Highlights: Haryana eases Covid-19 curbs for educational institutions

Haryana government eased some Covid-19 related restrictions as it allowed cinemas and multiplexes to open and function with 50% seating capacity. Universities and colleges and classes 10 and 12 will be allowed to open from February 1.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky called on Russia to 'prove' its claims that it does not intend an invasion, reports AFP. 

Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said that SP leader Akhilesh Yadav was blaming the BJP for his chopper delay because of frustration, reports ANI. 

“Neither Akhilesh Yadav's election plan nor his plane is taking off. It is his failure and frustration due to which he is blaming BJP for this. People in UP indicated to him in 2014 that he is not capable to be the CM when BJP won 73 seats in LS polls,” he said.

Manipur Congress in-charge Bhakta Charan Das said that party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi would “soon” visit the poll-bound state, reports ANI.  

“Whatever work can be done is being done, we don't need to advertise it in the country,” he said. 

Karnataka reported 31,198 new Covid-19 cases and 50 related deaths in the last 24 hours and the active caseload in the state reached 288,767. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 20.91%.

Maharashtra reported 24,948 new Covid-19 cases and 103 deaths as the total caseload reached 7,655,554 and the death toll climbed to 142,461.

Mumbai reported 1,312 new Covid-19 cases and 10 deaths in the last 24 hours and the city's active caseload reached 14,344, data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation showed.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a Covid review meeting with Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh at 3pm on Saturday, following a similar discussion with eight southern states and UTs, earlier today.

With 4,044 new Covid-19 cases and 25 deaths in the last 24 hours, Delhi's total caseload reached 1,819,332 and the death toll climbed to 29,152. The daily positivity rate was at 8.60% and the active caseload stood at 29,152.

Centre appoints V Anantha Nageswaran as the chief economic advisor, said an official statement by the finance ministry.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that more than 60% of youngsters between 15 and 18 years of age have been administered with the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal requested the people of Punjab to vote for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said his party wouldn't go to the people of Punjab asking for votes if they don't work for the next five years, reports ANI. 

“Vote for AAP and let us work for 5 years. If we don't work, next time neither I nor Bhagwant Mann would come to you for votes,” he said. 

The spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs Arindam Bagchi said that India has been closely following the developments in Ukraine, including the high-level disucssion between Russia and US, reports ANI.

“We call for a peaceful resolution for long term stability and peace in the region and beyond,” he said.

“Earlier, only boys were eligible for Sainik school, girls could not apply, but we (BJP) made it possible...Today our daughters can become pilots, join NDA and match shoulder-to-shoulder (with boys),” Union home minister Amit Shah said in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, reports ANI.

The Delhi government resumed driving license skill test and learning license test activities which were suspended due to Covid-19, reports ANI. 

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given permission to Bharat Biotech for intranasal booster dose trials. The trials will be done at 9 different sites.

Over 1 crore precautionary doses have been administered to the eligible population in just 19 days, says Union health minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.

TMC fields Seoula Vas as its candidate from Fatorda constituency after Luizinho Faleiro announced the withdrawal of his candidature from the constituency.

“Wine is not liquor. If wine sale increases, farmers will get benefit from it. We have done this to double farmers' income. BJP only raises opposition but does nothing for farmers,” said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut after former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis objected the govt's decision to allow sale of wine in supermarkets and walk-in stores in Maharashtra. Read more

Supreme Court refuses to dilute conditions for providing reservation in promotion for SC/STs; rules collection of quantifiable data is mandatory apart from assessment of inadequacy of representation after a periodic review. Review period should be determined by the Union Govt.

SC sets aside the Maharashtra assembly's decision suspending 12 BJP MLAs for a one-year period beginning July 5, 2021. The court held that the suspension beyond the remainder period of the session of the Assembly was non-est in law, substantially illegal and irrational. The MLAs will now be entitled to all consequential benefits after the conclusion of the session in July.

“I announce my withdrawal as Goa TMC candidate from Fatorda and hand over the baton to a young woman, a professional. That has been the policy of the party - to empower the women,” says AITC national vice-president Luizinho Faleiro, in Panaji.

“My earlier experience says that when I fought the election last time, we could not do justice to them. To replace me, we have a very able Flora, who will represent the Fatorda constituency,” he adds.

Protesters have blocked roads in Patna in support of bandh called by various political parties over alleged discrepancies in RRB NTPC results, reports news agency ANI.

India has reported 2,51,209 new Covid-19 cases and 627 deaths in the last 24 hours. There were a total of 3,47,443 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

“Continuous sequencing of Covid positive samples is being done. Almost 94 per cent of samples have tested positive for Omicron and 6 per cent for Delta,” said Kerala health minister Veena George, speaking to reporters.

The government is likely to rejig customs duties on components or sub-parts of consumer electronics and mobile phones in the upcoming Union budget, two people familiar with the development said. Read more

A fire broke out at a furniture godown at Sumaras Chamunda Complex in Bhiwandi area in Thane and spread to 3 more godowns. Four fire tenders are present at the spot. No injury or casualty reported, fire dousing still underway, says Bhiwandi fire department.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday decided to relax the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and allow dining services at restaurants, bars with 50 per cent seating capacity. Cinema halls have been allowed to reopen at 50 per cent capacity, while the weekend curfew has been lifted.