Centre writes to states/UTs warning against B.1.1529 Covid-19 variant detected in South Africa, other nations

Congress MPs won’t participate in the Central Hall event at Parliament (being held on the occasion of Constitution Day) on Friday, people familiar with the development told news agency ANI.

Reliance Industries and Saudi Aramco have called off a deal for the state oil giant to buy a stake in the oil-to-chemicals business of the Indian conglomerate due to valuation concerns, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to additional chief secretary/principal secretary/secretary (Health) of all states/UTs, stating "multiple cases of a Covid-19 variant B.1.1529 have been reported in c(3 cases), South Africa (6 cases) and Honk Kong (1 case)."

"Imperative that all international travellers travelling from and transiting through these nations and including other 'at risk' nations indicated in revised guidelines for international arrivals are subjected to rigorous screening and testing. Their contacts must also be tracked and tested," the letter read.

Congress Parliament Strategy Group meeting was held at the residence of the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi's residence on Thursday, ahead of the commencement of the Parliament session.

“We have decided that we will raise a range of issues in the Parliament, including inflation, prices of petrol & diesel, Chinese aggression, & issue of J&K,” news agency ANI quoted Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, as saying.  

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said the BJP is laying the foundation of Noida International airport while selling other existing airports in the country, reported news agency PTI. 

"How can the BJP be believed when on one hand it is making new airports, and on the other hand selling the existing ones?" Akhilesh was quoted as saying during a rally in Lucknow.

Former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh on Thursday appeared before the city crime branch where he was grilled for more than six hours in an extortion case against him. Read more

Anna Hazare has been admitted to Ruby Hospital in Pune after complaint of chest pain. He has been kept under observation and is stable, news agency ANI quoted medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Avdhut Bodamwad, as saying.

Scientists in South Africa said on Thursday they have detected a new Covid-19 variant with multiple mutations, reports news agency AFP. "Unfortunately we have detected a new variant which is a reason for concern in South Africa," AFP quoted virologist Tulio de Oliveira as telling a hastily-called news conference. Read more

The Maharashtra government has decided to reopen schools for classes 1-4 in rural areas and classes 1-7 in urban areas from December 1, news agency ANI quoted state education minister Varsha Gaikwad as saying on Thursday.

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said on Thursday that he will go on a hunger strike against the state government if it doesn't make the reports on drugs menace and the sacrilege incidents public.

Foreign ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC) will meet on November 26, via video-conference.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin writes to Union aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia requesting him to make a temporary air transport bubble agreement with Singapore and Malaysia to facilitate the movement of Tamils with permanent residentship of these countries.

“…travellers from our state who made their trip to India during pandemic period are facing hardship for their return journey due to non-availability of direct flight services,” the letter read.

Following the meeting between AAP leader Sanjay Singh ad SP chief Akhiles Yadav in Lucknow yesterday, AAP supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal told ANI that the meeting took place “over Uttar Pradesh politics.”

“Today is a very momentous occasion for Meghalaya. With utmost sense of humility but complete sense of responsibility and commitment towards fulfilling our responsibility, we have taken a decision to march with the Trinamool Congress,” former Meghalaya CM and ex-Congress leader Mukul Sangma.

Delhi HC dismisses plea seeking to ban the sale, purchase, and all forms of circulation of ‘Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times’ written by former Union minister Salman Khurshid.

This conspiracy to break Congress is happening not only in Meghalaya, but whole northeast. I challenge CM Mamata Banerjee to first elect them on TMC's symbol and then formally welcome them to her party: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress MP

Delhi Assembly's Peace and Harmony committee, headed by AAP MLA Raghav Chadha, summons actor Kangana Ranaut for alleged derogatory remarks on Sikhs.

‘Absconding’ former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh lands in city, expected to join corruption and extortion probe in Maharashtra.

Supreme Court instructs Centre to 'immediately' deploy two additional companies of paramilitary force to ensure free and fair voting in Tripura civic polls.

Bombay high court commutes death sentence of three convicts to life term. The court also upholds the life imprisonment sentence of the fourth convict.

West Bengal State election commission issues notification for Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections. Voting to take place on December 19.

Indian Navy commissions INS Vela, fourth Scorpene-class submarine, at the Mumbai-based naval dockyard.

Voter turnout of 13.13% recorded till 9am in voting for elections to 222 seats of Agartala Municipal Corporation and 19 other local urban bodies.

NIA carries out fresh raids in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar and Shopian as part of the ongoing probe in terrorism conspiracy case.

India's daily Covid-19 tally sees slight fall with 9,119 new cases while 396 new deaths also recorded.