The Centre on Friday opposed before the Delhi high court fully re-opening the Nizamuddin Markaz, where the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held in March 2020 amid COVID-19 pandemic and has remained shut since then, stating that a few people may be allowed to offer prayers on the upcoming religious occasions.
Releasing the 'Standard Operating Procedures', the ministry said that the period from October to December witnesses large gatherings for religious worship, fairs, cultural functions, processions, etc, and it is important that necessary preventive measures are followed for such events which may last a day, a week or more.
State and UT governments have been given the flexibility to take a decision on re-opening of schools and coaching institutions after October 15 in a graded manner.
Most devotees stayed indoors to offer 'namaz' as religious and festive gatherings remain prohibited in most part of the country.
Amid protests by Opposition members seeking a debate on price rise, the Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022, which seeks to extend the application of domestic laws to research stations set up by India in the Antarctic region.
The petitioners argued that the civic body's policy violated the environmental and animal welfare laws.
Starting today, November 8, the US has lifted all restrictions for fully vaccinated international travellers, including from India, but they will have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before boarding a flight to the country.
Maharashtra has decided to relax lockdown restrictions on the basis of Covid positivity rate and availability of oxygen beds in Maharashtra. In a late night order, the state government said it will implement the new five-level eased curbs from Monday. This comes a day after Uddhav Thackeray's office took a U-turn on unlock plan announced by earlier by minister Vijay Wadettiwar. Here's all you need to know about the five-level unlock plan in Maharashtra:
Easing of restrictions came even as Maharashtra continues to registered a record number of new coronavirus cases with no flattening of curve in sight in the state.
Home-grown companies, including electronics manufacturing services (EMS) firm Dixon Technologies and mobile device maker Lava International, have started exploratory talks with Chinese sub-assemblies and component players for setting up joint ventures (JVs) in the country. Sources in the industry say many domestic companies have also had preliminary discussions with original design manufacturers (ODMs) in China to look at a JV model for manufacturing smartphones. Key ODM players in mobile devices in China include Longcheer, Huaqin, and Wingtech, which has already set up a plant in Tirupati.
Temples and other religious places of worship were closed for darshan since March 24, when the state government enforced a total lockdown. However, the government permitted all religious activities including daily puja in the temples by the priests.
The state has decided that from Monday it will allow the plying of private buses along with the opening of electronics, stationery, tea stalls, and paint and hardware stores, reports Avishek Rakshit
Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The Karnataka Cabinet on Monday decided to rechristen 'Mumbai-Karnataka' region consisting of seven districts as 'Kittur Karnataka.'
Tightening restrictions further in select urban areas to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Friday announced a complete shutdown beginning Sunday in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai for four days, disallowing grocery shops as well and fully curtailing the movement of public. Also, Salem and Tirupur in western Tamil Nadu will be shut similarly, albeit for three days from April 26, and Palaniswami assured people that vegetables and fruits shall reach their doorsteps via mobile outlets.
With the Karnataka government further easing restrictions under 'Unlock 3.0' effective from Monday, life seems to have returned to normalcy as shops, restaurants, malls, private offices and religious places began their operations in full swing.
The prohibitory order, issued by a senior police official, says restrictions on movement of residents for non-essential work will remain in force till July 15.
Many of the residents staying near the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai want the matches in the upcoming IPL to be shifted out of the venue fearing crowds could worsen the COVID-19 situation in the area, a report in the Times of India said on Wednesday.
Kejriwal said there will be no restrictions on the number of people travelling in four-wheelers, two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and other vehicles in the city. He said that until now, shops in markets were being allowed to open on odd-even basis, adding that there are no such restrictions mentioned by the Centre in its latest guidelines.
Like millions of people across the world, the year 2020 had dealt me irreplaceable losses and the lowest of blows. Like I have always done at such junctures, I had sought the refuge of the mountains. I wanted to end the year on a high, to show the finger to life, says Sumit Bhattacharya after a memorable journey to North Sikkim.
As the number of cases crossed 2,56,000 with more than 7,100 fatalities, according to Union health ministry figures, and the country made a calibrated exit from the lockdown in non-containment zones, shop shutters in many malls went up for the first time since March 25 but the sprawling retail places were eerily empty.
'Our love for our great nation -- Bharat is second to none and our patriotism towards our motherland -- India is for the entire nation to emulate.'
The Maharashtra government announced categorisation of various areas into red and non-red zones
The decision to open Kartarpur shrine was taken by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday due to the approaching death anniversary of Sikhism founder Baba Guru Nanak Dev on September 22.
The central probe agency had on Friday carried out a fresh round of searches in connection with the case, they said.
The Singapore Airlines agreed to fly the stranded passengers to India, as there is no scheduled Air India flight for Thursday.
Several activists belonging to Muslim women groups held placards demanding entry for females into the sanctum sanctorum of the historic dargah, which receives hundreds of devotees everyday.
Observers say China should re-address its policies towards India or else it will continue to face flare-ups increasing the tensions between the two countries at a time China's increasing tension with the US over Taiwan and the South China Sea besides the downturn in the Chinese economy which is hit hard by the zero-covid policy.
'Today we can't confirm whether Chau is dead or not.' 'What is the guarantee that the Sentinelese killed him?'
Nearly 250 private liquor vends, licensed under now-withdrawn Excise Policy 2021-22, are running currently in the city.
'There is no such thing as ultimate survivability.'
'It's all comparative -- who outperforms, who uses tactics, who optimises technology to the best is what makes the difference.'
Retailers are also demanding that home delivery across all forms of retail should be allowed to ensure a level playing field.
In a significant directive, the home ministry said that state governments shall not impose any local lockdown outside the containment zones without prior consultation with the central government.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday said that a lockdown may have to be imposed in Mumbai in view of the rise in Covid-19 cases "if people don't follow rules", news agency ANI reported.
The committee has decided that access to 4G internet in J-K will be given in a calibrated manner and outcome of the trial will be reviewed after two months.
The SC asked the Kerala government to file its response during the day on an application against the three-day relaxation in COVID-19 restrictions in the state in view of the upcoming Bakrid festival.
Mumbai Dabbawala Association is skeptic about resumption of services in full capacity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
McNaughton, an Irish national who won the Pulitzer Prize in May 2018, allegedly travelled to restricted and protected areas in Jammu and Kashmir without permission. He also reported from the state without valid permission.
Despite many restrictions put in place by the authorities, some people took to streets to catch a glimpse of the fighter jets.
The ministry of civil aviation has eased the rules regarding drone operations in the country by reducing the number of forms that need to be filled to operate them from 25 to 5 and the decreasing the types of fees charged from the operator from 72 to 4.
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