The 'Swachch Sarvekshan-2016' survey, released by the Urban Development ministry recently, ranked Indian cities on the parameters of cleanliness and sanitation.
From the protests in Belarus, to people in Beirut picking up the pieces after the deadly blast, to the Democratic National Convention held in Delaware in the United States, here are the top images from the week gone by.
E-commerce companies have said they are well prepared and working closely with delivery partners to ensure smooth and safe delivery of packages in Maharashtra where the government has announced a slew of restrictions, including night curfews and weekend lockdown to control the spike in COVID-19 cases. However, there are concerns around the mandate for delivery staff to be either vaccinated or carry a negative RT-PCR report. According to the health ministry data, till 8 am on Tuesday Maharashtra's COVID-19 caseload was 452,777 with an addition of 20,881 from the previous day. In an order on Sunday, the Maharashtra government said all personnel belonging to home delivery services will have to be vaccinated and in case they are not vaccinated, they will have to carry a negative RT-PCR report.
About a third of operations will be allowed under strict norms from Monday. The civil aviation ministry has issued a set of detailed guidelines to resume operations. Here's a glimpse of how airports are preparing to resume operations as per the new guidelines issued.
During a briefing on the COVID-19 situation, joint secretary in the ministry Lav Agarwal also said about 2.94 per cent of the active COVID-19 cases needed oxygen support, 3 per cent needed intensive care units (ICU) and 0.45 per cent required ventilator support.
The Independence Day celebration at the iconic Red Fort in Delhi this year will be a low-key affair due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Security arrangements and preparations have been made differently keeping in mind social distancing due to the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis. Here's what to expect at this year's Independence Day.
Of those who were willing to pay, two-third said they can pay up to Rs 500 for two doses of the vaccine, whenever it is available.
The corporate sector should give priority to building toilets in schools as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
In a statement, the PMO said three vaccines are in advanced stages of development in India, out of which two are in Phase II and one is in Phase-III. It further said Indian Scientists and research teams are collaborating and strengthening the research capacities in neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said opening of transport and highways will go a long way in instilling confidence among the public and cautioned towards maintaining social distance and adopting all safety measures like hand wash, sanitizing, face masks, etc while operating buses and cars.
Congress attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for delivering a "zero effect" speech and getting bogged down in "pedestrian issues" on Independence Day, saying it had "no new ideas, no new schemes, and no new initiatives".
In their preliminary findings presented to the Andhra Pradesh government, the experts noted that it was a point source epidemic and a likely case of acute intoxication of toxins, but not chronic.
'If you think this is a kind of spiritual experience, you will fall into a trap of your own.' 'Why are the people dying, why is the prime minister not thinking about it?'
The annual Amarnath yatra to the 3,880-metre high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas will commence on June 28 and culminate, as per the tradition, on the day of Raskha Bandhan festival on August 22, officials said.
As rural areas see a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Centre on Sunday issued new guidelines for containment of the virus advising that peri-urban and rural areas plan a minimum 30-bedded COVID Care Centre for asymptomatic cases with comorbidities or mild cases where home isolation is not feasible.
Despite New Delhi's self-reliant public stance, India receives almost twice as much development assistance for water and sanitation as any other country, according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Ensure you consume water from a clean source and that your home is well-ventilated at all times, suggests Dr Gowri Kulkarni.
Baijal reviewed the availability of beds, oxygen cylinders, concentrators, ventilators, ICUs and medical staff at the centre set up in Chhatarpur. He also congratulated the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on taking over the facility.
Athletics, hockey, badminton, boxing and shooting were among the 11 disciplines which were permitted to resume outdoor training following relaxations in the lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The SOP, however, prohibits sparring for contact disciplines and has barred the use of swimming pools for now.
'The delivery happened after facing several difficulties and therefore, me and my husband wanted to make the day memorable'
Just before emplaning the special aircraft, the prime minister detailed his week-long visit and the programmes he attended in the US, including his address to the 74th UN General Assembly in New York and the mega "Howdy Modi!" event in Houston, Texas.
Locked inside the Sports Authority of India centre in Bengaluru due to the coronavirus forced restrictions, Indian Hockey players are utilising their free time to hone their English language skills, reading books and watching their favourite movies. The Indian men and women hockey teams are practicing at SAI centre Bengaluru where no unauthorised person can enter the campus.
A four-page directive was issued by the medical wing of the Union home ministry on Tuesday stating that the next three weeks are crucial in checking the spread of the virus and lack of caution can affect the forces, around 10 lakh personnel-strong, deployed for ensuring the country's internal security and border protection.
The US president had in past expressed dismay with the $2.3 trillion package that Congress passed Monday, which includes $900 billion in coronavirus relief and $1.4 trillion to fund the government until October, conflating the two bills and saying the spending goals were misguided.
Frequent sanitisation of the entire parliament complex will also be carried out, while arrangements have been made to sanitise various parliamentary papers as well as footwear and cars of MPs, officials said.
The pandemic has resulted in a change in consumer lifestyles, with an increased focus on preventive healthcare remedies leading to a surge in demand for immunity-positioned supplements, including Ayurvedic medicines and products, as consumers pursue different ways to combat the virus.
Hitting out at two leaders, he also claimed the duo think they can fool all people all the time in India.
In televised remarks after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget, Modi said it has many provisions for the agriculture sector, including for making loans easier for farmers.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia wondered why the MCDs were not seeking Rs 1,600 crore owed to them by Delhi Development Authority.
Modi said that violence, abuse and rude behaviour against frontline workers is not acceptable
Most firms operating in the space claim that they have seen at least a two-fold rise in orders as compared to other times.
The Delhi Police's crime branch had, on March 31, lodged an FIR against seven people, including the cleric, on a complaint by station house officer of Nizamuddin police station for holding a congregation of Tablighi Jamaat followers in alleged violation of the orders against large gatherings to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Twenty-five tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire.
Various prominent spots, including roundabouts, will also be beautified with flowers, according to an official of the New Delhi Municipal Council.
India's public debt ratio, which remarkably remained stable at around 70 per cent of the GDP since 1991, is projected to jump by 17 percentage points to nearly 90 per cent because of increase in public spending due to COVID-19, the IMF said.
The home ministry asked the state governments and UT administrations to inform it about different aspects of the lockdown and whether there are necessities to give exemptions to some more categories of people and services from the restrictions, a home ministry official said.
'Safety first' is one of the primary considerations of the ICC's back-to-cricket guidelines and involving the governments at all stages is a must.
The Narendra Modi government on Thusday released the 2017 government calendar. The calendar comes with a theme for every month and has Prime Minister Narendra Modi featured from start to end.
Shortage of ICU beds, oxygen, ventilators, vaccines, doctors, nurses and crematorium space in India has dominated headlines around the world in the past few weeks with Covid-19 cases surging beyond control and the government failing to deliver. Yes, election rallies, Kumbh Mela, blatant flouting of social distancing and mask protocols coupled with a messy vaccination process are said to be responsible for the health crisis of colossal proportions that India is facing today. But an analysis of Budget speeches made by finance ministers over 75 years also offers a glimpse of how low on the priority list healthcare has featured for the political class and policy-makers, which is a significant reason for the current situation.
The business leaders, who form part of the UN Global Compact, urged the G-8 leaders to take urgent action on the emerging water and sanitation crisis across the world. It is estimated that approximately one billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and 2.6 bn do not have access to adequate sanitation. Global Compact pledges participating businesses to observe principles regarding human rights, labour rights, environmental sustainability & the fight against corruption
