58 PM

429 new Covid cases in Delhi, positivity rate rises to 16.09%

Delhi recorded 429 fresh Covid cases on Sunday, the highest in more than seven months, with the positivity rate rising to 16.09 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. One Covid-related death was reported in the city. The health bulletin, however, said the primary cause of death was not Covid.

The death toll due to the infection stands at 26,530.

Delhi saw 416 fresh Covid cases on Saturday with a positivity rate of 14.37 per cent. The city recorded 295 coronavirus cases on Thursday with a positivity rate of 12.48 per cent.

9:53 PM

Delhi reports 429 fresh Covid cases and one death in a day

9:49 PM

India is firm today, won't accept its national flag being pulled down: EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said India was not a country that would put up with its national flag being pulled down by somebody; it was "very responsible" along with being "very firm".

Referring to the incident last month in London where a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags and chanting pro-Khalistani slogans pulled down the tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission, he said an even bigger flag was immediately put up on the building to make a statement to both the Khalistanis and to the British.

"You have seen in the last few days some incidents in London, something in Canada, a little bit in Australia and San Francisco... This is not an India which will accept its national flag being pulled down by somebody," Jaishankar said.

9:26 PM

Himachal Pradesh logs 94 fresh Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours

Registering a slight decrease in number of positive cases in comparison to the previous day, Himachal Pradesh logged 94 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, and no death was reported by the Department of Health on Sunday.

About 72 COVID patients have recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours.

However, no fresh Covid death has been reported in the last 24 hours and the state's active Covid-19 caseload currently stands at 1218.

9:08 PM

Maharashtra reports 3 deaths, 562 new Covid-19 cases in past 24 hours

Three deaths were confirmed positive for Covid-19 infection in Maharashtra on Sunday, state health department officials informed.

"A total of 562 new cases were recorded in the past 24 hours and as of today the number of active cases is 3,488," officials said.

The recovery rate in the state is currently standing at 98.13 per cent and the case fatality rate in the state is 1.82%.

"Out of 8,66,43,875 laboratory samples 81,45,342 have tested positive (09.40%) forCOVID-19 until Sunday, said officials.

8:36 PM

Saudis to cut oil production by 500,000 barrels per day

Saudi Arabia says it will cut oil production by 500,000 barrels per day from May until the end of 2023.

The move would likely raise oil prices, further straining relations between Riyadh and Washington as the world copes with inflation fuelled in part by the war in Ukraine.

The Energy Ministry said Sunday that the cuts would be made in coordination with some OPEC and non-OPEC members, without naming them, and were in addition to a reduction announced last October.

8:08 PM

Data theft of 66.9 crore people: Cyberabad police serve notices to 11 organisations

The Cyberabad Police here has issued notices to as many as 11 organisations, including three banks, a social media giant and an Information Technology services company, asking their representatives to appear before it in connection with a breach of data of 66.9 crore persons across the country, a senior police official said on Sunday.

The Cyberabad Police on Saturday said they arrested one person, Vinay Bhardwaj, who was allegedly involved in stealing, holding and selling personal and confidential data of 66.9 crore individuals and organisations belonging to 24 states and eight metropolitan cities, maintained in 104 categories.

7:50 PM

West has bad habit of commenting on others: External Affairs Minister Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said that the West has had a "bad habit" for a long time, of commenting on others, and it thinks it has a "God-given right" to speak about the internal matters of other countries.

He said this during a 'Meet and Greet' interaction organised by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Bengaluru Central MP P C Mohan with over 500 young voters, joggers and visitors at Cubbon Park here.

The Minister was responding to a question on Germany and United States' remarks on the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a Member of Parliament.

7:33 PM

Maharashtra reports 562 new Covid cases in a day along with three deaths

7:28 PM

'Misuse' of central probe agencies: SC to hear plea of 14 parties led by Congress on April 5

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Wednesday a plea filed by 14 parties, led by the Congress, alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against opposition leaders and seeking guidelines for the future.

According to the list of business uploaded on the apex court website, the plea of opposition parties would be heard on April 5 by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud.

Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala are also part of the bench.

The joint plea was mentioned for urgent hearing on March 24 by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi.

6:50 PM

Developed world will slow down, emerging markets will grow: Indian G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant

India will play a lead role during its G20 presidency in redefining and reshaping the world which is facing multiple challenges, Indian Sherpa Amitabh Kant said here on Sunday.

 

Talking about the trend in the past 10 years, Kant told PTI that the developed world would slow down and emerging markets would grow. Resources should therefore flow from the former to the latter so that emerging markets improve, he said.

 

The G20 members represent around 85 per cent of global GDP, over 75 per cent of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world's population.

6:28 PM

Covid-19: Elderly people are getting more affected, says Dr Subhash Giri

6:00 PM

Remain cautious and wear mask, focus should be on clinical cases: Experts on Covid surge in Delhi

As Delhi witnesses a sudden spurt in Covid cases, experts have stressed that there is no need to panic over the absolute numbers and the focus should be on protecting the vulnerable population, especially those who are immunocompromised or have comorbidities.

They have also advised people to remain cautious by masking up and avoiding public gatherings.

Delhi recorded 416 fresh Covid cases on Saturday, the highest in over seven months, with a positivity rate of 14.37 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. While the government did not issue a bulletin on Friday, the numbers on Thursday stood at 295 while the positivity rate was at 12.48 per cent.

5:44 PM

Some members sitting in UNSC aren't keen that India should also be a member of UNSC: S Jaishankar

5:06 PM

Govt preparing law for adventure tourism safety: Official

The government is coming out with a law for adventure tourism safety which will have provisions for constitution of state level safety bodies, penalties for violations and a requisite insurance scheme, a senior official said on Sunday.

The draft model law -- Adventure Tourism (Monitoring and Regulation Act) -- has been distributed to states and feedbacks have been filed by six states so far, the tourism ministry official said.

The states include Punjab, Uttarakhand and Tripura, he said. "Tourism is a state subject but through this legislation the Centre wants to give direction to the states to follow safety practices," he said.

4:48 PM

Finmin notifies GST amnesty scheme for non-filers, small businesses

The government has notified amnesty scheme for small businesses, non-filers of final returns, and taxpayers whose Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration has been cancelled.

According to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) notification, they can apply for revocation of cancelled registration by June 30, after paying due taxes, interest and penalty, CBIC said in a notification.

The move follows the meeting by the GST Council in February, when it recommended that for GST taxpayers whose registration has been cancelled for non-filing of returns be given amnesty by allowing them to file applications for revocation within a specified date.

4:24 PM

Govt may consider 0.3% fee to maintain UPI payment system & ensure financial viability: Report

The government may consider a 0.3 per cent uniform digital payment facilitation fee to fund the infrastructure required for such transactions and also to ensure financial viability of the UPI payment system, suggested a study by IIT Bombay.

The facilitation fee of 0.3 per cent can generate around Rs 5,000 crore in 2023-24, said the study titled 'Charges for PPI-based UPI payments--The Deception'.

The study, which analyses the impact of the decision of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to introduce interchange fee on payments through mobile wallets, argued that the payments received by merchants should remain 'unpolluted' whether they are from UPI directly or through prepaid e-wallets.

4:05 PM

Nepal seeks to sign 25-year electricity deal with India during PM Prachanda's visit: Report

Nepal is keen to sign a 25-year agreement with India on selling its surplus power to the neighbouring country during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda's expected visit to New Delhi.

Though the official date of Prachanda's visit to India is yet to be announced, the Kathmandu Post newspaper, quoting Nepali officials, reported on Sunday that the prime minister is likely to travel to New Delhi after the second week of April.

However, the two sides have yet to announce the dates, it said.

3:58 PM

Mild tremor in MP; no casualty

A mild tremor of 3.6 magnitude was experienced in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district on Sunday, officials said.

There was no report of any casualty or property damage, they said.

The tremor was recorded by the National Centre for Seismology at 11 am, with its epicentre near Jabalpur at a depth of 23 kilometres, India Meteorological Centre (Jabalpur) in-charge Biju J Joseph told PTI.

The seismic activity was experienced in Jabalpur and nearby Umaria district, he said.

3:43 PM

BJP's doors are shut for JDU forever: Amit Shah at Bihar rally

3:29 PM

Nitish Kumar (Bihar CM) won't become Prime Minister: Amit Shah

3:19 PM

Petrol, diesel sales rise as agri season picks up

India's fuel demand rose in March as a pick-up in agriculture activity helped reverse a slowdown that was witnessed in the first half of the month, preliminary industry data showed on Sunday.

Fuel sales soared to the highest levels in February on the back of robust demand from the agriculture sector as well as transport picking up after the winter lull. But a seasonal slowdown kicked in during the first half of March.

However, there was a pick-up in the second half, which helped sales rise even month-on-month despite the high base of February. Petrol sales rose 5.1 per cent to 2.65 million tonne in March when compared with the same period of last year. Sales were up 3.4 per cent month-on-month, the data showed.

2:21 PM

Uttarakhand: 22 people injured after bus falls into ditch on Mussoorie-Dehradun road

As many as 22 people, including the bus driver, were injured when a bus fell into a ditch on the Mussoorie-Dehradhun road on Sunday, said Police.

According to the Mussoorie police, "With the help of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), all the injured have been rescued and admitted to the hospital for treatment."

2:11 PM

NCLAT order in Android matter will resonate globally on abuse of dominance

Appellate tribunal NCLAT's ruling in the Google matter will open the market for "free innovation" and will resonate as part of the global theme on abuse of dominance, Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman has said.

 

Venkataraman, who led the legal battle on behalf of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against Google in the Android matter, also asserted that the six directions of the regulator that were upheld by the NCLAT cover almost 99 per cent of the remedies recommended to address the unfair business ways.

1:53 PM

J&K budget utilisation 20% less in 2021-22: CAG

The overall utilisation of budget in Jammu and Kashmir was 20 per cent less than the total amount of Rs 1.39 lakh crore grants and appropriations during the year 2021-22, Comptroller and Auditor General of India has said, urging the government to be "more realistic" in its budgetary assumptions.

It also criticised the failure of the concerned departments to surrender the grants and appropriations to the finance department in anticipation of savings which stood at Rs 28,504.50 crore.