Author: LokMarg

Bollywood’s queen of fashion Sonam Kapoor looks like royalty in her latest maternity shoot pictures.

Taking to her Instagram handle on Monday, the ‘Raanjhanaa’ actor posted a string of pictures, looking incredible for ace fashion designer Abu Jani’s birthday get-together on Sunday evening.

Sonam looked straight out of a painting, flaunting her baby bump in an ivory-toned draped skirt saree, paired with a tube blouse.

She complimented her delicate outfit with heavy gold jewellery and finished the dramatic look with smokey eyes and naturally-styled long hair.

“Loveeee,” Anshula Kapoor commented.

“Stunning,” Amy Jackson added.

Anil Kapoor, Bipasha Basu and Nargis Fakhri dropped heart and heart-eyed emoticons.

On March 21, in a social media post, Sonam had announced that she and her husband Anand Ahuja will be welcoming their first child this fall. She also shared a few images in which she could be seen cradling her baby bump while lying on the couch with Anand. (ANI)

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has revealed that Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu had sent a threatening message to him through Pakistan’s envoy Ambassador Asad Majeed.

“US had sent a threatening message through Pakistan’s envoy,” Dawn quoting Imran Khan reported.

During his remarks that were televised, Imran Khan told them that when the National Security Council (NSC) had condemned the involvement of an external force in no-trust resolution, counting (of votes on the motion) had become “irrelevant”.

He said that US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu had reportedly in a meeting with Ambassador Asad Majeed warned there could be implications if he survived the opposition’s no-confidence motion in the National Assembly.

According to Dawn, the Prime Minister said he had reports that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dissidents had frequented the [US] embassy. “What were the reasons that the people, who have left us, met people of the embassy frequently in the last few days,” he said.

In an address to the nation last week, Imran Khan had raised a “foreign conspiracy” charge amid the opposition’s growing confidence about the no-trust motion against his government.

Imran Khan mentioned “United States” in this context and then immediately changed tack to say “foreign country”.

“On March 8 or before that on March 7, the US sent us a…not the US but a foreign country sent us a message. The reason why I talking about this…for an independent country to receive such a message… this is against me and the country,” he had said.

The United States has rejected Imran Khan’s allegations regarding Washington’s role in the alleged “foreign conspiracy” to oust him from power.

Imran Khan is the third Prime Minister to face the no-confidence motion in Pakistan.

However, Pakistan National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri on Sunday had dismissed the no-trust motion against the PTI government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the country’s Constitution.

Moreover, Pakistan President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on the proposal of Imran Khan. (ANI)

The Rajya Sabha was on Monday adjourned for the day following repeated disruptions over rising prices of petroleum products and essential commodities with the Opposition protesting on the issue as their demand to hold a discussion on the matter was rejected.

Soon after the House met at 2 pm following two back-to-back adjournments– one till noon and the other till 2 pm– and the chair allowed to begin a discussion on the working of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, raised by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP M. Shanmugam on the March 30, the entire Opposition again started their protest.

Opposition members from Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, Shiv Sena and others stood on their seats and requested the chair to hold a discussion on the rising prices of petroleum products and essential commodities, and raised points about why advance notices submitted by several members under Rule 267 to hold a discussion on the issue were rejected.

TMC member Derek O’Brien took on the government, hitting “the government do not want to hold a discussion on price rise they don’t want discussion on fuel..”.

Amid the ruckus, Biju Janata Dal leader Sasmit Patra, on the chair, tried to conduct the proceeding peacefully.

Meanwhile, DMK member Tiruchi Siva raised a point of order, asking “why the notices given by us under Rule 267 to the Secretary-General to suspend all business of the House and conduct a discussion on hiking oil prices and many other notices were rejected”.

As the pandemonium continued, Patra adjourned the House for the day, announcing its next meeting at 11 am on Tuesday.

The House was adjourned two times earlier too– a few minutes after it assembled at noon following a similar adjournment over the issue in the early hours of the day.

Last month too, the Upper House faced a similar protest leading to adjournment over rising prices of fuel across the country.

In the first hike in four months, the fuel prices have been raised in India. Diesel and petrol prices have been hiked by 80 paise. It was in November when the country saw the last fuel price surge.

Petrol in the National Capital currently retails at Rs 103.81 per litre up from Rs 103.41 per litre on Sunday.

This is the 12th increase in prices since they were first hiked on March 22, ending a four-and-half-month long freeze since November 4, 2021. (ANI)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ in Shravasti district on Monday to ensure 100 per cent enrolment in primary and upper primary schools in the state.

The School Chalo Abhiyan is being started in UP’s Shravasti district which has the lowest literacy rate in the state followed by Bahraich, Balrampur, Badaun and Rampur.

Emphasizing the importance of education, Adityanath said, “For a country to progress, it is necessary that education is imparted, especially to the younger generation. It is our responsibility towards the country that we should educate the children and for that, students should be sent to school.”

He also added that for the next one month, the workers will knock from door to door and ask if there is any child who has been deprived of going to school. That child will be taken to school and registered in the school, and uniform, books and bags will be provided to such students.

After the event, CM Adityanath served food to children. (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its order on the plea seeking to cancel the bail granted to the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, Ashish Mishra, in Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

During the hearing, the Uttar Pradesh government today the apex court that although the offence is “grave”, Mishra is “not a flight risk”.

Notably, the SC-appointed committee had recommended preferring the appeal to cancel the bail of Ashish Mishra.

Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government said, “It is a grave offence but accused Ashish Mishra is not a flight risk,” while adding that the case is “serious” where 4-5 people have died and “is a matter of trial”.

A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana reserved the order after hearing all the parties.

The apex court was hearing a plea seeking to cancel bail to Ashish Mishra, who is the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, granted by the Allahabad High Court on February 10.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for petitioners, urged the Supreme Court that the Allahabad High Court order granting bail to Mishra should be set aside.

Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for Ashish Mishra, justified the Allahabad High Court order.

Senior Advocate Jethmalani submitted that all witnesses are under police protection and there is no possibility of witness tampering.

He also apprised the Court that the state has vehemently opposed the bail plea of Ashish Mishra in Allahabad High Court.

Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for petitioners, had submitted that the order of Allahabad HC suffered from complete non-application of mind.

Earlier, in an affidavit, Uttar Pradesh Government told the Supreme Court that the state has taken all efforts to protect the witnesses and families of victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident

The Uttar Pradesh Government had told the Supreme Court that all the witnesses are regularly contacted by the police for appraisal of their security conditions.

The submission of Uttar Pradesh came in an affidavit, replying to the petition seeking to cancel bail to Ashish Mishra.

Uttar Pradesh government told the Supreme Court it had opposed the bail plea of Ashish Mishra in the Allahabad High Court and the submission of the petition that the State did not effectively oppose the bail application of the accused Ashish Mishra is completely untrue.

In the earlier hearing advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, said that one of the prime protected witnesses was brutally attacked, a few days after bail was granted to Ashish Mishra.

Family members of the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident moved the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court order, which granted bail to Ashish Mishra.

In the Special Leave Petition, family members of the deceased challenged the Allahabad High Court order dated February 10, 2022, wherein Ashish Mishra was granted regular bail.

The petitioner said that the Allahabad HC order is unsustainable in law. They also said that they have approached the Apex Court as the State of Uttar Pradesh has failed to prefer any appeal against the impugned order.

Ashish Mishra was released from jail in February followed by Allahabad High Court granting him bail. Eight people, including four farmers, had died in violence on October 3, 2020, in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had appointed a committee headed by retired Punjab and Haryana high court judge Rakesh Kumar Jain to monitor the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. (ANI)

Not ruling out the terror angle to the incident involving a person allegedly forcibly entering the Gorakhnath Temple and assaulting the police personnel, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to hand over the probe to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

The accused allegedly attacked the police constables outside the gate of the Mutt and forcibly tried to enter the temple while raising religious slogans.

While speaking to ANI, Prashant Kumar, Additional director general (ADG), Law and Order, on Monday said, “A man forcibly tried to enter the temple premises and attacked the on-duty police personnel with a sharp weapon.”

“The accused has been identified as Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi, a resident of Gorakhpur,” added the ADG.

He further stated, “The case has been transferred to ATS as we cannot rule out the terror angle in the incident and a detailed investigation has been initiated.”

Vipin Tada, SSP Gorakhpur, said, “The accused tried to forcibly enter the Gorakhnath Temple while raising religious slogans but he was stopped by the police.”

“Two police personnel have been injured in the incident and treatment is being provided to them,” Tada added.

The SSP further added, “Cases have been registered against the accused under Section 301 (Attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal code, Section 7 (Molesting a person to prejudice of employment or business) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932 among others.”

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that the government has taken congnisance of the incident that took place on Sunday. (ANI)

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) suspension of supplies of Covaxin of the Bharat Biotech supply is not related to safety or efficacy issues but only to supply for United Nations agencies, sources said.

“Received some feedback… will do those modifications. WHO has said nothing related to safety or efficacy,” sources in Bharat Biotech told ANI.

“It’s (WHO post EUL inspection) a routine inspection for Covaxin,” sources added.

As per the sources, the WHO suspension of the Covaxin supply is only for the UN agencies.

“We are now only doing direct supplies to other countries and nine others under ‘Vaccine Maitri’,” sources said.

They further added that the suspension of supply will not impact the vaccine supply of Covaxin.

“We intend to apply for full licensure for Covaxin from the WHO,” the Bharat biotech source said.

Sources further said that they haven’t received a final copy of the official report from the WHO yet, and “once we will receive the report we will reply to it”.

Recently, in a statement on WHO’s suspension of Covaxin, Bharat Biotech said, “For the millions who have received COVAXIN, the vaccine certificates issued still stand valid as there is no impact on efficacy and safety of the vaccine.”

Bharat biotech has further said that the company is slowing down the Covaxin production for facility optimization and the company will focus on pending facility maintenance, process and facility optimization activities.

“As all existing facilities were repurposed for the manufacture of COVAXIN, with continuous production during the past year, to meet the public health emergency of COVID-19, these upgrades were due. Certain highly sophisticated equipment which were required to enhance the process stringency were unavailable during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has to be stressed that the quality of COVAXIN was never compromised at any point in time,” the company sources said.

The company has also mentioned that they are working for further improvements and upgrates to ensure that the production of Covaxin continues to meet the increasing global regulatory requirements.

“Notwithstanding this excellent safety and efficacy record, Bharat Biotech is diligently working to further improvements and upgrades to ensure that the production of COVAXIN continues to meet the ever increasing global regulatory requirements. Since patient safety is the primary consideration for any new vaccine, there can be no compromises in meeting operational excellence objectives,” the company added.

The Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech’s anti-Covid Vaccine, Covaxin, has been suspended by WHO under the Covax facility, announced the UN health body on Saturday, attributing it to deficiencies in manufacturing practices.

The WHO is today confirming the suspension of supply of Covaxin produced by Bharat Biotech through UN procurement agencies and recommending to countries that received the vaccine to take actions as appropriate,” the WHO stated.

However, the UN body has clarified that there will be no issues related to the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

“The risk assessment to date does not indicate change in the risk-benefit ratio. The data available to WHO, indicate the vaccine is effective and no safety concern exists. For continuation of vaccination with alternative sources of COVID19 vaccines, countries should refer to the respective SAGE recommendation,” WHO said.

On inspection by WHO, Bharat Biotech has said, “During the recent WHO post-EUL inspection, Bharat Biotech agreed with the WHO team on the scope of the planned improvement activities and indicated that they will be executed as soon as practical.”

This suspension has been done after the WHO post-emergency use listing inspection that was conducted between March 14-22. (ANI)

China has sent the military and thousands of healthcare workers into Shanghai city which has been facing the worst COVID-19 outbreak, according to the Chinese media outlet.

Citing Chinese People’s Liberation Army Daily, Global Times reported that the country dispatched more than 2,000 medical staff to Shanghai in one of its biggest-ever public health responses.

The medical staff were drawn from seven medical units affiliated with the army, navy and joint logistics support force. Upon arrival in Shanghai, they quickly carried out medical treatment, nucleic acid testing and other essential tasks, the newspaper said.

According to Global Times, a Chinese Air Force heavy transport Y-20 aircraft was parked at an airport in Shanghai early Monday morning.

Shanghai will conduct city-wide nucleic acid testing on Monday.

The city on Monday reported 425 confirmed and 8,581 asymptomatic domestically transmitted cases, the highest daily increases since the latest outbreak, bringing the total number of COVID-19 infections in the city to over 60,000.

Regions including East China’s Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces, North China’s Tianjin, and Central China’s Hubei province have also sent medical teams to help Shanghai combat the outbreak, with the total number of medical staff from other regions supporting Shanghai reaching about 10,000 as of Sunday, as per Global Times.

Meanwhile, China reported 1,366 new local COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours.

Last month, China has faced its worst outbreak since the coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan. From March 1 to 24, the country had reported 56,000 infections — more than the total cases in Wuhan two years ago. (ANI)

Singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, who attended her first-ever Grammys, not only gave an impeccable performance of her hit ‘Drivers License’, she also took home three trophies after being nominated in seven categories.

The pop star won Best New Artist, Best Pop Solo Performance for ‘Drivers License’ and Best Pop Vocal Album for her debut album ‘Sour’.

While collecting the trophy for ‘Sour’, Rodrigo said, “Thank you again to the Recording Academy, thanks to all of the fans who have listened to my music and completely changed my life for the past two years.”

She went on to dedicate the award to her parents, thanking them for being “supportive” throughout her ambitions and recalling her childhood dream of wanting to win a Grammy.

“When I was 9 years old, I told my mom I was going to be an Olympic gymnast even though I could barely do a cartwheel and she thought I was joking but I got super defensive, and so the next week, when I told her I was going to win a Grammy, she was very supportive even though I’m sure she thought it was just a little-kid pipe dream,” Rodrigo said.

“I want to thank my mom for being supportive [of] all of my dreams, no matter how crazy,” she continued.

The singer added, “I want to thank my mom and my dad for being as equally as proud of me for winning a Grammy as they were when I learned how to do a back walkover.”

“This is for you guys and because of you guys. Thank you,” Rodrigo concluded.

Rodrigo shot to fame in early 2021 when ‘Drivers License’ went viral, and led to a string of celebrated singles like ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘Good 4 U’ from her album ‘Sour’.

The 2022 Grammys, which kicked off on Sunday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, is being hosted by Trevor Noah for the second year in a row. (ANI)

With 913 new COVID-19 cases reported in India in the last 24 hours, the number of daily new infections on Monday fell below the 1000 mark after 715 days, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Also, the number of active cases fell below the 13,000 mark after a gap of 714 days. With 13 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll from COVID-19 in the country stands at 5,21,358.

According to the ministry, the active caseload stands at 12,597 which accounts for 0.03 per cent of the country’s total positive cases. The daily positivity rate stands at 0.29 per cent.

Active cases less than 13,000 after 714 days

Meanwhile, 1,316 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 4,24,95,089, stated the ministry.

As many as 79.10 crore COVID tests have been conducted in the country so far, including 3,14,823 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, as per the ministry.

A total of 184.70 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. (ANI)