Alleged PFI men got funds to stoke riots in Hathras, says STF
The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UPSTF) filed a chargesheet against eight members of the Popular Front of India in a Mathura Court on Saturday. They have been accused of receiving funds from abroad to foment riots in Hathras in the wake of the alleged gang rape and murder of a Dalit girl in September 2020.
Farmer injured amid protests against Haryana CM Khattar
Two persons, including an elderly farmer, were injured in a clash between agitating farmers and the police during Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal’s visit to Rohtak on Saturda. The police, however, maintained that injuries were caused during stone-pelting by the farmers and no force was used.
Coronavirus | No fresh vaccine registration for healthcare workers and frontline workers
No fresh registration for COVID-19 vaccination in categories of Health Care and Frontline workers will be allowed with immediate effect, confirmed a senior health ministry official on Saturday.
Coronavirus | India reports 86,184 new COVID-19 cases, 471 deaths in 24 hours
As of 10 p.m. on Saturday, India reported 86,184 new COVID cases, 471 new deaths and 58,523 fresh recoveries, with an active case load of 6,82,202 patients. States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh have shown a steep rise in their daily COVID cases and over 80% of the new cases on Saturday were reported from these seven States.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections | Decisions on Vanniyar quota, Devendrakula Vellalars will not affect others: Edappadi Palaniswami
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said the move to provide 10.5% internal reservation to Vanniyars within the 20% quota for Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities and the generic title of Devendrakula Vellalars to seven castes among Scheduled Castes “will not affect others in any manner”.
Tikait declares 2021 as the year of protests
Bharatiya Kisan Union national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait told farmers, “2021 is the year of agitations. Keep your tractor ready with tent and edibles.” Addressing a massive kisan mahapanchayat in Gonda area of Aligarh district, Mr Tikait said the fact that large corporate entities had built godowns even before the three contentious farm laws were passed showed that they were in the know of things.
After days of denial, Amazon acknowledges issue of drivers urinating in bottles
Amazon.com Inc has apologised to U.S. Representative Mark Pocan, admitting to scoring an “own goal” in its initial denial of his suggestion that its drivers were sometimes forced to urinate in bottles during their delivery rounds.
Home Ministry slams linking its letter on human trafficking to ‘unrelated’ issue of farmers’ stir
The Union Home Ministry on Saturday termed as “distorted” and “misleading” media reports linking its letter to the Punjab government on the plight of 58 “bonded labourers” rescued in the state to the farmers’ agitation and said no motive should be ascribed to a routine communication over law and order issues.
Coronavirus | Maharashtra may divert all oxygen supply for medical use: Uddhav Thackeray
With Maharashtra recording over half of the daily coronavirus cases in India, the State government is considering diverting all industrial use oxygen supply for medical use, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said.
Jordan prince, in video, says he was placed under house arrest
The half-brother of Jordan's King Abdullah says he has been placed under house arrest by Jordanian authorities, accusing the country's leadership of corruption and incompetence. In a videotaped statement, Prince Hamzah said he was visited on early Saturday by the country's military chief and told "I was not allowed to go out, to communicate with people or to meet with them.”
IPL 2021 | BCCI confident of retaining IPL matches in Mumbai despite surge in coronavirus cases
At least 18 individuals who were to be involved in the Indian Premier League’s Mumbai leg, including Delhi Capitals’ allrounder Axar Patel, have been confirmed as having contracted COVID-19. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not overly worried about the fate of the Mumbai leg, scheduled from April 10 to 25.
Real Sociedad edge Athletic Bilbao to win Copa del Rey final
Real Sociedad beat local rivals Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in the rescheduled 2020 Copa del Rey final on Saturday to get their hands on a major trophy for the first time since 1987.