India

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday accused the Modi government of having failed the people of the country in handling the pandemic and demanded that an all-party meeting be convened immediately on the COVID-19 situation.

The battle against the pandemic transcends political differences and everyone has to fight it together as a nation, she said at a virtual meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party.

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) In one of the steepest increase since daily price revision was started, petrol price on Thursday was hiked by 25 paise per litre and diesel by 30 paise as oil companies raised rates for the third straight day to pass on to consumers the increase in international oil prices.

Petrol price in Delhi was increased to Rs 90.99 per litre from Rs 90.74 while diesel rates went up to Rs 81.42 a litre from Rs 81.12, according to a price notification by state-owned fuel retailers.

Amaravati, May 6 (PTI) The very infectious strains of coronavirus, B.1.617 and B.1, are currently found in the COVID-19 positives in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana and spreading fast in younger age groups, apart from adults.

The N440K is neither a 'variant of interest' nor is virulent now, the state Health Department has said quoting a study by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

Mumbai, May 6 (PTI) Actor Abhilasha Patil, who has acted in films like "Chhichhore" and "Good Newwz", has died due to COVID-19 complications, her co-actor said.

Patil was in her 40s.

She was admitted at a hospital soon after she tested positive for the novel coronavirus and died on May 4.

Actor Kushal Koli, who worked with Patil in the show Shree Gurudeva Dutta , said he got to know about her demise through a common friend.

Aligarh (UP), May 6 (PTI) Noted Sanskrit scholar at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Prof Khalid Bin Yusuf has passed away after a brief illness, a university statement said here on Thursday.

Prof Yusuf (60) was showing COVID-19 symptoms and had acute pneumonia, his family members said.

He passed away on Wednesday night while being treated at a hospital, they added.

Prof Yusuf was the first Muslim in India to earn a doctorate on Rigveda, as per the statement.

Thiruvananthapuram, May 6 (PTI) The Kerala government on Thursday announced a nine-day complete lockdown in the state from the morning of May 8 to arrest the massive spread of COVID-19 in the state.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the lockdown would come into force on May 8 morning and extend up to May 16.

"The entire State of Kerala will be under lockdown from 6am on 8 May to 16 May. This is in the background of a strong 2nd wave of #COVID19," Vijayan tweeted.

The CM said there was no need for panic.

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) The Indian Army has set up a 'COVID management cell' to ensure better coordination in extending support to civil authorities across the country to deal with surging cases of coronavirus infections.

Officials said the responsibility of the cell is to bring in greater efficiency in coordinating the Army's response to call for help from state governments as well as authorities in union territories.

Hyderabad, May 6 (PTI) Telangana has no plans to impose a lockdown in the state as it will cripple public life as well as the economy, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said on Thursday.

He further said the past experience reveals that lockdown is not effective in controlling COVID-19.

According to Rao, Telangana is the most happening state, about 25 to 30 lakh migrant labourers are earning their livelihood in the state and their lives were ruined during the first spell of lockdown in 2020.

Lucknow, May 6 (PTI) Amid the surge in coronavirus cases, the Uttar Pradesh government is providing oximeters and thermal scanners for cows housed in the state's gaushalas'.

That is what a government press release said. But an official later clarified that the medical equipment was meant for people who work at the gaushalas'.

Kolkata, May 6 (PTI) A day after swearing-in for the third time as the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee on Thursday made several changes in the ranks of IAS and IPS officers.

Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority CEO P Ulganathan was named as the district magistrate of South 24 Parganas district, an order issued on Thursday evening said.

Anurag Shrivastava, the DM of Paschim Bardhaman, was transferred as the MD of West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd.