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Thousands of Covid-negative Beijing residents sent to quarantine
Thousands of Covid-negative Beijing residents were forcibly relocated to quarantine hotels overnight due to a handful of infections, as the capital begins to take more extreme control measures resembling virus-hit Shanghai. Beijing has been battling its worst outbreak since the pandemic started. The Omicron variant has infected over 1,300 since late April, leading city restaurants, schools and tourist attractions to be closed indefinitely. China’s strategy to achieve zero Covid cases includes strict border closures, lengthy quarantines, mass testing and rapid, targeted lockdowns.
NSE co-location scam: CBI raids brokers and traders. Searches underway at 10 locations. Searches underway in Mumbai, Gandhinagar, Gurugram and Kolkatta.
Senior Akali leader Tota Singh passes away
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Punjab minister Tota Singh, 81, passed away at a private hospital in Mohali on Saturday after prolonged illness. Singh had served as the agriculture and education minister in the Akali government. He was the senior vice-president and a member of the core committee of the SAD. He was also a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Singh was elected as legislator for the first time from the Moga Assembly seat in 1997. He was inducted as education minister in the Parkash Singh Badal-led government at that time.
IndiGrid Mar qtr net jumps 45 pc to Rs 99.80 cr
Infrastructure investment trust IndiGrid has posted over 45 per cent rise in its consolidated net profit at Rs 99.80 crore in the March quarter, mainly on the back of higher revenues. The consolidated net profit of India Grid Trust (IndiGrid) was Rs 68.69 crore in the quarter ended March 31, 2021, a regulatory filing showed. Total income in the quarter under review rose to Rs 568.50 crore, from Rs 514.09 crore a year ago. The consolidated net profit in the fiscal 2021-22 also rose to Rs 343.27 crore, from Rs 334.40 crore in 2020-21.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy proposes formal deal on compensation from Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a formal deal with the country’s allies to secure Russian compensation for the damage its forces have caused during the war. Zelenskyy, who says Russia is trying to destroy as much of Ukraine’s infrastructure as it can, said such a deal would show nations planning aggressive acts that they would have to pay for their actions.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said crypto-currencies are “based on nothing” and should be regulated to steer people away from speculating on them with their life savings.
Dominica withdraws illegal entry case against Mehul Choksi
Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi on Saturday got relief from the Commonwealth of Dominica where he was charged with illegal entry by the police. The prosecution of Dominica decided to withdraw/discontinue the legal proceedings in the illegal entry case against him. “Choksi is pleased that the Dominican Government has today dropped all charges against him for unlawful entry in May 2021. By doing so they now recognise that there was never any case against him. Choksi was forcibly removed from Antigua against his will by agents of the Indian State, viciously assaulted, and taken to Dominica by boat, where he was again unlawfully handed over to authorities for an offence he never committed. Choksi’s legal team continue to pursue all avenues for justice to redress the human rights violations committed against him.
Indian men’s compound archery team wins successive World Cup gold medals
The Indian men’s compound archery team on Saturday came from behind to prevail over France by two points in an intense finish to win the gold medal in successive World Cup stages. In a repeat of the Stage 1 final, the fourth-seeded men’s team, comprising Abhishek Verma, Aman Saini and Rajat Chauhan, found itself trailing against its sixth-seed rivals in the first two ends.
North Korea reports more fevers as Kim claims virus progress
North Korea said on Saturday it found nearly 220,000 more people with feverish symptoms even as leader Kim Jong Un claimed progress in slowing a largely undiagnosed spread of COVID-19 across an unvaccinated population of 26 million. The outbreak has caused concern about serious tragedies in the poor, isolated country with one of the world’s worst health care systems and a high tolerance for civilian suffering. Experts say North Korea is almost certainly downplaying the true scale of the viral spread, including a strangely small death toll, to soften the political blow on Kim as he navigates the toughest moment in his decade of rule.
Assam: Flood throws life out of gear in beautiful city of Haflong
Haflong– the beautiful city in Assam’s Dima Hasao district– has been devastated as a result of the ongoing flood in the state. With the bar being completely ruined, it was also reported that the walls of the houses in this district have ruptured. The unmanageable water has brought a pause to the traffic and has made it nearly impossible for the people to live in their houses.
Russia stops Finland gas flow over payments dispute
Russia’s Gazprom on Saturday halted gas exports to neighbouring Finland, the Finnish gas system operator said, the latest escalation of an energy payments dispute with Western nations. “Gas imports through Imatra entry point have been stopped,” Gasgrid Finland said in a statement. Imatra is the entry point for Russian gas into Finland. Finnish state-owned gas wholesaler Gasum on Friday said Gazprom had warned that flows would be halted from 0400 GMT on Saturday morning.
Amit Shah embarks on two-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday embarked on a two-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh to attend various programmes and inaugurate many development projects. “Leaving for Arunachal Pradesh on a two-day visit. Looking forward to attending various programs in this beautiful part of India,” Shah tweeted after leaving Delhi. During the two-day visit to the northeastern state, the Home Minister will attend public events, inaugurate various development projects and interact with the personnel of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)– the Central Armed Police Forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs deployed in the region to guard Border and maintain the internal security of the country.
J&K tunnel collapse: Operation to rescue missing labourers resumes
The operation to rescue nine labourers feared trapped under the debris following the collapse of an under-construction tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway resumed early on Saturday after a fresh landslide forced the authorities to suspend the process last evening, officials said. Their chances of survival are, however, bleak, they said. A labourer was killed and three others rescued when the audit tunnel of T3 on the highway near Khooni Nallah In Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district caved in at the start of the work around 10.15 pm on Thursday.
Thunderstorm with light intensity rain to occur over certain parts of Delhi NCR
Thunderstorm/duststorm with light intensity rain and gusty winds with speed of 30-40 kmph would occur over and adjoining areas of isolated places of south, southeast Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ballabhgarh during the next 2 hours, said the India Meteorological Department reports.
Thane district’s COVID-19 count rises by 27
With the addition of 27 coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 7,09,494, an official said on Saturday. These cases were reported on Friday. As nobody succumbed to the infection during the day, the death toll in the district remained unchanged at 11,895, he said, adding that the mortality rate is 1.67 per cent.
Ukraine gets 600-million-euro financial aid from EU
Ukraine has received the second tranche of 600 million euros (634 million U.S. dollars) of the European Union’s (EU’s) emergency macro-financial assistance program, the Ukrainian Finance Ministry said on Friday. “The funds will be used to maintain financial stability in Ukraine during the war,” the ministry said in a statement. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal welcomed the aid and thanked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the aid.
Truss says NATO considering supplying Moldova with weapons
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says the United Kingdom and other NATO members are discussing the possibility of sending modern weaponry to Moldova. “I would want to see Moldova equipped to Nato standard. This is a discussion we’re having with our allies,” Truss said in a Friday interview with The Telegraph. According to Truss, NATO members are talking about the possibility of ensuring that not only Ukraine, but also Moldova has modern defenses.
India Covid update
India reports 2,323 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours
The Central government has announced a fresh composition of the Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council comprising 13 members, including its Chairman Union Home Minister Amit Shah: MHA notification
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with India’s contingent at the Deaflympics at 9:30 am today
Axis Mutual Fund sacks second fund manager
Axis Mutual Fund has fired Deepak Agrawal, the second fund manager facing probe for front-loading and insider trading. Last Wednesday, India’s seventh-biggest asset manager by way of pooled cash under management had sacked its chief dealer Viresh Joshi for the same charges.
First formula flights from Europe to arrive this weekend
The first flights of infant formula from Europe, authorized by President Joe Biden to relieve a deepening U.S. shortage, will arrive in Indiana aboard military aircraft this weekend, the White House announced.
Rajiv Gandhi’s 31st death anniversary
Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi pay homage at Vir Bhumi in Delhi
