Trains were set afire and blocked, and public vehicles attacked as protests over 'Agnipath' swept across several places in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Jammu on Thursday amid partisan political voices in favour and against the new recruitment scheme for the defence forces that has set off a firestorm.
During the day, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan held a meeting to review preparedness for COVID-19 management, through video conference with health ministers, chief secretaries of all states and UTs, central ministers and representatives from the related organisations and stressed on the need for keeping testing and quarantine facilities, isolation wards, and labs in active readiness.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said Budget-making was guided by the Prime Minister's words of the government being there to protect the interests of the common man.
SpiceJet is the only Boeing 737 MAX operator in India, with 13 aircraft of the type in its fleet and a total of 205 planes on order.
Maharashtra is the worst affected state with 56,948 cases.
Several companies and technology heavyweights including Microsoft, Oracle and Salesforce are working to create a digital vaccination passport or health passport app in the hope that governments and airlines will require travellers to upload details of their Covid-19 tests and immunisation. The vaccine passport will effectively create digital credentials that could be the key to attending crowded events or even visiting countries.
Auckland in New Zealand has been named the world's most liveable city.
The meeting also decided to strengthen the security measures to monitor the local fishing boats and crews, intensify checking of passenger boats and vessels reaching the islands and strengthen the ship berthing points and helibase by installing CCTV cameras.
In the second phase, the single-use plastic will be banned in all Air India flights.
In the 'Additional guidelines for quarantine of returnees from abroad/contacts/ isolation of suspect or confirmed cases in private facilities', released on Thursday evening, the ministry said there are large number of facilities such as hotels, service apartments and lodges which are "unoccupied due to impact of COVID-19 on travel and tourism".
It has been 24 days since Victoria reported a locally acquired COVID-19 infection, while Australia as a whole posted a 13th straight day without a community case on Saturday.
'The DGCA may require airlines to install CCTV cameras on all flights and retain the footage in case of unruly behaviour.' 'Else, it would be left to individual interpretation of the involved parties.'
The outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus, first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, in Hubei province, has led to massive efforts to quarantine major cities and halt the spread. As of Thursday, the nationwide death toll from China's novel coronavirus epidemic has jumped to 170 with 38 more fatalities while confirming more than 1,700 new infections. Since then, it has been described as a "ghost town" with residents staying home, cars banned from the roads and store shelves emptied of masks, disinfectants and even full body suits. Here are some scenes from Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus outbreak.
'What prevents infection are masks, physical distancing and good ventilation.'
'The central government is putting conditions on farmers organisations, that they have to allow passenger trains to ply, only then will they allow goods trains to ply.'
According to a calculation by the government, India's airlines currently have 633 aircraft of which they may operate only 200.
Bibek Debroy Committee proposed railways duty is not to run hospitals, schools, catering, real estate activities and maintaining RPF
The central government said the railways and civil aviation ministry must suspend all concessional travel on trains and flights, except for students, patients and disabled people.
Maharashtra is the worst affected state with 59,546 cases.
Employees asked to work from home... cancelled travel plans... curtailed meetings... Caution and precaution dominate Corporate India's response to Covid-19.
All international passengers will henceforth be screened at airports, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said at a press conference. Earlier, travellers from only 12 countries were screened at airports for the disease that has claimed over 3,000 lives and infected more than 90,000 worldwide.
The contentious citizenship bill is not applicable to areas under ILP regime. Dimapur was the only Nagaland district that was out of ILP so far.
'Serial testing is much more valuable than a single test which reflects just a point in time.'
The NHRC has issued notices to the Chairman, Railway Board and DGP, Madhya Pradesh over reports of "inaction" by RPF and GRP over beating of a youth for hours in a train.
... 'Or any country which has reasonable vaccine coverage.' 'The emergence of Omicron clearly proves that if we allow a virus to circulate in an unvaccinated population, it would take a form which could be a Variant of Concern, or a new variant.'
Olympic quick takes - Brazil lifter Reis suspended from Games after positive drug test.
Gloves, masks, vitamin C, wet wipes and sanitisers are the new essentials you have to move around with.
"Zero is an unlikely figure. The virus is mutating and it is difficult to predict it's future behaviour,
The former minister said even days before the Centre issued guidelines and protocols in identifying and containing the disease, the state commenced its preparations to fight the possible outbreak of the disease.
Javed Khan has been operating an auto ambulance in Madhya Pradesh's capital city since a month.
The NHC said, 78 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Monday, of which 74 were imported from abroad taking the number of overseas cases to 427.
The United States leads the world with more than 1.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
India's death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 6,642 with a record increase of 294 deaths in the 24 hours till Saturday 8 am.
Diaspora groups in the UK urged for calm and advised non-resident Indians and people of Indian origin to follow the new lockdown rules, which mean a majority of the UK is under the strictest lockdown with all non-essential businesses now closed.
Giving a fillip to Dubai's transport network, the $1.25 billion tram has started services.
With farmers on Thursday blocking railway tracks across the country, at stations big and small, protesters at Singhu said it proves that the agitation is not just limited to Punjab and Haryana.
So, what's the problem if our present is screwed up when the future promises to be profitable? It's an Indian habit, notes Shyam G Menon.
Starting Wednesday, Beijing halts return to campus, and resumes online courses for middle and primary school students, as well as suspends college students' return to campus, the reports said.
Director general, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Arun Kumar has asked general managers of zonal railways to keep vigil to contain the impact of the nationwide strike called by farmer groups against the three agri laws.
