Month: April 2021

Bollywood actor Sara Ali Khan on Thursday shared pictures and videos from her Kashmir trip with brother Ibrahim Ali Khan and mother Amrita Singh.

The ‘Kedarnath’ actor took to her Instagram handle and shared memories from her recent trip to the “paradise on earth.” In the caption she wrote, “A little bit of paradise on earth of people so wonderful there truly is a dearth @manan_tramboo.”

The post from the 25-year-old actor, which garnered more than four lakh likes within an hour of it being posted, featured goofy pictures with Ibrahim, to clicks of the snow-capped mountains. Sara perfectly captured the beauty of Kashmir.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Sara will be next seen in Aanand L Rai’s ‘Atrangi Re’, co-starring opposite Akshay Kumar and Dhanush.

The filming of the movie started in December last year. A while back, pictures from the sets of the film in Agra created a splash on the internet. They offered a glimpse into the world of ‘Atrangi Re’ with Akshay in the avatar of a king and Sara in an all-pink ethnic ensemble.

The movie is presented by Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series, Colour Yellow Productions, and Cape of Good Films. ‘Atrangi Re’ is written by Himanshu Sharma and the musical maestro AR Rahman has composed the album for the film with songs penned by Irshad Kamil. (ANI)

Amid the record surge in COVID-19 infections, the Delhi government on Thursday imposed a ‘weekend curfew’ (10 pm on Friday to 5 am on Monday) on the movement of individuals in the national capital territory till April 30 or further orders.

In the highest single-day spike ever, Delhi reported 17,282 fresh COVID-19 infections on Wednesday.
In order to contain the fast spread of the virus, the Delhi government said, “There will be restrictions on certain activities and weekend curfew needs to be imposed in NCT of Delhi, except for essential activities/services, as an emergency measure for well being and safety of people.”

As per the new guidelines applicable till April 30, or till further order, all shopping malls, gymnasiums, spas, auditoriums, assembly halls, entertainment parks and similar places will be closed.

“Cinemas/theatres/multiplexes will be permitted to open with 30 per cent of their sealing capacity. Only one weekly market per day per zone in all three Municipal Corporations/New Delhi Municipal Council/Delhi Containment Board shall be allowed subject to the strict compliance of enclosed standard operating procedures (SOPs) and all instructions/guidelines issued by the government of India/Delhi government from time to time to contain the spread of COVID-19,” the guidelines read.

The guidelines said weekly Market will be selected by the Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Municipal Body as per enclosed guidelines for selection of weekly market dated September 10, 2020, and the information will be shared with the respective District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner of Police for effective implementation.

“In case, it is observed that weekly market cannot function at the fixed or regular place as per SOP/guidelines of District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), then such weekly market can be allowed to function at some other nearby ground/school ground, where the SOP can be strictly implemented. If it is found in any such weekly market that vendors and/or customers are not following instructions prescribed in SOP, such market will be closed forthwith by Municipal Body,” the Delhi government said.

The government also restricted the dine-in facility in restaurants and now only take-aways allowed and no dine-in will be permitted till further orders.

It further said that during the weekend curfew, persons coming from/going to airports/railway stations/inter-state bus terminals are allowed to travel on the production of a valid ticket.

Officers/officials related to the functioning of offices of diplomats of various countries as well as persons holding any constitutional post on the production of valid I card will also be allowed to travel during weekend curfew.

People working for electronic and print media will also be exempted from weekend curfew rules on the production of valid I-cards.

“There shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement/transportation of essential/non-essential goods. No separate permission/ e-pass will be required for such movement,” the government added.

As per DDMA, the latest guidelines issued on Thursday regarding weekend curfew, the National Zoological Park will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.

“Friday is weekly off of the zoo. Hence, the zoo will also be closed tomorrow as per the pre-informed schedule,” DDMA’s guidelines said.

“During the weekdays, a majority of people step out to go to work. But during weekends, people mostly step out for activities that can be avoided,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said while announcing the weekend curfew earlier today. (ANI)

Delhi government has imposed a weekend curfew in a view of the grim situation due to the coronavirus pandemic in the national capital.

“To control the spread of COVID19, it has been decided to impose weekend curfew in Delhi,” the Chief Minister said on Thursday after a high-level meeting with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.

The city registered the highest single-day spike of 17,282 fresh COVID-19 infections and 104 related deaths on Wednesday.

The total infection caseload of Delhi has reached 7,67,438. There are 50,736 active cases so far. With 104 additional deaths in the last 24 hours, the overall COVID-19 death toll of the national capital now stands at 11,540.

Furthermore, a total of 9,952 people recovered from the virus in the said period, taking the total number of recoveries to 7,05,162.

The COVID-19 positivity rate of Delhi also jumped to 15.92 per cent on Wednesday. (ANI)

Rezaul Haque, the Congress candidate from Samsherganj Assembly Constituency in Murshidabad district of poll-bound West Bengal, succumbed to COVID-19 in the early hours of Thursday, sources close to the party said.

As per sources, Haque passed away at a private hospital at around 3 am on Thursday. He was undergoing treatment after testing positive for COVID-19. Samsherganj will go to polls during the fifith phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls.

Meanwhile, the high-decibel campaigning for the fifth phase concluded at 6 pm on Wednesday, as leaders of the political parties taking part in the high-stakes polls left no stone unturned to woo the voters of the state.

Polling for the fifth phase of the West Bengal elections will be conducted on April 17. A total of 319 candidates, including 39 women, will contest for 45 constituencies across six districts – Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and Purba Bardhaman. Counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)

The annual rate of inflation based on monthly wholesale price index (WPI) was 7.39 per cent in March as compared to 4.17 per cent in the previous month, data released by the government on Thursday showed.

However, month-on-month (March 2021 over February 2021) rate of inflation stood at 1.57 per cent, according to an official statement released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
“The prices of crude oil, petroleum products and basic metal substantially increased in March 2021 as compared to the corresponding month of last year. Also, due to nationwide lockdown, the WPI index for the month of March 2020 (120.4) was computed with relatively low response rate.”

The index for primary articles with a weightage of 22.62 per cent increased by 0.55 per cent to 146.2 in March from 145.4 in February. Prices of crude petroleum and natural gas (8.64 per cent), non-food articles (1.9 per cent) and minerals (0.35 per cent) increased.

Prices of food articles (minus 0.45 per cent) declined in March 2021 as compared to February 2021. The index for manufactured products with a weightage of 64.23 per cent increased by 1.27 per cent to 127.3 in March from 124.9 in February.

Out of the 22 NIC two-digit groups for manufactured products, 16 groups that have witnessed increase in prices are manufacture of furniture; motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers; machinery and equipment; electrical equipment; computer, electronic and optical products; fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment; basic metals; other non-metallic mineral products; rubber and plastics products; pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products; chemicals and chemical products; paper and paper products; wood and of products of wood and cork; wearing apparel; textiles; and food products.

Five groups that witnessed decrease in prices are manufacture of other manufacturing; other transport equipment; printing and reproduction of recorded media; leather and related products; and tobacco products. The manufacture of beverages remain unchanged.

The WPI food index consisting of food articles from primary articles group and food products from manufactured products group increased from 153 in February 2021 to 153.4 in March 2021. The rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index increased from 3.31 per cent to 5.28 per cent. (ANI)

Bodies of four COVID-19 patients were allegedly taken in a Nagar Panchayat’s garbage van for cremation on Wednesday in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district.

Four COVID-19 patients died in the Dongargaon block of Rajnandgaon district allegedly due to the non-availability of oxygen while under treatment.
According to Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Dr Mithilesh Chaudhary, three patients died at a COVID Care Centre while the fourth died at a Community Health Centre.

“We have arranged 10-15 oxygen beds at every COVID care center in the district. Three of the COVID-19 patients had died last night, they were given oxygen support while being treated. But we are yet to gather information about the death of the fourth patient,” said the CMHO.

When asked about the bodies being taken in a garbage van for cremation, the CMHO said that the Nagar Panchayat was responsible for making the arrangements.

“As far the vehicle is concerned, it is up to Nagar Panchayat to make such arrangements and take the bodies for cremation,” said CMHO.

According to the Union Health Ministry, Chhattisgarh has 1,18,636 active COVID-19 cases, while the death toll due to the infection has mounted to 5,307 over the last year. (ANI)

India reported its highest-ever single-day spike in COVID-19 with over 2 lakh cases on Thursday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

With 2,00,739 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, India recorded the highest single-day spike ever since the pandemic began last year.
The country’s total number of cases now stands at 1,40,74,564, including 14,71,877 active cases.

India also reported 1,038 fresh COVID-related fatalities in the last 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 1,73,123.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,24,29,564.

India currently is the second worst-hit country in the world in terms of COVID-19 cases, with the United States being the worst affected.

India has tested 26,20,03,415 samples for COVID-19 until now, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on April 14.

Among these, 13,84,549 samples were tested on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, as many as 11,44,93,238 people have been vaccinated against the virus. (ANI)

A group of Sikh pilgrims who left Amritsar to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal on the occasion of Baisakhi, are stranded in Lahore amid rising violence in Pakistan.

“A group of 818 Indian Sikh Yatrees arrived in Pakistan on April 12 via Wagah border to participate in Baisakhi festival at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hassan Abdal. The Yatrees would also visit other Gurdwaras including #Kartarpur during their stay in Pakistan,” Pakistan Foreign Ministry tweeted.

India is in touch with authorities in Pakistan regarding safety of over 800 pilgrims due to violent protests in several cities, including Lahore.

India is closely tracking the developments in Pakistan and will do “utmost” to ensure security and safe return of the Sikh Pilgrims who have gone to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Lahore, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.

“Closely tracking developments. In touch with Pakistani authorities and Sikh Jatha. Will do utmost to ensure security and safe return of pilgrims,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.

His comment came after Manjinder Singh Sirsa, President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, tweeted about the pilgrims visiting Lahore amid rising violence in Pakistan.

“We request MEA @DrSJaishankar to take up the matter of Sikh pilgrims stranded in Lahore on Baisakhi amid clashes in Pak This 818-member jatha left from Amritsar to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Panja Sahib. Also urging @IndiainPakistan to extend them immediate help,” Sirsa wrote in a tweet.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry said, “Adequate arrangements for their traveling, lodging, food, security & medical assistance, particularly given Covid situation, have been made by relevant authorities to facilitate yatrees and to ensure their comfortable stay,” the ministry said.

It further said that Pakistan remains committed to facilitating Sikhs from around the world, including from India, for visiting their religious sites.

Last week, Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued over 1,100 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the annual Baisakhi celebrations from April 12 to 22.

“These visas have been issued as a ‘special gesture’ by the government of Pakistan in view of the importance of Baisakhi for Punjabis and Sikhs marking the start of their new year. Pakistan High Commission extends special felicitations to all those celebrating this auspicious occasion and wishes the visiting pilgrims a fulfilling yatra,” the Pakistani High Commission had said.

Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi, is a traditional harvest festival celebrated by Sikhs, as the day marks the new spring year and also the formation of Khalsa Panth under the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, in 1699.(ANI)

The United Nations is calling on the Myanmar security forces to refrain from violence against children after at least 51 children were killed since the military coup in February, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

“As of April 13, at least 51 children have been killed by the Myanmar security forces and almost 1,000 children have been arbitrarily detained,” Dujarric said. “The UN country team continues to call on security forces to refrain from violence and to keep children and young people out of harm’s way.”

Dujarric noted that reports of ongoing use of force against children, including live ammunition, are of grave concern to the United Nations.

The Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency on February 1 and at least 707 people have been killed since, according to the United Nations. (ANI/Sputnik)