Top news of the day: COVID-19 vaccine for 12-14 years from March 16; Wholesale price inflation climbs to 13.11% in February, and more

The major news headlines of the day, and more.

March 14, 2022 07:07 pm | Updated 07:07 pm IST

A health worker administers vaccine jab to a recipient at a vaccination Centre at Minto road, in New Delhi,

A health worker administers vaccine jab to a recipient at a vaccination Centre at Minto road, in New Delhi, | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena

COVID-19 vaccine for 12-14 years from March 16

It has been decided to start COVID-19 vaccination for the 12-14 age groups (those born in 2008, 2009 and 2010. i.e those who are already above 12 years of age) from March 16. In a release issued on Monday, the Union Health Ministry said the decision was taken after due deliberations with scientific bodies. The vaccine to be administered would be Corbevax, manufactured by Biological E. Limited, Hyderabad.

COVID-19: Supreme Court expresses concern over fake claims to get aid meant for families of the dead

The Supreme Court on Monday said it never expected morality to tank so much that fake claims are being made to steal aid meant to provide sustenance to families, even orphaned children, who lost their loved ones and breadwinners to COVID-19. “We never expected anybody to go to such an extent... Has morality gone down so much that there will be fake claims made for this [compensation for COVID deaths] too? And if some officers are involved, it is very serious,” Justice M.R. Shah, heading a Bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna, cautioned.

Russia and Ukraine to hold talks as troops edge closer to Kyiv

Russia and Ukraine were set for a third round of talks Monday as Moscow’s invading forces maintain their devastating assaults across the former Soviet state. The discussions come as Russian troops edge closer to Kyiv and keep up their relentless bombardment of the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, where nearly 2,200 people have been killed in the onslaught, according to local officials.

Wholesale price inflation climbs to 13.11% in February

Inflation in wholesale prices resurged to 13.11% in February after two months of mild cooling off, staying above the 10% mark for the eleventh month in a row, as per official data released on Monday.  Inflation measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) was at 12.96% in January after hitting a record high of 14.9% in November 2021. The index for December 2021 has been revised, raising the inflation for that month to 14.27% from an earlier estimate of 13.56%.

2020 Delhi riots | Court grants bail to Ishrat Jahan in larger conspiracy case

A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to former Congress Councillor Ishrat Jahan in the case concerning the larger conspiracy behind the Delhi riots of February 2020. The order was pronounced by Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat. 

Also read: Lok Sabha live updates | March 14, 2022 | Rajya Sabha live updates | March 14, 2022

Media in Jammu and Kashmir being ‘choked’ due to local administration curbs: Press Council of India panel

A three-member fact finding committee (FFC) of the Press Council of India on Jammu and Kashmir has said that the news media in the Union Territory, especially in the valley, is “slowly being choked“ due to extensive curbs imposed by the local administration. Six months after the PCI, a statutory quasi-judicial body which acts as a press watchdog, set up the FFC headed by Prakash Deubey (convenor) with members Suman Gupta and Gurbir Singh on a complaint by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti in September last year, it has submitted its report to the council which is yet to debate and adopt it.

Maternal Mortality Ratio of India declines by 10 points  

The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of India has declined by 10 points as per a special bulletin released by the Registrar General of India. It has declined from 113 in 2016-18 to 103 in 2017-19 (8.8 % decline). The country had been witnessing a progressive reduction in the MMR from 130 in 2014-2016, 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016-18, and to 103 in 2017-19, said the release issued on Monday. With this persistent decline, India was on the verge of achieving the National Health Policy (NHP) target of 100/lakh live births by 2020 and certainly on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70/ lakh live births by 2030, it noted.

DMK, Trinamool members oppose interest rate cut on EPF deposits

DMK member T. R. Baalu on March 14 slammed the government for lowering the interest rate on Employees’ Provident Fund deposits to 8.1%. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Mr. Baalu also demanded that the Centre restore the interest rate on EPF deposits to 8.5% and fix the minimum pension under the employee pension scheme at ₹3,000 per month. Mr. Baalu, who represents Sriperumbudur in Lok Sabha, said the seventh pay commission had recommended ₹18,000 as minimum wage and ₹9,000 as monthly pension.

‘Gandhis’ resposible for Congress’s rout in Punjab: Amarinder

Former Chief Minister and Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Monday blamed “the Gandhis” for the complete rout of the Congress. Hitting out at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) for trying to put the blame on him instead of gracefully admitting to their own blunders, Capt. Amarinder said: “The Congress has not only lost in Punjab but also in Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Goa and Manipur and the Gandhis are entirely to blame for the shameful defeat. The fact was that the people across the country had lost faith in the leadership of the Gandhis.”

Shreyas Iyer named ICC ‘Player of the Month

Fast-rising India batter Shreyas Iyer was on Monday voted the ICC ‘Men’s Player of the Month’ for February, while New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr bagged the honour among women. Iyer earned the award on the back of his brilliant white-ball exploits during the home series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka respectively last month.

Women’s Cricket World Cup | England’s title defense falters after loss against South Africa

England’s hopes of defending its title at the Women’s Cricket World Cup faltered Monday when it lost by three wickets to South Africa to be left without a win after three matches. Marizanne Kapp produced an outstanding all-round performance to lead South Africa to its third consecutive win at the tournament. The South Africans are now level with six-time champion Australia on six points at the top of the standings. England has fallen back to seventh in the eight-team competition.

Kerala only State where people appointed for just two years to Ministers get life pension: SC flags concern

The Supreme Court on March 14 flagged concern about Kerala being the only State where at least 20 persons are appointed to Ministers for just two years, and then they go on to get pension for the rest of their lives. Justice Nazeer, the lead judge on a Bench also comprising Justice Krishna Murari, said he had a read a newspaper report about this phenomenon in Kerala.

Iran claims missile barrage near U. S. consulate in Iraq

Iran claimed responsibility on March 13 for a missile barrage that struck near a sprawling U. S. consulate complex in northern Iraq, saying it was retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard earlier this week. Iraq’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest the attack, calling it a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty. No injuries were reported in Sunday’s attack on the city of Erbil, which marked a significant escalation between the U. S. and Iran.

Mina Swaminthan, of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, no more

Mina Swaminathan, Distinguished Chair, Gender and Development, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), died in her home in Teynampet on Monday morning. She was 88. Her death was due to natural causes, said a source at MSSRF.

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