Maharashtra govt to give ₹50,000 as ex gratia payment to kin of Covid victims

At least 33 students have tested positive for Covid-19 at The International School in Bengaluru, news agency ANI quoted Bengaluru district health officer as saying. 

“They're asymptomatic. 2 of them taken by their parents to Nagpur & Hyderabad, cross notification sent to the States. Campus sealed,” the official added.

At least 10 police officers were injured and several journalists shot at on the French Caribbean island of Martinique overnight Thursday to Friday as protests sparked by Covid-19 vaccine measures spread, reports news agency AFP.

Senior Congress leader Mukesh Goel to join Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday, people familair with the matter told news agency ANI.

The Maharashtra government on Friday announced that it will give ex gratia of ₹50,000 to the kin of people who died of Covid-19 in Maharashtra over the last 20 months. The state has reported as many as 1,40,891 deaths since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.

Merck & Co. said updated results showed its Covid-19 pill reduced the risk of hospitalization or death among adults with mild to moderate disease by 30%, less than a previous estimate and well below a rival treatment from Pfizer Inc, reported Bloomberg.

“Booster doses will be required & immediate studies are needed, based on age groups & different patients. In Israel, vaccine effectiveness after the booster dose rose from 40% to 93%,” news agency ANI quoted chairperson of the Covid Task Force in AIIMS Delhi, Dr Naveet Wig, as saying.

Israel has imposed a travel ban on most African states, after reporting cases of a new coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa, reports Reuters.

Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine maker, on Friday said it has resumed exports of Covishield vaccine to low- and middle-income countries with the first batch of consignment leaving its Pune facility.

"Hundreds of years of dependence pushed India into several problems. The India that was once called a golden bird was suffering from poverty, starvation & diseases. In that background, the Constitution always helped us in taking forward the nation,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, while addressing Vigyan Bhavan on the occasion of the Constitution day.

Fire has broken out in Durg Express near Jhansi. At least three coaches have been detached for firefighting operations, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. Two fire tenders are currently at the spot, and medical vans have been rushed from Agra and Gwalior. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India on December 6, 2021. During his visit, Putin and PM Modi will exchange views on topical issues on the international agenda, including joint work within the G20, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, news agency ANI quoted the Russian embassy as saying.

The Centre will resume regular international flights from December 15, barring 14 countries, people familiar with the development said on Friday. Read more

The World Health Organisation has recommended countries to apply 'risk-based' approach when implementing travel measures amid fears over new Coronavirus variant detected in South Africa.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met health experts on Friday to discuss how best to respond to a new variant of coronavirus that has been detected in South Africa. "We are currently on the verge of a state of emergency," Reuters quoted Bennett as saying.

The Central Bureu of Investigation on Friday received sanctions to prosecute former Allahabad High Court judge Narayan Shukla in a bribery case.

The World Health Organisation is convening an experts' meeting from Geneva at midday (1100 GMT) on Friday to assess the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529 amid growing concern, Reuters quoted WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier as saying.

The Israeli health ministry announced on Friday that the country has reported a case of the new Covid-19 variant from South Africa. Israel is the third country apart from Hong Kong and Botswana to report cases of this variant

No cases of the B.1.1.529 variant of the coronavirus have been reported in India so far, reports ANI citing official sources. 

Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Friday targeted the Congress and other opposition parties for boycotting the Constitution Day event at Parliament, which was attended by President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi among others. Read more

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday urged the Supreme Court to postpone the counting of votes for the municipal elections held in Tripura on Thursday. The TMC alleged that people were not allowed to vote. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday Constitution Day is a salute to Parliament, where many of the country's political leaders brainstormed to give India its Constitution. Read more

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to an NGO that challenged the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police commissioner. 

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said on Friday that the Indian constitution is a modern version of the Gita. 

Delhi chief secretary Vijay Kumar Dev has been appointed as the election commissioner for municipal polls in the city, news agency ANI reported on Friday.