Breaking News May 25

Pfizer received full approval on Thursday for its COVID-19 pill Paxlovid that's been the go-to treatment against the coronavirus. More than 11 million prescriptions for Paxlovid have been dispensed since the Food and Drug Administration allowed emergency use in late 2021. The emergency status was based on early studies and was intended to be temporary pending follow-up research. The FDA granted full approval for adults with COVID-19 who face high risks of severe disease, which can lead to hospitalization or death. That group typically includes older adults and those with common medical conditions like diabetes, asthma and obesity. The decision allows Pfizer's drug to remain on the market indefinitely and to be marketed similarly to other drugs. The pill is still available for children ages 12 to 17 under a separate emergency authorisation.

Sixty women and 39 men were arrested in raids at eight spa centres in Pacific Mall located on the UP-Delhi border, police here said on Thursday. "Police have arrested 60 women and 39 men from these spa centres most of them allegedly involved in immoral sex trafficking and were found in objectionable state," DCP Trans Hindon Vivek Chandra Yadav said. In the raids that were made Wednesday midnight, the Link Road police also arrested seven managers, two of them women, and booked them under sections of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. The seven managers were identified as Kushal, Preet Kaur, Subhash, Rohit, Renu, Rohit Singh, and a 23-year-old Sumit, Yadav said. "We have identified 11 others who are the owners or managers running these centres and were involved in encouraging prostitution. They will also be arrested soon," said the officer. The arrested patrons and managers were produced before a court here and were later sent to jail, he said. The DCP said Sub-Inspector Shishupal Solanki, In-charge, Maharajpur Police Outpost, was suspended for dereliction of duty.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Thursday said a delegation of the apex religious body of Sikhs will visit Delhi on May 29 to support the wrestlers who are protesting against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at Jantar Mantar.SGPC senior vice-president Baldev Singh Qaimpur, general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal and executive member Gurinder Kaur Bholuwala will be part of the delegation. Top wrestlers of the country, including Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding the arrest of Singh for allegedly sexually harassing seven women grapplers, including a minor.

India must focus on advancements in defence technology to deal with a "double threat" along the borders, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, in an oblique reference to the security challenges at the frontiers with China and Pakistan. In an address at a conference organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Singh underlined the need for extensive research to develop defence technologies for the country to meet various security challenges. "For a country like India, it becomes very important because we are facing a double threat on our borders. In such a situation, it is very important for us to move forward in terms of technological advancements," he said in Hindi.

A court here has issued notice and directed the Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) to appear in person before it after noting that the inspector concerned failed to answer the court’s query about the status of investigation and filing of supplementary charge sheet in a case of the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat was hearing the case against former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and others related to the larger conspiracy behind the 2020 communal riots . The case is being investigated by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.

A woman was killed and five others were injured when a water supply pipe burst in Kharguli area of the city on Thursday, an official said. The gushing water also damaged several houses and vehicles while people rushed to safety. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, the official said. Senior officials rushed to the spot and the cause of the incident is being ascertained.

A key aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday alleged that the proposed inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be a breach of protocol “to show one individual as above the country, the Constitution and the legislature”. The new building is scheduled to be inaugurated by PM Modi on Sunday. Kumar’s JD(U) is among the nearly a score of parties opposed to the BJP, which have announced a boycott of the function. In a statement issued here, senior JD(U) leader and state minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary asserted that the inauguration of the new building “should be by none other than President Droupadi Murmu”. Asserting that “as per the Constitution, it is the President who heads the country's legislature” the JD(U) leader dubbed the boycott of the function announced by opposition parties as “justified and inevitable”. Chaudhary, widely regarded as the “troubleshooter” of Nitish Kumar in political as well as administrative matters, termed as “surprising” the conspicuous absence of the name of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar from the inauguration invite.

The government will crack down on developers of power projects, who miss the scheduled commercial date of operation or deadline to complete the project, Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh said on Thursday. Addressing a CII conference, Singh said the electricity generation capacity addition is a big challenge, as people are sitting on several projects won under the bidding process. Singh said that all these projects (power) are won under the bidding process and if they miss the SCOD (scheduled commercial date of operation or deadline to complete the project), then the developer will be banned from participating in project bidding for one year. On the second such incident, the developer will be banned for five years, Singh said, adding that he is going to put this (rule) in (policy). Power project developers are waiting for demand to grow but this will not happen, he said.

Shares of LIC on Thursday ended nearly 2 per cent higher after the company posted more than five-fold jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 13,191 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 2023. The stock ended with a gain of 1.69 per cent at Rs 603.60 on the BSE. During the day, it rallied 3.72 per cent to Rs 615.65. At NSE, it advanced 1.62 per cent to settle at Rs 603.55. The company's market valuation climbed Rs 6,356.63 crore to Rs 3,81,776.86 crore. In traded volume terms, 2.55 lakh shares of the company were traded at BSE and over 51.87 lakh shares on NSE during the day. The insurer had earned a profit of Rs 2,409 crore in the same quarter a year earlier.

A 34-year-old man died due to electrocution while another suffered serious burns on Thursday after coming in contact with a live wire in this district, police said. The incident took place in Ramapar village under Pakdi police station limits, they said. Satya Prakash Verma, who owned a tent business, along with his associate was taking out the goods for installation at a function when both came in contact with the live wire, Station House Officer (SHO) Shatrughan Kumar said. While Satya Prakash Verma died on the spot, the other person, identified as Ritesh Verma, was hospitalised with serious burns, the SHO added

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at two locations in Uttar Pradesh in the Bhopal terror funding case involving the proscribed organization, JMB (Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh).

Telangana | A 2-year-old girl died after being run over by a car in the parking lot of an apartment in Hyderabad. "A woman labourer who came for work made her two-year-old daughter sleep in the parking lot. A person who was parking his car without noticing the girl ran his car over her, resulting in her death at the spot. Case registered under relevant sections of IPC. The car belongs to an Excise Sub-Inspector and the incident happened while her husband was driving the car. Further probe is on," Police said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives in Guwahati, Assam. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and other leaders welcome him.

Kanpur Airport to get a new Civil Enclave with an enhanced passenger capacity on 26th May. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia says, "...This will not only better present Kanpur on the map of Civil Aviation but also open several doors in the facility to travel. Kanpur has had a long history and significance in the history of India. To bring it forward in an even better manner, this is being done under the leadership of PM Modi..."

Telugu Desam Party says it will attend new Parliament building inauguration on May 28.

"It's a temple of democracy, even the PM entered the Parliament by bowing on its steps. I humbly request and appeal (to the Opposition), kindly re-think, change your stand and participate in the ceremony," said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on new Parliament building.

World appreciates the way India strengthened its economy despite challenges, said PM Modi at launch of Delhi-Dehradun Vande Bharat train.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flags off the inaugural run of Uttarakhand's first semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express train connecting Dehradun with New Delhi in Dehradun.

India records 535 new COVID-19 infections, count of active cases now stands at 6,168. Death toll increases to 5,31,854, tally of infections 4,49,88,426: Union Health Ministry

Jailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain brought to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital after he slipped and fell in the bathroom at Tihar Jail last night. He has suffered minor injuries and has been brought for a checkup, informed Tihar Jail administration. Jain felt dizzy and fell in the bathroom at Tihar Jail last night. He has been admitted to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital.

 A Congress worker, 42-year-old Ravi alias Matthiravi (42) murdered in Chowdeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru. Case registered at Nandini Layout Police Station and efforts are underway to nab the victims. He was hit on his head with a stone that led to his head. The crime was committed by five people who came on motorcycles. Police sent the body to Victoria Hospital for postmortem, said Police.

Preparations underway at Dehradun Railway Station as PM Modi is set to flag off Delhi-Dehradun Vande Bharat Express train 11 am today.

"At 11 AM today, I will be flagging off the Vande Bharat Express between Delhi and Dehradun," tweets PM Narendra Modi.

PM Narendra Modi receives a warm welcome as people chant 'Modi-Modi' upon his arrival in Delhi after concluding his three-nation visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being garlanded by BJP National President JP Nadda and party members on his arrival at Palam airport after concluding his three-nation visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Palam airport in Delhi after concluding his three-nation visit to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia.