Breaking News, March 17

CBI registers a case against Cadbury India Ltd (now Mondelez Foods Pvt Ltd) and central excise officials in connection with alleged irregularities &corruption for obtaining license of Cadbury chocolate factory in Himachal Pradesh, under IPC 420 (forgery) and Prevention of Corruption Act.

Delhi: Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting underway at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters. PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National Chief JP Nadda are present.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) releases a list of 4 candidates for West Bengal polls.

Election Commission transfers nine ACPs and DSPs of Tamil Nadu also orders that they 'should not be assigned any election-related work', ahead of Tamil Nadu elections

Journalists, staff engaged in maintenance of essential services like electricity & water supply, airports, railways and seaports, and sebayats (priests) of Lord Jagannath Temple and Lingaraj Temple to be included for COVID-19 vaccination in Odisha.

Mamata Banerjee releases Trinamool Congress' election manifesto for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls. 

• We will decrease unemployment. 5 lakh job opportunities will be generated in a year, says Mamata
• When TMC came to power our revenue was about Rs 25,000 crores, it is now over Rs 75,000 crores: Mamata
• 'Duare Sarkar' program will be held four months a year. Free ration will be provided at doorstep: Mamata
• This is not a political manifesto, it is a development-oriented manifesto. This a manifesto of the people, for the people, and by the people: Mamata

Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh removed days after Sachin Vaze's arrest in Ambani bomb scare case. Read full story

• 60% of all active cases are concentrated in Maharashtra
• The lowest point of new COVID19 cases was 9 February. Today, nearly 43% week-on-week increase in new COVID19 cases and nearly 37% week on week increase in new deaths.
• India's overall percentage of COVID19 vaccine wastage is 6.5%. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh recorded 17.6% and 11.6 % of vaccine wastage respectively. We have told the States that vaccine wastage needs to be drastically reduced.
• On 15th March, 8.34 million COVID19 vaccine doses were administered worldwide, of which India alone administered 36% of doses.
• 70 districts in 16 states have seen an increase in COVID-19 cases by 150% in last 15 days. 

Sensex down 562.34 points in closing trade, at 49,801.62

• PM Modi's COVID-19 vision has provided an overarching framework to make our goodwill with other nations meaningful in terms of practical initiatives. This, as a result, has developed our reputation as a first & reliable respondent. 
• India supplied 150 nations with medicines, 82 of them as grants by India. This generous approach was extended to the Vande Bharat Mission as well. Starting from Wuhan, we brought back nationals of other countries by looking after our own.

• Today in India more than 96% of the cases have recovered. India is one of those countries where the fatality rate is one of the lowest
• Most of the COVID-affected countries in the world had to face several waves of Corona. In our country too, cases have suddenly started increasing in some states...CMs have also expressed concern...Test positivity rate in Maharashtra and MP is very high and number of cases is also rising
• Such an increase is being seen in many districts that had protected themselves so far and were kind of safe-zones. 70 districts of the country have seen an increase of more than 150 per cent in the last few weeks. If we don't stop it here, a situation of a nationwide outbreak can come up
• We will have to immediately stop the emerging second wave of Corona and for this, we will have to take quick and decisive steps
• It is a matter of contemplation that why is there less testing in some areas only. Why is there less vaccination in these areas? I think it's a time of test for good governance...Our confidence should not turn into overconfidence. Our success should not turn into negligence
• We don't have to bring the public into panic mode. We don't have to bring a situation where there is an atmosphere of fear. We have to free the people off difficulties by taking some precautions and initiatives
• It has now become necessary for us to become pro-active. The option of making micro-containment zones wherever necessary, we should not bring leniency
• Over 10 per cent vaccine wastage in Telangana & Andhra Pradesh. Vaccine wastage in UP is almost the same. It should be reviewed in states that why's vaccine wastage happening? Monitoring must be done every evening & pro-active people should be contacted so that there's no wastage
• COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that in an inter-dependent and inter-connected world, no country- rich or poor, in the east or west, north or south- is immune to the effect of global disasters
• On one hand, the pandemic has shown us how impacts can quickly spread across the world. On the other hand, it has shown how the world can come together to fight a common threat
• Many infrastructure systems- digital infrastructure, shipping lines, aviation networks- cover the entire world. The effect of disaster in one part of the world can quickly spread across the world. Cooperation is a must for ensuring the resilience of the global system

Police have arrested six Naxals from two places in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district, officials said on Wednesday. In a separate incident, a 5 kg improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered by a joint team of security forces, including the CRPF, when it was out on a de-mining exercise on
Pamed-Tipapurm road here on Wednesday, they said. The six cardres were arrested on Tuesday when separate teams of the District Force and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) were out on anti-Naxal operations, a police official said.

The case of recovery of gelatin sticks near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in Mumbai has turned murkier with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) claiming there were "other players" who had been allegedly instructing arrested policeman Sachin Waze. Waze, who was arrested by the NIA on Saturday, was working at the instruction of "some people" and that needs to be found out, officials associated with the probe said on condition of anonymity.

The Mumbai Police officer was the second investigator in the case related to the recovery of an explosive-laden vehicle and a threat letter near Ambani's residence on February 25.

Schools in Noida and Greater Noida cannot increase fees in the academic year 2021-22 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, according to a Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration order. The schools have also been directed to charge fees only on monthly basis and not force or insist payment of fees on a quarterly or half-yearly or yearly basis on any student, stated the order by the District Fee Regulation Committee (DRFC).

The decisions were taken during a meeting of the DFRC, chaired by District Magistrate Suhas LY on Tuesday, which discussed, deliberated and reviewed issues pertaining to annual fees increment reported by the schools for the academic year 2021-2022 and other issues.

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati called for providing coronavirus vaccine to the poor free of charge, ahead of a meeting between the prime minister and chief ministers on the pandemic situation and the ongoing inoculation drive on Wednesday. In a tweet in Hindi, Mayawati said that if the coronavirus vaccination is expedited by the central and state governments as a national policy, it would be better.

Firebrand woman leader Sobha Surendran has been fielded by BJP from the Kazhakootam constituency here for the April 6 state assembly polls. An announcement in this regard was made by the party's central leadership on Wednesday. Union Minister V Muraleedharan was fielded by the party in the 2016 assembly polls and was defeated by around 7000 votes.
 

The BJP on Wednesday announced its candidates for three more constituencies in Tamil Nadu for the April 6 Assembly polls, two days before the last date to file nominations. The Saffron party, an ally of the ruling AIADMK had days ago named its nominees for 17 out of the 20 constituencies allotted to it by its partner and now announced candidates for Thali (C Nagesh Kumar), Udhagamandalam (Bhojarajan) and Vilavancode (R Jayaseelan).
 

Bihar Governor nominates members to fill 12 vacancies in the State Legislative Council. Upendra Kushwaha also nominated.

A 45-year-old woman was shot dead by bike-borne assailants here on Wednesday. The victim identified as Meena was from Nepal and was residing in Timarpur in North Delhi, where the attack took place. She used to sell water, snacks and cold drinks. Police received information about the shooting around 7 a.m.

The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm

Sri Lanka will continue to use the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines despite its suspension in some countries over reports that the doses were causing blood clot-related complications, a government spokesman said on Wednesday. Some nations, mostly European, suspended the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which also has a tie-up with the Serum Institute of India, after some reports of blood clotting.
 

Delhi residents visiting the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar have been advised to undergo an RT-PCR test for COVID-19 on their return and self-monitor their health. In an advisory, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has asked people attending the congregation to take extra precautions and follow COVID-19-related instructions issued by authorities. A sizeable number of pilgrims from Delhi are expected to visit the mela beginning on April 1, it said.

Rwanda will continue administering the AstraZeneca vaccines as the reported side effects have not been confirmed, the country's Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said.

Some European countries have suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports of blood clots in some recipients. The World Health Organization (WHO) is conducting a safety review of the vaccine, Xinhua reported.

The BJP has released names of candidates for the nine assembly constituencies in Puducherry. In a statement issued late Tuesday, the BJP said that the party's Central Election Committee has decided the following names for the ensuing Puducherry legislative assembly elections.

The saffron party has fielded V. Saminathan (Lawspet), A. Namassivayam (Mannadipet), J. Saravana Kumar (Oussidu), John Kumar (Kamaraj Nagar), P.M.L. Kalyanasundaram (Kalapet), Vivilian Richards Johnkumar (Nellithope), Embalam R. Selvam (Manavely), G.N.S. Rajasekaran (Thirunallar) and V.M.C.S. Manoharen (Neravy TR Pattinam).

Lok Sabha proceedings were on Wednesday adjourned till 1 PM after an obituary reference to Mandi MP Ram Swaroop Sharma. Sharma, a BJP MP, was found hanging from the ceiling at his official residence.
 

Two suspected cattle smugglers have been arrested after a gunfight with police in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida, an officer said on Wednesday.
One of the accused got injured in the exchange of fire while another had managed to flee the encounter site but was held eventually during a combing operation, the police said.
 

The steep hike in domestic cooking gas price figured in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with a CPI(M) MP saying it has put an intolerable burden on the common people already suffering from general price rise. Raising the issue through a zero-hour mention, Jharna Das Baidya said subsidised and non-subsidised LPG prices were raised by a steep Rs 125 per cylinder in four installments since February.
 

The Odisha government has urged the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct the All-India NEET-UG 2021 examinations in all the 30 districts
of the state instead of selected seven cities. The request was made by Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, PK Mohapatra in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation still prevailing in the state. The All India NEET UG Examination is conducted by the NTA for admission to MBBS/BDS courses and other undergraduate medical courses in approved/recognized Medical/Dental and other Colleges/ Institutes in India.

Reports that Nita Ambani will be a visiting lecturer at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) are fake. She hasn't received an invitation from BHU: Reliance Industries Limited spokesperson

Arunachal Pradesh reported one new COVID-19 case, pushing the total coronavirus caseload in the north-eastern state to 16,841, a senior health official said on Wednesday. The new case was detected from Papumpare district through rapid antigen test, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. Arunachal Pradesh currently has two active COVID-19 cases, while 16,783 people have recovered from the disease so
far, he said.
 

BJP MP from Mandi, Ram Swaroop Sharma died allegedly by suicide in Delhi. Police received a call from a staffer. He was found hanging and the door was closed from inside: Delhi Police

West Bengal: A fire broke out in a market area near Jalpaiguri, in Siliguri

The overall number of global Covid-19 cases has surpassed the grim milestone of 120.6 million as the pandemic is still raging, while the deaths have surged to more than 2.66 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Wednesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 120,648,897 and 2,669,791, respectively.

The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 29,492,616 and 535,596, respectively, according to the CSSE.

Gujarat on Tuesday saw 954 new Covid cases, taking its tally to 2,80,051, while the death toll climbed to 4,427, with two patients succumbing. The state is again started seeing a rapid rise in the daily Covid tally, which has risen from an average of around 200 to near the thousand mark in a matter of days. In March so far, the state has added 10,162 cases at a daily average of 635.
 

A fire broke out at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday morning, Fire Brigade officials said. There was no report of any injury in the fire, they said. The fire broke out at 8.01 am in the Corona ward on the third floor of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital and three fire tenders were rushed to the spot immediately, the officials said.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

India reports 28,903 new COVID-19 cases, 17,741 recoveries and 188 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry

Total cases: 1,14,38,734
Total recoveries: 1,10,45,284  
Active cases: 2,34,406
Death toll: 1,59,044 
Total vaccination: 3,50,64,536

BJP Parliamentary Party meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled after the demise of BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma

Sensex drops 42.66 pts to 50,321.30 in opening session; Nifty slips 14.85 pts to 14,895.60

Three more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram in the last 24 hours, pushing the coronavirus tally to 4,442, an official said on Wednesday. Of the three fresh cases, two were reported from Aizawl district and one from Siaha district, he said. Two patients have travel history, he said.
 

Former Union Minister and BJP leader, Dilip Gandhi passes away at a private hospital in Delhi. He had tested positive for COVID-19 and was under treatment. 

Karnataka: Two Nigerian nationals arrested in Bengaluru and seized drugs including ecstasy and LSD worth Rs 75 lakhs from their possession

Made in India COVID-19 vaccines reach Uzbekistan

Odisha's COVID-19 tally mounted to 3,38,323 on Tuesday as 65 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said. Of the new cases, 37 were reported from quarantine centers and 28 detected during contact tracing. Sundargarh district recorded the highest number of
fresh cases at 15, followed by Mayurbhanj at nine, Balasore and Khurda at five each.
 

In a major reshuffle, 21 Indian Administrative Service officers were among 34 top officials transferred in the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday night, officials said. The transfers and postings include shifting of 12 deputy commissioners and a divisional commissioner of the Jammu region, they said. According to an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) Commissioner Secretary Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Raghav Langer, a 2009 batch IAS officer, who was deputy commissioner in Pulwama, is transferred and posted as Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.
 

The Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday passed the demand for grants for higher education by voice vote amid an uproar by the BJP over the phone-tapping row. The opposition legislators stormed into the well of the House, staged a sit-in and shouted slogans against the government even as state Higher Education Minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati replied to a discussion over the issue. The BJP legislators continued their dharna even after the House passed the demand for grants of more than Rs 370.60 billion by voice vote.