NEWS

Voting for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections 2022, covering 54 seats, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi, will be held on Monday (March 7) to decide the phase of 613 candidates.

Polling will start at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm in Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra districts.

Campaigning for the final phase ended on March 5 with the BJP and its rival parties attacking each other on a range of issues from handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, law and order, economic and security situation to farmers' stir.

The Covid-19 cases is on its downward slope for some time now, but future mutations causing a yet another wave cannot be ruled out especially with high prevalence of cases in European and South East Asian countries and international borders opening up.

As many as 9,09,985 Covid tests were conducted in the last 24 hours© Provided by The Financial Express As many as 9,09,985 Covid tests were conducted in the last 24 hours

The Centre took note of IIT Kanpur’s input that the 4th Covid wave is due in June but found that  “it is yet to be examined whether this particular report has any scientific worth.” The Centre further asserted that ‘it is completely prepared for the unpredictable virus’. “We would like to see it published in a peer reviewed journal. We should be carefully watching the assumption that has been used. Only on a single estimate or projection, one is not taking any decision of significance.” NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul further said.

Mukul Arya, India’s representative at Ramallah in Palestine, passed away on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs announced. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a tweet said, “Deeply shocked to learn about the passing away of India’s Representative at Ramallah, Shri Mukul Arya.”

Mukul Arya, India's Envoy to Palestine, Passes Away; EAM Jaishankar Says 'Deeply Shocked'© Provided by News18 Mukul Arya, India's Envoy to Palestine, Passes Away; EAM Jaishankar Says 'Deeply Shocked'

“He was a bright and talented officer with so much before him. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. Om Shanti,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday he had spoken to SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and announced the country would receive more of its Starlink satellite internet terminals next week.

Zelenskyy said that he was grateful to Musk for supporting Ukraine with "words and deeds". "Next week, we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects. But I'll talk about this after the war," he tweeted.

The billionaire entrepreneur had previously delivered Starlink broadband internet service to the war-hit Ukraine on February 27. He had tweeted saying, ""The Star Link service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route."