Indian Sub-continent

KABUL, Apr 12 (NNN-XINHUA) – War-weary Afghans are calling for a cease-fire to be observed during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on Apr 13, this year (tomorrow).

In war-battered Afghanistan, fighting and violence have been continuing, and in the latest wave, over 50 people, including Taliban militants, government security personnel and civilians were killed, according to sources and local media reports.

An explosive device went off in Imam Sahib district of the northern Kunduz province yesterday, killing two civilians and injuring another.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An expert panel of India’s drugs regulator has recommended emergency use approval for Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, two sources said on Monday, which could make it the nation’s third to be approved as infections surge again.

India overtook Brazil to become the nation with the second highest number of infections worldwide after the United States, as it battles a massive second wave, having given about 105 million doses among a population of 1.4 billion.

Mumbai, Apr 12 (PTI) The rupee opened on a weak note and fell below the 75 per US dollar level in early trade on Monday amid lacklustre opening in domestic equities ahead of the release of key macro-economic data.

Moreover, rising crude oil prices, foreign fund outflows, spiking COVID-19 cases and heavy selling in domestic equities weighed on the domestic currency.

New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Investors' wealth tumbled by Rs 6,86,708.74 crore in morning trade on Monday following massive losses in the equity market as sentiments remained muted amid increasing COVID-19 cases in the country.

The 30-share BSE benchmark index plunged 1,479.15 points to 48,112.17 in morning trade.

Tracking losses in equities, the market capitalization of BSE-listed companies eroded by Rs 6,86,708.74 crore to Rs 2,02,76,533.13 crore.

Muzaffarnagar, Apr 12 (PTI) Union minister Sanjeev Balyan said he has tested positive for coronavirus following which he has isolated himself.

In a tweet on Sunday night, he said, "I got tested for COVID-19 after showing some symptoms while campaigning for West Bengal elections. The report is positive and I have isolated myself."

Balyan requested those who came in contact with him in the last few days to get themselves tested for the virus.

New Delhi, Apr 11 (PTI) Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra is set to become the next chief election commissioner, sources said on Sunday.

Going by the convention of appointing the senior-most election commissioner as the CEC, the government is learnt to have cleared his name for the top post at Nirvachan Sadan.

The order of his elevation maybe issued anytime, the sources said.

Chandra will assume charge on April 13, a day after incumbent Sunil Arora demits office.

Banda, Apr 12 (PTI) A 48-year-old farmer killed himself by jumping in front of a train in Turra village as he was facing financial hardship, police said on Monday.

They said Pappu alias Ganga Prasad jumped in front of a Sampark Kranti Express on Sunday and died on the spot.

According to his brother, police said, Prasad's wife died six months ago following a kidney disease. He'd sold his e-rickshaw to pay for her treatment and this caused financial troubles for him.

Muzaffarnagar (UP), Apr 12 (PTI) A 22-year-old woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by two men when she was harvesting crops here in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Monday.

The incident took place on Sunday in a village under Jansath Police Station area, they added.

In the complaint lodged with the police, the victim's family alleged that the woman had gone with her sister to their fields when two men tried to drag her to nearby sugarcane fields.

New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Ten states -- Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan have shown a steep rise in the daily COVID-19 cases accounting for 83.02 per cent of the new infections, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

India's daily cases continue to rise and 1,68,912 fresh coronavirus infections were registered in a span of 24 hours, the highest single-day rise since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Budaun (UP), Apr 12 (PTI) A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun district, police said on Monday.

The incident occurred in the Civil Lines police station area on Sunday night when the girl went to the fields with her family to collect wheat, they said.

The accused, who was hiding in the fields, raped the girl and then killed her when she tried to scream, they added.