FEATURED FUNDS
Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund Regular-Growth
5Y Return
15.5 %
Invest Now
FEATURED FUNDS
Edelweiss Flexi Cap Fund Direct-Growth
5Y Return
14.69 %
Invest Now
FEATURED FUNDS
Edelweiss Small Cap Fund Direct - Growth
3Y Return
32.39 %
Invest Now
FEATURED FUNDS
Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund Direct-Growth
5Y Return
12.84 %
Invest Now
FEATURED FUNDS
Edelweiss Recently Listed IPO Fund Regular - Gro..
3Y Return
27.98 %
Invest Now
Business News›News›Newsblogs›Covid News LIVE Updates: PM Modi chairs COVID-19 review meeting with chief ministers
LIVE BLOG
Economic Times | 27 Apr, 2022 | 02:04PM IST
Covid News LIVE Updates: PM Modi chairs COVID-19 review meeting with chief ministers
Covid Fourth Wave News Live: Amid rising COVID cases in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a meeting with Chief Ministers via video conferencing to assess the health situation across the nation.
Apart from the Prime Minister and senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and officials from their respective Ministries are also present at the meeting.
As per sources, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will be making a presentation on the present situation of COVID, the extent of vaccination, especially the booster drive, and the trajectory of cases in certain states.
Apart from the Prime Minister and senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and officials from their respective Ministries are also present at the meeting.
As per sources, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will be making a presentation on the present situation of COVID, the extent of vaccination, especially the booster drive, and the trajectory of cases in certain states.
!1 New UpdateClick here for latest updates
Silver futures rise on spot demand
Silver prices on Wednesday rose by Rs 155 to Rs 65,123 per kilogram in futures trade as participants widened their bets on a firm spot demand. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver contracts for May delivery gained Rs 155 or 0.24 per cent to Rs 65,123 per kg in 4,568 lots. Analysts said the rise in silver prices was mainly due to fresh positions built up by participants on a positive domestic trend.
Gold futures gain on fresh bets
Gold prices on Wednesday marginally increased by Rs 8 to Rs 51,592 per 10 gram in futures trade as speculators created fresh positions on a firm spot demand. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold contracts for June delivery traded higher by Rs 8 or 0.02 per cent at Rs 51,592 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 14,016 lots. Fresh positions built up by participants led to the rise in gold prices, analysts said.
Congress party revamps Haryana unit
Cong revamps Haryana unit: appoints Shruti Choudhry, Ram Kishan Gujjar, Jitender Kumar Bharadwaj, Suresh Gupta as working presidents.
Russia cuts off gas, European prices spike
European gas prices have spiked by as much as 24% following Gazprom's statement that it was suspending deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria starting Wednesday because it hasn't received any payments from them since April 1. Benchmark Dutch futures traded at one point around 125 euros per megawatt hour.Fatih Birol, the executive director of the Paris-based International Energy Agency, tweeted Wednesday morning that his organization “stands firmly with Poland.”“Gazprom's move to completely shut off gas supplies to Poland is yet another sign of Russia's politicisation of existing agreements & will only accelerate European efforts to move away from Russian energy supplies,” he wrote.
Despite managing the COVID crisis well as compared to other countries, we can see cases' uptick in states now. We have to stay alert. It's clear that the COVID challenge has yet not been surpassed: PM Modi after interacting with state CMs on the COVID-19 situation in the country.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman highlights India's steps towards digitization
Highlighting several digitization-related progressive steps in the budget this year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday (local time) said that there is a continuous digital nudge by the government across different sectors. Sitharman's remarks came during the 'Business Roundtable: Investing in India's Digital Revolution' organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and co-hosted by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) in Palo Alto, California. Alluding to the recently announced Central bank digital currency, digital banks, and digital university, Sitharaman stated, "There is a continuous digital nudge by the government across sectors." Interacting with the participants, the Finance Minister said that India aims to introduce digital currency by 2023. However, she added that aiding financial inclusion was not the sole purpose of the proposed digital currency, unlike in other countries. "The government and RBI are looking into its several commercial use purposes and not just financial inclusion, which is largely achieved through the JAM trinity," she said.
PM Modi chairs COVID-19 review meeting with chief ministers
Amid rising COVID cases in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a meeting with Chief Ministers via video conferencing to assess the health situation across the nation. Apart from the Prime Minister and senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and officials from their respective Ministries are also present at the meeting. As per sources, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will be making a presentation on the present situation of COVID, the extent of vaccination, especially the booster drive, and the trajectory of cases in certain states.
Shanghai seeks 'societal zero COVID' with rounds of testing
Shanghai city authorities said Wednesday they will start rounds of COVID-19 testing over the next few days to determine which neighbourhoods can safely be allowed a limited amount of freedom of movement, as residents in Beijing watch carefully on word for whether the capital city will lock down. On Wednesday, China reported 14,222 new cases, the vast majority of which were asymptomatic. The country is battling its largest outbreak since the pandemic was first reported in Wuhan in late December 2019. Shanghai's vice head of its health committee, Zhao Dandan, announced Wednesday that the city would begin another round of testing for city residents over the next few days to determine which districts were lower risk. Areas that have been declared to have achieved “societal zero COVID” could see some measure of limited freedom.
LIC IPO press meet at 12.30 pm today
India has slashed the size of its biggest initial public offering by about 60%, pressing ahead with the sale even as the war in Ukraine continues to weigh on investor demand. The Centre will sell 221.4 million shares of LIC at Rs 902 to Rs 949 each, according to the final prospectus filed with exchanges. The offering could raise as much as $2.7 billion at the top end of the price range. Even so, the IPO will be India’s largest, surpassing the 183 billion rupee sale by One97 Communications Ltd., the operator of Paytm, in November.
LIC eighth largest life insurer globally in terms of total assets
LIC is the eighth largest life insurer globally in terms of total assets. As of fiscal 2021, it holds around $507.33 billion in total assets. Currently, China's Ping An Insurance is the largest insurer in terms of total assets, followed by Germany's Allianz SE and France-based AXA SA. As of December 2020, Ping An Insurance holds around $1.38 trillion in total assets, while Allianz SE and AXA SA have $1.27 trillion and $965.51 billion, respectively. US-based Metlife Inc, Japan's Nippon Life Insurance, Britain's Aviva PLC and China Life Insurance Co have total assets of $795.15 billion, $705 billion, $657.34 billion and $616.29 billion, respectively.
Food crisis in China revives memories of Mao-era famine
Under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China is going back to the days of Mao Zedong's extreme communism and bringing back the memories of the famine in Mao's era. Writing for InsideOver, Federico Giuliani said Xi Jinping has made it his motto to make China the strongest superpower in the world but he is repeating the same mistakes that were made in the Mao Zedong era. During Mao's era, the main cause of the famine was an ill-conceived effort, executed with insufficient means, to catch up with Britain in industrialization.
PM Modi to pay official visit to Germany, Denmark and France in May
PM Modi will pay an official visit to Germany, Denmark and France from May 2-4. This will be the Prime Minister’s first visit abroad in 2022, said the Ministry of External Affairs. In Berlin, PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany and the 2 leaders will co-chair the 6th edition of India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC). PM Modi will thereafter travel to Copenhagen at the invitation of Denmark PM Mette Frederiksen. He'll also participate in 2nd India-Nordic Summit being hosted by Denmark. On his return journey on May 4, PM Modi will briefly stopover in Paris and meet French President Emmanuel Macron.
Centre scraps MP quota for admissions to KV schools
The Education Ministry has scrapped quotas in several categories including that of Member of Parliament (MP) and District Magistrate (DM) for admissions to Kendriya Vidyalayas, according to the latest circular issued by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS). Earlier, the KVS had put on hold all discretionary quotas, including the MP quota, for admissions to KV schools across the country, following a review. "In a revolutionary step to streamline admissions in Kendriya Vidyalas and improve the quality of education, it has been decided to discontinue several discretionary quotas which were beyond the approved students' strength," said government sources.
Air India proposes to acquire entire India operation of Air Asia
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) notifies the proposal for Air India's acquisition of Air Asia India. As per the notification, the proposed combination relates to the acquisition of the entire equity share capital of AirAsia India by Air India. Currently, Tata Sons holds 83.67% of the equity share capital of Air Asia India.
Israel's measures increase tension, undermine two-state solution: Palestinian PM
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Tuesday said that the Israeli measures in the Palestinian territories would increase tension and undermine the two-state solution. Shtayyeh made the remarks during a meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in the West Bank city of Ramallah, to discuss bilateral relations and the political situation in the region, according to an official statement. "The Israeli measures of accelerating the cycle of settlements, demolition of Palestinian homes, confiscation of land, the measures at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the daily raids on the West Bank towns are undermining the two-state solution," Shtayyeh said.
After lull, Covid infections touch double digits in Chandigarh
The city on Tuesday reported 15 new Covid-19 cases, the highest after the end of the third wave in March. Twenty-one areas/sectors have been witnessing at least one case each since the last three days, implying a spread of the virus. “If the cases had been coming from the same household, it does not indicate faster transmission. But if the cases are coming from various pockets of the city and from different households, there is a higher transmission possibility,” said Prof PVM Lakshmi, department of community medicine and School for Public Health, PGI. She said, “It is the fallout of lifting restrictions. Moreover, it will take another month or so after the imposition of such restrictions for the effect to be seen.”
Sri Lankan PM rejects calls for resignation; says 'I will go if I lose Parliamentary majority'
Amid nationwide protests and growing calls for his resignation, Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that he will step down if he loses the majority in the Parliament. Sri Lanka has been gripped by an economic crisis with foreign debt estimated at USD 51 billion. The country appears to be on the edge of a "humanitarian crisis", according to the United Nations Development Programme, as its financial troubles grow, with rising food prices, and the country's coffers have run dry. In an interview with Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror, Rajapaksa said "GoHomeRajapaksa" campaigns are being run by only a certain section of the population and but it is not practical.
Rajasthan CM writes to Gadkari for providing better connectivity to Bharatpur
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday wrote to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari requesting better connectivity to Bharatpur city in the state which is known for a popular bird sanctuary. In his letter, Gehlot asked for the extension of the road connecting Paniyala Mod and Delhi-Mumbai expressway up to Bharatpur in the state along with announcing the Alwar-Bharatpur (97 km) road as a national highway and upgrading it to a four-lane road. In the letter, the chief minister said that Bharatpur has a world-famous bird sanctuary which hosts thousands of visitors from various states in the city.
PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for kin of TN's Thanjavur mishap victims
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his condolences over the death of 11 people due to electrocution during the chariot procession in Appar Swami Temple of Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur and also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin. "Deeply pained by the mishap in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I hope that the injured recover soon," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the Thanjavur mishap and Rs 50,000 for the injured persons.
Australian inflation hits 20-year high
Australia's annual inflation rate hit 5.1 percent in the March quarter, the highest recorded since 2001, according to official data released on Wednesday. The jump in consumer prices -- driven by fuel and housing costs -- was even higher than analyst expectations and has increased speculation that Australia's central bank may raise interest rates as early as next week. It would be a bold move for the avowedly apolitical Reserve Bank of Australia, which would not want to be seen to be affecting the country's current election campaign. The last time the RBA raised rates during an election period was in 2007.
Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank clashes
One Palestinian was killed by Israeli forces and three others wounded in West Bank clashes early Wednesday, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. The man killed was identified as 21-year-old Ahmad Massad, from the village of Burqin in the northern West Bank. The Israeli army told AFP it was "conducting counterterrorism activity in the city of Jenin," a stronghold of Palestinian armed factions in the West Bank.
Markets pare previous day gains; Sensex tanks 496 points in early trade
Equity markets tumbled on Wednesday after a sharp rebound in the previous trade, with the Sensex falling 496 points in early trade, tracking weak global trends. Unabated foreign fund outflows and selling in index majors Infosys and Bajaj Finance also played spoilsport. "The roller coaster ride in markets is set to continue in the near-term. With the 3.95 per cent sell-off yesterday (Tuesday), Nasdaq is now 23 per cent down from its record highs and, therefore, can be said to be in bear market territory.
Legal cases against Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi
- Intent to incite, over her party's letter sent to international organisations while she was in detention, asking them not to recognise the military government (Penal Code, Article 505). Sentenced to two years in prison, Dec. 6, 2021.- Breaches of COVID-19 rules during election campaigning (Natural Disaster Management Law, Article 25). Sentenced to two years in prison, Dec. 6, 2021 and on Jan. 10, 2022.- Possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies and signal jammers (Export and Import Law, Article 8). Two cases, maximum 3 years in prison. (Telecommunications Law, Article 67). Sentenced Jan. 10 to two years and one year in jail, respectively, on the charges. Sentences are to be served concurrently.- Obtaining, collecting, recording, or publishing or communicating secret information that could be useful to an enemy (Official Secrets Act). One case, maximum 14 years in prison.- Influencing the Election Commission (Penal Code article 130-A). One case, maximum three years in prison.- Violations of the anti-corruption law (Sections 55, 63). 11 cases, maximum 15 years in prison for each.Allegations include:* Misusing funds from the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation that Suu Kyi chaired, to build a home.* Leasing government-owned land at a discounted rate.* Accepting bribes totalling $600,000 and 11.4 kg of gold bars. Sentenced to five years in prison on April 27.* Misuse of state funds for lease of a helicopter.
15 hours on, firefighting operation underway at Bhalswa landfill site in north Delhi
Efforts are on to douse a fire at the Bhalswa landfill site in north Delhi which has been raging for over 15 hours, officials said on Wednesday. According to them, five fire tenders are working at the site. The fire broke out at the landfill site on Tuesday. The fire department received information about the blaze around 5.47 pm following which 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
Rupee slumps 16 paise to 76.72 against US dollar in early trade
The rupee depreciated 16 paise to 76.72 against the US dollar in opening trade on Wednesday, weighed down by the strength of the greenback and unabated foreign fund outflows. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 76.69 against the American dollar, then lost ground to quote at 76.72, registering a fall of 16 paise from the last close. On Tuesday, the rupee settled at 76.56 against the dollar.
PM Modi will be interacting with state CMs to review Covid-19 situation in the country through video conference at 12 noon today.
China reports 1,818 new local COVID-19 cases, 48 deaths
The Chinese mainland reported 1,818 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 48 deaths in the past 24 hours, said the National Health Commission on Wednesday. Of the new local cases, 1,606 were reported in Shanghai, while the rest of the cases were reported in 16 other provincial-level regions on the mainland, including 56 in Jiangxi, 51 in Jilin, and 31 in Beijing, Xinhua reported citing the commission. The country also reported 12,404 locally transmitted asymptomatic infections of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, of which 11,956 local asymptomatic carriers were identified in Shanghai.
Active COVID-19 cases increase to 16,279
India recorded 2,927 fresh infections in a day which pushed the case tally to 4,30,65,496 while the active caseload increased to 16,279, according to Union Health Ministry data on Wednesday. The death toll has climbed to 5,23,654 with 32 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. While active cases increased by 643 in a day and comprised 0.04 per cent of the total infections, the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.75 per cent, the ministry said. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.58 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was 0.59 per cent, the government said.
Aftermath: Bhalaswa dump yard fire
#WATCH | Bhalaswa dump yard in Delhi sending a dense plume of smoke into the sky and exacerbating the already pollu… https://t.co/26w8PaMpEf
— ANI (@ANI) 165102249600011 persons electrocuted in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur during a temple chariot procession
Biden to address major Washington funeral for Madeleine Albright
President Joe Biden will address the funeral of former secretary of state Madeleine Albright on Wednesday at a cathedral service featuring hundreds from the Washington political and diplomatic elite. Albright, the first woman to head the State Department, and one of the major figures of late 20th century US diplomacy, died last month, aged 84.
"USCIRF report on religious freedom biased against India"
A group of eminent Indian-Americans expressed disappointment over the latest annual report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and alleged that it is biased against India. The report recommended to the Biden Administration to designate India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and 11 other nations as "country of particular concern" in the context of status of religious freedom. The recommendations are not binding on the US government.
"High oil prices behind inflation, need monetary tightening"
The surge in oil prices due to the Ukrainian war has pushed up inflation in India, which needs monetary tightening and measures to address structural weaknesses to improve growth potential, said a senior IMF official. According to estimates, the country's economy is likely to grow at 8.2 per cent in 2022-23, down 0.8 per percentage points, said Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf, Acting Director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department.
Mexico says coronavirus now endemic, not pandemic
The Mexican government said Tuesday that COVID-19 has passed from a pandemic to an endemic stage in Mexico, meaning authorities will treat it as a seasonally recurring disease. Mexico never enforced face mask requirements, and the few partial shutdowns of businesses and activities were lifted weeks ago. “It is now retreating almost completely,” said President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Russia suspending gas supplies to Poland, Bulgaria
Officials in Poland and Bulgaria said Tuesday that Russia is suspending their countries' natural gas deliveries after they refused to pay for their supplies in Russian rubles. The governments of the two European Union and NATO members said Russian energy giant Gazprom informed them it was halting the gas supplies starting Wednesday.
"Russia's Chernobyl seizure risked accident"
Thirty-six years after the world's worst nuclear disaster, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Tuesday that Russian troops risked causing an accident with their “very, very dangerous” seizure of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Standing under an umbrella during a rain shower outside the damaged plant, agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said that while radiation levels are normal, the situation is still “not stable.” Nuclear authorities have to “keep on alert." Russian troops moved into the radiation-contaminated Chernobyl exclusion zone in February on their way toward the Ukrainian capital. They withdrew late last month as Russia pulled its forces from areas near Kyiv and switched its focus to fighting in eastern Ukraine. The site has been back in Ukrainian hands since then and disrupted communications have been restored.
Syria says Israel attacked areas near the capital, Damascus
Syrian air defenses were active early Wednesday as Israel carried out attacks near the capital, Damascus, state media reported. There was no immediate word on casualties. State media said the attacks occurred shortly after midnight without saying whether they were Israeli air raids or surface-to-surface missiles. The attacks came hours after the Israeli military said an Israeli drone crashed on the Syrian side of the border Tuesday, adding that an investigation was opened into the case.
