Author: Mike Harrison

Asserting that he had never misused his discretionary powers, State Election Commissioner (SEC) N. Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday exhorted Andhra Pradesh government officials to make a concerted effort in the available time for the smooth conduct of gram panchayat elections in an apolitical manner. If unanimous elections were found to be due to pressure or other electoral malpractices, stringent action would be taken against the Returning Officers and the Assistant Returning Officers. “The past should be forgotten and focus laid on the road ahead as the elections are crucial and all possible cooperation must be extended to the commission that…

Manchester City thrashed West Brom 5-0 to move back top of the Premier League on Tuesday as Arsenal aided its push towards the European places with a 3-1 win at Southampton.City has now won 11 consecutive games since West Brom earned a shock 1-1 draw at the Etihad last month.Pep Guardiola’s men have hit top form since and did not miss the presence of the injured Kevin De Bruyne in blowing away the Baggies by scoring four goals before half-time.Ilkay Gundogan opened the floodgates by curling home from the edge of the box before Joao Cancelo’s controversial strike doubled City’s…

China’s government said this week there was “no place for malign competition” on the issue of supplying vaccines. The media it controls in China have, however, adopted a different line, from accusing India of “interference” in preventing Chinese vaccines being used in South Asia, to questioning the efficacy of Indian and Western vaccines.Also read: India, China may take lead in Asia’s Covid vaccination plans, says Moody’s Analytics”There are multiple COVID-19 vaccine candidates out there on the market, and countries should be able to make their choices on the vaccines independently,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said this week when asked…

Travellers arriving in Britain from high-risk COVID-19 countries will have to quarantine for 10 days in government-provided accommodation, while those wishing to leave will need to explain why in a process checked before departure Britain announced new measures to reduce travel in and out of the country on Wednesday, hoping that by tightening its borders it can reduce the risk of new variants of the coronavirus spreading and putting its vaccination programme at risk.Travellers arriving in Britain from high-risk COVID-19 countries will have to quarantine for 10 days in government-provided accommodation, while those wishing to leave will need to explain…

The Indian government recently sent notices to Chinese firms, informing them that the ban, announced in June, will continue China on Wednesday called on India “to immediately correct its discriminatory measures” over the decision to extend a ban on 59 Chinese apps.The Indian government recently sent notices to Chinese firms, informing them that the ban, announced in June, will continue. India had in June banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser, citing national security concerns. A further 118 apps were banned in September and 43 other apps in November last year.The recent notice was sent after reviewing…

They have been in jail since December 20. They would move High Court for bail, says activist A South Korean woman and three Uttar Pradesh residents accused under the new ordinance of allegedly trying to entice two Hindu women to convert to Christianity were denied bail by a local court in Gautam Buddha Nagar.The four accused, which includes three women, have been in jail since December 20.South Korean national Minkaygali alias Anmol and Seema, Sandhya and Umesh Kumar of Prayagraj were booked on charges of using enticement to convert people to Christianity.The FIR lodged at the Surajpur police station in…

It was not immediately clear if AstraZeneca had reversed a decision to pull out, or if the EU’s information that it would not participate was incorrect. Confusion erupted on January 27 over a scheduled meeting between AstraZeneca and the EU to discuss the pharmaceutical group’s delay in delivering its COVID-19 vaccine.An EU official told AFP that AstraZeneca had abruptly pulled out of the meeting — the third called for this week — in what was seen as an escalation in the contractual row over the deliveries.But shortly afterwards AstraZeneca issued a statement saying: “We can confirm we have not pulled…

Deeply pained by whatever happened during the tractor parade, says president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu). Two farmer unions on Wednesday withdrew from the ongoing agitation on Delhi’s borders against the three farm laws, a day after violence broke out in the national capital during the tractor parade.Also read: Conspiracy hatched because Centre was shaken by farmers’ agitation, says SKM Talking to reporters, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) president Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh said he was deeply pained by whatever happened during the tractor parade in the national capital, adding that his union was ending its protest. The union was staging…

‘Growth across categories spurs profits,’ the consumer goods maker said in a regulatory filing. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL) reported standalone third-quarter net profit rose 19% to ₹1,921 crore, from ₹1,616 crore in the year-earlier period on broad-based growth across categories.“We have significantly dialled up investments behind our portfolio and in building future-fit capabilities,” the consumer goods maker said in a regulatory filing. “Net revenue management and savings agenda has enabled us to drive a healthy bottom line.” Sales income increased 21% to ₹11,682 crore, from ₹9,696 crore in the same period last year. ‘Market development’ “Our consumer relevant innovations, market development and execution…

Notably, Senate Minority Leader, who had in recent weeks entertained the possibility of convicting Mr. Trump, joined his Republican colleagues and voted against taking the trial forward. All but five of the U.S. Senate’s 50 Republicans unsuccessfully attempted to block the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump from progressing, in a vote on the constitutionality of impeaching a former President. While Mr. Trump will be tried because 55 of the 100 senators voted to proceed, Tuesday’s vote cast doubt on whether Mr. Trump would be convicted — a move that would need 17 of the Senate’s 50 Republicans to…