Coronavirus Pandemic

The 144th Rath Yatra has started without public participation at Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad on July 12. However, considering the Coronavirus pandemic a curfew has been imposed on the route ''Ashadhi Beej'' and the duration of the procession is also reduced to about four-five hours from the usual 12 hours. Although people are restricted from reaching the route, the govt has made arrangements to telecast the yatra on TV… read-more

United Kingdom has awarded an honorary Membership of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) to a Bengaluru-based public health doctor, Dr Ananda Giri Shankar. Acknowledged for his fight against COVID-19 as Incident Director of Public Health Wales, Dr Shankar will receive award by the Queen of England. "The award is a great privilege," said the doctor who has spent about three decades of his life in Bengaluru.

Announcing numerous COVID-19 support measures, the Centre on May 29 promised pension to families that lost their sole bread-earners due to the pandemic. The government also stated that it had "enhanced and liberalized" the insurance compensation policy under Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme to support such families. Moreover, the benefit will be available retrospectively to cover COVID casualties from 24.03.2020 till 22.03.2022.

After 41 years of serving for the Indian Navy, the first destroyer in the Navy, INS Rajput will be decommissioned at the Vishakhapatnam Naval Dockyard on May 21. Commissioned in 1980, the first vessel of Kashin-class destroyers was constructed in Ukraine. The decommissioning ceremony will be low-key due to the pandemic and will be attended by in-house sailors and officers. Notably, the vessel served both eastern and western fleets.