Breaking News, April 6

Britain has confirmed that older secondary school children and college students in England will be required to wear face coverings as they returned to classes on Tuesday, after a long Easter weekend.

Karnataka Congress Working President Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is undergoing treatment at hospital.

A new vaccine to protect against COVID-19, being produced in Scotland, has shown a "strong immune response" in early trials in the UK, the country's health minister said on Tuesday.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the promising Phase I and II results mean that the Valneva vaccine, being developed at Livingston in Scotland, can now move to Phase III clinical trials.

The vaccine was found to be safe and generally well-tolerated, with no safety concerns identified by an independent data safety monitoring board.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley has tested positive for COVID-19, his office said on Tuesday. Rowley was tested after experiencing flu-like symptoms on Monday, according to a government statement. He is isolated and under medical supervision, officials said, offering no other details.

The Haryana government has approved allotment of 140 acres of land to e-commerce major Flipkart for setting up its largest fulfilment centre in Asia, having a covered area of 3 million square feet in Patli Hajipur in Gurugram district's Manesar, an official statement said.

The land, belonging to Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HSIIDC), has been allotted at a price of Rs 3.22 crore per acre.

Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada has been put on a ventilator in a hospital to help him breath after being infected by the coronavirus, his son said Tuesday.

A search panel headed by the Cabinet Secretary is scheduled to interview eligible candidates on April 15 for the post of RBI deputy governor, according to sources.

The post fell vacant after senior-most deputy governor BP Kanungo demitted office after completion of his one-year extension on April 2.

A dust storm hurtling at 40 to 50 kilometres per hour accompanied by light rain is likely in Jaisalmer, Nagaur, Bikaner, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Churu districts of western Rajasthan on Tuesday, a meteorological department official said.

Centre issues order advising all its employees aged 45 years and above to get themselves vaccinated to contain the spread of COVID-19.

PM Modi addressed a rally in Cooch Behar, West Bengal. Here are the highlights from his address:

• PM Modi asks his team of doctors to assist a woman who faced some issues due to dehydration at an election rally in Cooch Behar, West Bengal.
• Recently, you (Mamata Banerjee) appealed for Muslim unity and said their votes should not divide. It shows that Muslim vote bank, which you considered as your strength, has slipped out of our hands. It shows that you have lost the poll
• Didi, you are not proud that West Bengal is seeing more than 80% voter turnout. It means that you are losing. Didi, it is certain that you will lose. Didi, you have scored an own-goal (like in football) in these elections.
• Didi, the day you did 'khela' at the polling booth in Nandigram, the same day the country knew that you have lost the elections
• Didi has been asking "Is BJP God that it already knows it is winning polls?" I want to say to her that we're normal people engaged in the service of public. I want to tell the people that I'll return your love with interest in the form of development.

Justice NV Ramana appointed as the next Chief Justice of India.

Indian Medical Association writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggests "gearing up of COVID19 vaccination drive with immediate effect and permit those above 18 years to receive vaccine".

India reported 96,982 new COVID-19 cases, 50,143 discharges, and 446 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry

• Total cases: 1,26,86,049
• Total recoveries: 1,17,32,279
• Active cases: 7,88,223
• Death toll: 1,65,547
• Total vaccination: 8,31,10,926

A fight broke out between Civil Defence (CD) employees and a driver, after the former issued a fine for not wearing a mask at Red Light near Hauz Khas, Delhi. DCD employees allegedly assaulted the driver, the situation turned violent. Case filed against CD employees. 

The ambulance in which gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari will be taken to Uttar Pradesh arrives at Police Lines in Rupnagar, Punjab. On March 26, Supreme Court had ordered the transfer of Mukhtar Ansari to jail in UP from Punjab to face trials there.

Last rites of CRPF jawan Bablu Rabha, who lost his life in an encounter with Naxals at the Sukma-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh, were performed at his native place in Bongaigaon, Assam.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry both landed in the national capital on Monday evening.

Odisha government imposes night curfew in 10 districts due to a spike in coronavirus cases. 

An earthquake of magnitude 2.7 on the Richter scale hit Tinsukia, Assam at 3:42 am today, as per National Centre for Seismology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers across the country on Tuesday on the occasion of the 41st foundation day of the party.

BJP national president JP Nadda will also address the meeting which will be held through video conferencing and will be streamed live from 10:30 am.