Breaking news highlights: UK to toughen sanctions on Russia over Ukraine crisis

UK foreign minister Liz Truss said on Monday that her government will impose tougher sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis. 

The Union personnel ministry announced continuation of 'work from home' for 50 per cent of central government employees below the level of Under Secretary till Feb 15.

"India’s interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions. We've also been in touch with concerned parties," says Permanent Representative of India to UN TS Tirumurti at the Security Council meet on ‘threats to international peace & security (Ukraine)’.

Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura in Karnataka finalized as India’s nomination for consideration as World Heritage for the year 2022-2023.

Higher educational institutions, that is schools for classes 10 to 12, along with colleges, universities, training institutes, ITIs and public libraries have been permitted to reopen in Chandigarh from February 1.

All staff and students above the age of 18 years should be fully vaccinated to attend their respective institutions. Children aged between 15-18 years should have at least the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Mumbai reports 960 new Covid-19 cases, 1,837 recoveries, and 11 deaths in the last 24 hours. Active cases stand at 9,900.

Night curfew to be in force between 11pm-5am instead of 10pm-5am. Restaurants, bars, and cinema halls to operate at 75% capacity. Parks & tourist places to reopen with COVID safety protocols, announced West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Local trains and Metro presently running with 50% capacity will run with 75% capacity from tomorrow.

“Many parties have raised the Pegasus issue. We have made it clear that the Supreme Court-appointed committee is investigating the matter and that issues related to the Budget should be raised (in the first part of the Budget session),” says Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi.

Andhra Pradesh Govt promulgates ordinance to raise the retirement age of State Govt employees from 60 years to 62 years from January 1, 2022.

"The services sector was the most affected by the lockdowns. It is just a little short of where it was pre-pandemic. The segment (of services sector) which includes tourism, travel, and hotels is still 8.5% below where it was before the pandemic. It is a sector that is still impacted," he says.

Agriculture sector, not surprisingly, was least affected by lockdowns of various kinds. This sector grew in even 2020-21 & again in 2021-22. Industrial sector did go through a contraction & now it is about 4.1% above pre-pandemic levels, says Sanyal.

“The inflation during the year 2021 reflected the disruptions caused by the lockdown & supply chain disruptions. Since things opened up this year, Consumer Price Index (CPI) came back into the tolerance band & remain so at 5.6%,” Sanyal says.

The economy is estimated to have grown by 9.2% this year after a contraction of 7.3% in the previous year, says principal economic advisor Sanjeev Sanyal.

“There has been a revival in economic activities to pre-pandemic levels in the year 2021-22. Even though the health cost of the second COVID wave was much more severe, the economic cost of it was much milder,” he says.

An all-party meeting called by Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi virtually is underway. 

Election Commission has extended the ban on physical rallies till February 11. The ECI, however, permitted public meetings with a maximum capacity of 1,000 people and indoor meetings to have a maximum capacity of 500 people. Up to twenty people are allowed for door-to-door campaigns.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till Febuary 1, 2022.

"The sitting of the Rajya Sabha will commence after one hour of the conclusion of the presentation of the Union Budget in Lok Sabha on Feb 1," Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu says

An all-party meeting was called by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today a day ahead of the Union Budget session.

"The BJP Govt in Uttar Pradesh has taught the meaning of the law to the mafias and goons who used to consider themselves above the law. That is why these goons are desperate to come to power anyhow," says Modi, sounding the poll bugle.

“We are working hard to bring about a change in Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, they are looking for an opportunity to seek revenge from you (public). Seeking revenge is their ideology,” he adds.

“Five years ago, dabangg (strongmen) & dangai (rioters) used to run the show in UP. Their words were treated as Govt orders. People of western UP can never forget that when this region was burning in riots, the then Govt was celebrating,” says Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a virtual rally in Uttar Pradesh.

“The illegal occupation of the homes, land and shops of the poor, Dalits, backwards and the downtrodden was a sign of socialism five years ago,” the PM said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest the upcoming urban local body elections in Tamil Nadu alone, announces party's state chief K Annamala.

The Supreme Court on Monday granted protection to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia from arrest till Feb 23 in a drugs case.

The Madras high court on Monday ordered the transfer of Thanjavur student death case to the CBI, reports news agency ANI.

Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane is on a visit to South Western army command headquarters in Jaipur where he will be given an update on operational preparedness and briefed by the commanders, reports news agency ANI.

India on Monday reported 2,09,918 new Covid-19 cases and 959 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the positivity rate to 15.77 per cent. Read more

The Budget session of Parliament will begin with the address by President Ram Nath Kovind to both Houses in the Central Hall on Monday. Read more