Stay with TOI for all updates on Covid-19 from India and around the world -- from Times of India

from Times of India

from Times of India

Two Indian cities — New Delhi and Mumbai — figure on the Safe City Index issued by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the research and analysis division of The Economist Group. The report ranks Mumbai 50 out of 60 cities surveyed. Copenhagen in Denmark crowns the list. from Times of India

from Times of India

A delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs met Election Commission officials on Thursday on the issue of pending byelections in West Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee needs to be elected to the assembly after having lost the Nandigram seat to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari who had crossed over to the saffron fold just before the elections. from Times of India

from Times of India

Reprimanding Tihar jail authorities in the severest possible terms for allegedly conniving with Unitech promoters Sanjay and Ajay Chandra to allow them to operate from inside the prison to scuttle the ongoing probe against them and "dissipate" their properties before the ED could seize them, the Supreme Court said the "maximum security prison" in the capital has become a safe haven for criminals and that the jail superintendent is "shameless". from Times of India

India on Thursday notified a new set of liberal drone rules that could pave the way for these unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) soon carrying both goods for e-commerce and transporting people on air taxis. . “This (new) policy has been put in place under careful monitoring directly by the PM with trust (in users) as its basis and (to ensure) economic welfare of people,” K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific advisor to the government said.​ from Times of India

Sexual intercourse or sexual act by a man with his wife, who is not under 18 years of age, is “not rape even if it is by force or against her wish,” observed the Chhattisgarh high court while discharging a man of rape charges. The complainant had alleged that her husband had made “unnatural physical relation” with her several times. from Times of India

The Islamic State has taken responsibility for the twin suicide bombings outside the Kabul report which left at least 60 dead and scores injured on Thursday. Several countries have condemned the deadly blasts, this as the UN chief has called for a meeting of the permanent members of the UNSC. Stay with TOI for all the latest developments -- from Times of India

Half of the country's adult population eligible for Covid vaccines has received at least one dose, which includes 99% coverage among healthcare workers and 100% front-line workers for the first dose. A little more than 60% of the over-60 population has also been covered by at least a first dose of the vaccine. from Times of India

from Times of India

Congress has reminded the Centre that there is an urgent need to remove the 50% cap on reservations if measures for social justice are to have any real impact, seeking to lob a political hot potato towards the ruling BJP amid renewed hype over a caste census following the meeting of a Bihar delegation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. from Times of India

from Times of India

As many states gear up to open physical schools, more than two crore additional doses of Covid vaccine will be made available to states this month, the Centre said urging states to vaccinate all school teachers on priority before Teachers' Day on September 5. Overall, more than 60 crore doses have been administered so far, with nearly 50% of the 94 crore adult population receiving at least first dose of the jabs. from Times of India

from Times of India

For the first time, India has proposed to conduct dope tests randomly on pilots, cabin crew and air traffic controllers (ATCOs). Aspiring pilots may be required to undergo tests for psychoactive substances before getting admission to a flying school. ​​ If an aviation personnel tests positive for the second time it could lead to suspension of licence for three years and a third time positive test could mean cancellation of licence. from Times of India

from Times of India

Starting Thursday, India needs to average almost one crore doses per day till the end of the year to reach the target of fully vaccinating the entire adult population. To do this, it will have to nearly double the daily average it achieved in the best week so far — just under 59 lakh per day from June 19 to 25. from Times of India