Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Association of Indian Universities' 95th annual meet and a national seminar of vice-chancellors on Wednesday through video conferencing. The PMO said in a statement that Narendra Modi will also release four books related to Bhim Rao Ambedkar, whose birth anniversary falls on Wednesday. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad, is hosting the event. Association of Indian Universities (AIU), an apex body of higher education in the country, is conducting its 95th annual meet on April 14 and 15.
Amid the surge in coronavirus cases, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday called for a 15-day long statewide curfew from April 14. The curfew will come into effect from 8 pm on Wednesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said via social media while addressing the state.
The Haryana government on Tuesday made a slight change in the coronavirus-induced night curfew timings, revising it from the existing 9 pm to 5 am to 10 pm to 5 am with immediate effect. The government had on Monday decided to impose night curfew in the state amid a surge in coronavirus cases.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Tuesday that the rapid drop in COVID-19 deaths was largely down to a three-month lockdown, not the vaccination programme, and that cases would rise once again as restrictions ease.
Five track and field athletes, including Tokyo Olympics-bound 20km race walker Priayanka Goswami, and a support staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru. The 2018 Asian Games 1500m gold medallist Jinson Johnson and steeplechaser Chinta Yadav were among the five athletes while race walk coach Alexander Atsybashev has also tested positive for the virus. Another Tokyo Games-bound race walker K T Irfan has returned negative after he was tested as a primary contact of Johnson.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday evening extended Ramzan greetings to everyone. The Chief Minister wished for the state's good health, peace, unity and prosperity. Taking to Twitter, CM Sonowal wrote: #Ramzan greetings to all. Let the holy month bring good health, peace, prosperity and further the spirit of brotherhood in the society.
As many as 102 devotees at the Mahakumbh Mela in Haridwar tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. Over 28 lakh devotees showed up for the second shahi snan on Monday, the Uttarakhand government conducted tests of over 18,169 devotees between 11.30 am Sunday and 5pm Monday.
In a bid to restrict the further spread of coronavirus cases, Assam government has partially modified the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for persons arriving in the state by air.
Sushil Chandra on Tuesday assumed charge as the 24th Chief Election Commissioner after being appointed on Monday. 63-year-old Chandra would demit office on May 14, 2022.
10. Mizoram: 671 Pigs Die Due To Swine Fever
As many as 671 pigs in Mizoram have been killed due to being infected by the fatal African swine fever. Out of the pigs killed, 431 deaths were reported from Lungsen village in South Mizoram's Lunglei district along the India-Bangladesh border, 116 deaths were registered in Edenthar and Armed Veng localities within Aizawl city, while, 117 deaths were reported from Mamit district. These areas have been declared by the government as infected areas.
Amid the sudden surge in cases of coronavirus, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal while interacting with the deputy commissioners of all the districts urging their administrations to conduct at least a lakh COVID-19 tests and create micro containment zones to combat the second wave of the deadly pandemic. Further, Chief Minister Sonowal has also instructed the Deputy Commissioners to ramp up vaccination drives and create more mass awareness on the different virulant strains and encourage to follow COVID protocols.
Actor-activist Vira Sathidar, best known for featuring in the National Award-winning film "Court", died on Tuesday due to COVID-19 related complications. Sathidar, 62, was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Nagpur after he contracted the coronavirus.
Union Minister Santosh Gangwar on Tuesday informed that he has tested positive for COVID-19. "I want to inform you that my "Corona test report has come positive". I don't have any kind of symptom, I request that all the people who came in contact with me, please follow the Corona safety rules. Together we will win this epidemic," tweeted Santosh Gangwar.
The Manas National Park which saw its entire rhino population decimated during a prolonged disturbed period now has close to 50 rhinos as two more rhinos from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary have been translocated to Manas on Tuesday. With these two rhinos- one adult male and one female, the total number of rhinos in the national park is now 49. On Saturday three rhino calves have been shifted to Manas National Park from Kaziranga, which were rescued during the 2019 Assam flood.
The Central drug regulator, DCGA has approved emergency use authorization of the Russian Vaccine, Sputnik V. After its authorization, it has now become the third vaccine to get emergency use from the drug regulator after Covishield and Covaxin during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
