Delhi

Delhi; 30 April 2021 (UMMN): In an online meeting with Indian ambassadors and high commissioners spread around the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that the negative narrative about PM Modi’s incompetence in handling 2nd wave of deadly Covid-19 pandemic must be countered.

New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Serum Institute of India (SII) -- the maker of the most used COVID-19 vaccine in the country -- on Wednesday announced a cut in price of the jab it plans to sell to states to Rs 300 per dose from the earlier Rs 400.

This follows widespread criticism of its pricing policy as it had sold the initial doses of Covishield to the central government at Rs 150 per dose.

SII's CEO Adar Poonawalla took to Twitter to announce the "philanthropic" gesture.

Ahmedabad, Apr 28 (PTI) Shutting down IPL is not the answer even as India is struggling to control the COVID-19-induced health crisis, insisted star pacer Pat Cummins, who donated USD 50,000 towards the fight against the dreaded virus.

There's been a debate whether the IPL should continue when India is facing a severe health crisis as thousands of people are dying of the virus.

While a few feel it should not continue, a section believes it was a happy distraction.

New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre why a UK citizen, who holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, was deported when he arrived in India in March to visit his family here.

The counsel appearing for the central government told the court that the UK citizen was deported as he was blacklisted for being involved in the Tablighi Jamaat held in Delhi in March last year.

Justice Prathiba M Singh said the Tablighi was long over and the petitioner, who has been blacklisted, did have a valid OCI card.

New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Delhi's lieutenant governor has become the effective in-charge of the national capital with the Centre notifying a new law making it clear the city's elected government will now have to seek the opinion of the L-G before any executive decision.

The Union Home Ministry's notification giving effect to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 came on Tuesday night, as the city battles a ferocious COVID-19 wave and its healthcare system is stretched to breaking point.

New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) The Delhi University will be starting a COVID-19 isolation centre with a capacity of 180 beds in Dwarka, the varsity said on Wednesday.

At least 10 staffers of the university have lost their lives due to the virus while many others are infected.

New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Former Delhi University professor and human rights activist N K Bhattacharya has passed away, according to a statement.

He was the convener of Jan Hastakshep, a citizen's forum, based here, the organisation said.

"We lost a great human rights activists and a good human being," the statement issued by Jan Hastakshep said.

The Indian Federation of Trade Unions paid tributes to Bhattacharya and remembered him as a fighter for human rights.

New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) The first Oxygen Express train for Delhi carrying around 70 tonnes of the life-saving gas reached the national capital early Tuesday morning, officials said.

This oxygen will now be disbursed by the Delhi government to various hospitals, they said.

New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) With 323,144 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases has climbed to 17,636,307, while the national recovery rate has further dropped to 82.54 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

The death toll increased to 197,894 with 2,771 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

There has been a slight dip in the daily cases as compared to the number of new infections reported in the past few days.

New Delhi, Apr 26 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said all citizens should get COVID vaccines for free and the country should not be made a "victim of the BJP's system".

India's vaccination campaign is all set to get a major boost from May 1 when everyone above the age of 18 will be eligible for vaccine.

"Enough of discussion. All citizens of the country should get vaccine for free. Don't make India a victim of the BJP's system," he said in a tweet in Hindi.