News for 'COVID'

Injury-riddled Asiad winner Jinson Johnson hangs up his spikes

Injury-riddled Asiad winner Jinson Johnson hangs up his spikes

Rediff.com7 Jan 2026

During the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Johnson broke Bahadur Prasad's 23-year-old 1500m national record with a time of 3 minute 37.86 seconds though he finished fifth in the final.

Over 5,000 Covid cases in India, most affected state is...

Over 5,000 Covid cases in India, most affected state is...

Rediff.com6 Jun 2025

India's active Covid case tally crossed the 5,000 mark with Kerala remaining the most affected state followed by Gujarat, West Bengal and Delhi, according to the Union health ministry data released on Friday.

Usman Khawaja confirms Test retirement after Ashes

Usman Khawaja confirms Test retirement after Ashes

Rediff.com2 Jan 2026

Usman Khawaja said he hoped his long Test career, which will come to an end with his retirement after the fifth Ashes clash, inspires youngsters who are "different" that playing cricket for Australia is possible.

Music In 2 Minutes: The Nadeem-Shravan Story

Music In 2 Minutes: The Nadeem-Shravan Story

Rediff.com16 Dec 2025

The duo converted musical notes into bank notes with a steady spate of 1990s musicals such as Aashiqui, Saajan, Dil Hain Ke Manta Nahin, Raja Hindustani and Pardes.

'Age Shouldn't Be A Factor When You Want To Realise A Dream'

'Age Shouldn't Be A Factor When You Want To Realise A Dream'

Rediff.com8 Jan 2026

'I was embarrassed that I was learning a martial art form at 55. I thought what will people say? I kept it a secret even from my husband.'

'Prashant Tamang Was Like King Of Nepali Community'

'Prashant Tamang Was Like King Of Nepali Community'

Rediff.com12 Jan 2026

'He was the Michael Jackson of the community.'

One title can change everything: Satwik-Chirag

One title can change everything: Satwik-Chirag

Rediff.com12 Jan 2026

The Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Monday said "one breakthrough title" can reignite a strong run as they look to revive their glory days at the USD 950,000 India Open Super 750.

'Who said I left Congress line': Tharoor clarifies stance

'Who said I left Congress line': Tharoor clarifies stance

Rediff.com5 Jan 2026

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor addresses concerns about his recent statements, asserting his alignment with the party's principles and goals.

India Tech Hiring Near 6-Year Low

India Tech Hiring Near 6-Year Low

Rediff.com3 Jan 2026

As of January 2026, the number of active job openings stood at 103,000, down 24 per cent from 136,000 in the same period last year.

'Next Covid pandemic' far from over: Delhi HC

'Next Covid pandemic' far from over: Delhi HC

Rediff.com2 Jun 2025

The Delhi high court recently observed the 'next Covid pandemic' was far from over as it asked for details on the Centre's preparedness for the collection of samples, centres and transport policy.

Society won't forgive us if we don't stand by doctors: SC

Society won't forgive us if we don't stand by doctors: SC

Rediff.com28 Oct 2025

The Supreme Court reserved its judgement on a plea regarding insurance coverage for doctors and health workers who died battling Covid-19 in private clinics and non-recognized hospitals. The court emphasized the importance of supporting doctors and ensuring valid claims are settled.

The Biggest Bollywood Hits In 25 Years

The Biggest Bollywood Hits In 25 Years

Rediff.com12 Jan 2026

Trade analyst Girish Wankhede puts together a curated list of the 25 biggest hits in the first 25 years of the century.

PSBs' staff count rises for 1st time in 5 years

PSBs' staff count rises for 1st time in 5 years

Rediff.com31 Dec 2025

Public sector banks' (PSBs') employee count grew for the first time in five years while private sector banks' staff strength saw a decline in 2024-25 (FY25), according to latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The employee count of state-owned lenders rose 0.22 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to 757,641 at the end of March 31, 2025 from 756,015 in FY24.

Healthcare IPOs See A Surge In 2025

Healthcare IPOs See A Surge In 2025

Rediff.com8 Jan 2026

The surge has come alongside a decline in average issue sizes and more muted listing-day returns compared with last year.

104 active Covid cases in Delhi, 99 reported just in a week

104 active Covid cases in Delhi, 99 reported just in a week

Rediff.com26 May 2025

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said there is no need to panic about COVID-19 cases, even as she asserted that the hospitals were fully prepared to tackle if the number rises.

About 50% turnout in Maha civic polls; 41% polling in BMC

About 50% turnout in Maha civic polls; 41% polling in BMC

Rediff.com15 Jan 2026

A BMC spokesperson said the average voter turnout stood at 29.96 per cent till 1.30 pm in the metropolis, which has more than 1 crore eligible electors.

2021 saw 15% more deaths than 2022 due to Covid: CRS data

2021 saw 15% more deaths than 2022 due to Covid: CRS data

Rediff.com7 Jun 2025

Nearly 86.5 lakh deaths were reported in the country during 2022, a significant decline of more than 15 per cent from Covid-affected 2021 which had recorded over 1.02 crore deaths, according to a new data from the Civil Registration System (CRS).

Doctor in audio clip tells colleague to kill Covid patient, booked

Doctor in audio clip tells colleague to kill Covid patient, booked

Rediff.com29 May 2025

An audio clip recently surfaced on social media of the purported conversation between the accused, Dr Shashikant Deshpande, who was then additional district surgeon at the Udgir Government Hospital in Latur, and Dr Shashikant Dange, who was posted at a COVID-19 care centre.

'G RAM G Isn't A National Employment Guarantee Law'

'G RAM G Isn't A National Employment Guarantee Law'

Rediff.com18 Dec 2025

'MGNREGA was about a guaranteed right to work.' 'The new law does not guarantee employment at all.' 'It removes everything that made MGNREGA a legal guarantee.'

'Salman Is Superhuman'

'Salman Is Superhuman'

Rediff.com24 Dec 2025

'The stamina and junoon you see in him, for acting, singing, dancing, working out, just about everything, makes age just a number as far as Salman Khan is concerned.'

Leasing of retail spaces in malls, high streets up 15% this year

Leasing of retail spaces in malls, high streets up 15% this year

Rediff.com23 Dec 2025

Leasing of retail space in shopping malls and high streets across India's top eight cities is estimated to rise 15 per cent to nearly 9 million sq ft this year on increased supply amid high demand from retailers, according to Cushman & Wakefield. The leasing of retail spaces stood at 7.8 million sq ft in 2024.

'Insult to Bapu': Oppn MPs protest against G RAM G bill

'Insult to Bapu': Oppn MPs protest against G RAM G bill

Rediff.com17 Dec 2025

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticizes the government's proposed bill to replace MGNREGA, arguing it weakens the guaranteed 100 days of employment for the poor and centralizes control over the scheme.

No cause of worry, infection severity mild: ICMR amid Covid spike

No cause of worry, infection severity mild: ICMR amid Covid spike

Rediff.com26 May 2025

Amid an uptick in Covid cases in some parts of the country, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Rajiv Behl said the severity of infections as of now is generally mild and there was no cause for worry. Speaking about new Covid variants being traced, he said genome sequencing of samples in the west and south have shown that the new variants are not severe and are Omicron sub-variants. These are LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB. 1.8.1. The first three are more prevalent, Dr Behl said. "Samples from other places are being sequenced and we will know in a day or two if there are more variants." The ICMR DG said there has been an uptick in cases --first from the south, then west and now from northern India. All these cases are being monitored through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). Besides that, ICMR's nationwide respiratory virus sentinel surveillance network is keeping a watch on emerging infections and pathogens, he said. "Whenever cases increase, we look at three things. It's dependent on three factors with the first being how transmissible it is, conversely how fast the cases are increasing. Previously we saw Covid cases double in two days, but this time it is not that cases are increasing rapidly. "Secondly, are the new variants evading our previous immunity? When new variants come, they evade immunity -- be it natural or from the vaccine. But there's nothing to worry about at the moment," Dr Behl said. He also said that the third factor is the percentage of severe cases in all Covid instances. "Are we getting a very severe disease without comorbidities? As of now, the severity is generally low. There's nothing to worry about. We should be vigilant and we should always be prepared," the ICMR DG asserted. Dr Behl also informed reporters that the Union Health secretary chaired a meeting on Sunday that was also attended by the director general of health services and himself. "We have been closely monitoring the situation. We should be vigilant at this moment, but there is no cause to worry. The general public should be vigilant. There is no need to take any such action as of now," he said. The officer added that the WHO database has been showing that the new variants were not causing severe disease. "People do not need to take any immediate action. They should follow normal precautions. So, there is nothing special to do right now." Asked about the need for a booster dose, he said there is no need for vaccination as of now. "India has the capability to make vaccines and if need be, we can make any vaccine in no time."

2026: How Will Residential Real Estate Grow?

2026: How Will Residential Real Estate Grow?

Rediff.com5 Jan 2026

While gold continues to provide safety after its strong 2025 rally, well-chosen real estate investments held with a long-term view remain attractive.

2 Covid variants, causing fresh cases in Asia, found in India

2 Covid variants, causing fresh cases in Asia, found in India

Rediff.com24 May 2025

As of May 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies LF.7 and NB.1.8 subvariants as Variants Under Monitoring, not as Variants of Concern or Variants of Interest. But these are the variants that are reportedly driving the rise in Covid cases in China and parts of Asia.

How Winter Session Sets Stage For Budget

How Winter Session Sets Stage For Budget

Rediff.com5 Jan 2026

Three laws passed in Parliament could boost central revenues, reshape GST cess flows, shift MGNREGA costs to states and create new budget headroom ahead of the 2026-2027 Union Budget, points out A K Bhattacharya.

Top realtors bet on plotted development

Top realtors bet on plotted development

Rediff.com22 Dec 2025

India's leading real estate developers are accelerating their push into plotted development, a segment once dominated by unorganised players but now reshaped by branded offerings, faster cash flows and evolving buyer preferences. This strategic shift is visible across markets such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Gurugram, peripheries of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and even Tier-II cities.

Covid cases in India cross 4,000-mark; Kerala, Maha, Delhi worst hit

Covid cases in India cross 4,000-mark; Kerala, Maha, Delhi worst hit

Rediff.com3 Jun 2025

There are 4,026 active cases in India and five fresh deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours.

How Could Markets Be At All-Time Highs While Portfolios Languished?

How Could Markets Be At All-Time Highs While Portfolios Languished?

Rediff.com29 Dec 2025

There are vexing questions around the disconnect between Nifty returns and portfolio returns, between economic growth and earnings growth, and finally, between earnings growth and market returns, points out Debashis Basu.

Covid surge: States told to ensure availability of oxygen, beds

Covid surge: States told to ensure availability of oxygen, beds

Rediff.com4 Jun 2025

All states have been instructed to ensure availability of oxygen, isolation beds, ventilators and essential medicines in view of rising cases of Covid, official sources said on Wednesday.

IndiGo cancellations: Domestic airfares shoot up, nearing Rs 1 lakh

IndiGo cancellations: Domestic airfares shoot up, nearing Rs 1 lakh

Rediff.com5 Dec 2025

With IndiGo cancelling over 1,000 flights on Friday owing to crew shortage as the second phase of the pilots flight duty and rest period norms kicked in, huge capacity was out of the market, leading to airfares tripling and quadrupling from over the normal range, a travel industry executive said.

Djokovic questions 'special treatment' for Sinner

Djokovic questions 'special treatment' for Sinner

Rediff.com12 Nov 2025

Novak Djokovic said the shortness and timing of Jannik Sinner's ban this year for an inadvertent doping violation was "odd" and the case would hang over the four-time Grand Slam champion like a cloud for the rest of his career.

CBI chargesheets 4 Chinese citizens among 17 in Rs 1,000-cr cyber fraud case

CBI chargesheets 4 Chinese citizens among 17 in Rs 1,000-cr cyber fraud case

Rediff.com14 Dec 2025

The CBI has filed a chargesheet against 17 people, including four Chinese nationals, and 58 companies for their alleged roles in a transnational cyber fraud network that siphoned off over Rs 1,000 crore.

Realty faces execution pressure as developers expand launch pipelines

Realty faces execution pressure as developers expand launch pipelines

Rediff.com22 Dec 2025

Developers are entering one of the busiest construction cycles, with the top four firms planning launches worth Rs 1.13 trillion over the near to medium term, even as execution faces pressure from approval delays, labour shortages, rising costs, and contractor capacity limits across the industry.

'World like coalition politics; we have to be very nimble'

'World like coalition politics; we have to be very nimble'

Rediff.com20 Dec 2025

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discusses India's foreign policy challenges in a multipolar world, emphasizing the need for nimbleness and prioritizing national interests.

Bajaj Finance to Muthoot Finance: NBFCs outpace banks once again

Bajaj Finance to Muthoot Finance: NBFCs outpace banks once again

Rediff.com16 Dec 2025

Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) such as Bajaj Finance, Shriram Finance, Muthoot Finance, and IIFL Finance have regained their growth momentum after losing market share to banks in the post-Covid period. The growth surge is being led by diversified lenders and gold-loan companies while development-finance institutions such as Power Finance Corporation (PFC), REC, and Housing & Urban Development Corporation (Hudco) continue to grow at a slower pace.

How Operation Sindoor Hurt IPL's Brand Value

How Operation Sindoor Hurt IPL's Brand Value

Rediff.com16 Dec 2025

The Indian Premier League's overall brand value declined by 20 per cent to $9.6 billion in 2025 due to lost momentum in the league caused by tensions between India and Pakistan, and teams adjusting to their squad composition post the auction.

After Covid, management buyouts have seen an uptick

After Covid, management buyouts have seen an uptick

Rediff.com27 May 2025

There have been more instances of a management team buying out the owners of a company after the pandemic. There are eight such transactions, called management buyouts (MBOs), in the five years ending 2024, according to data from tracker LSEG shared with Business Standard.

The Lady Who Designed The Billionaire Wedding

The Lady Who Designed The Billionaire Wedding

Rediff.com9 Dec 2025

When Chennai-based Wedding Designer Ambika Gupta first received a brief for a destination wedding in Udaipur, she had no idea it would turn into one of the most high-profile celebrations of the season.

L&T eyes global nuclear supply chain expansion

L&T eyes global nuclear supply chain expansion

Rediff.com19 Dec 2025

Construction major L&T is gearing up to expand its footprint in the global nuclear supply chain, a senior company official has said, while calling for amendments to key legislations on the domestic front to pave the way for the entry of private players and foreign capital necessary for capacity enhancement.