British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday ordered England into a new national lockdown to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases that threatens to overwhelm parts of the health system before a vaccine programme reaches a critical mass.

The announcement came just hours after the government hailed Britain's success in becoming the first country to begin rolling out the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca against COVID-19.

A total of three persons have tested positive for the new UK variant of coronavirus in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar district, an official said on Monday.

Three members of the same family - a husband, wife and their five-year-old child - have been found infected with UK strain in Hakmabad village of Sadulshahar in Sriganganagar.

Shares of midcap companies were on a roll on Monday with the S&P BSE Midcap index hitting a record high on the back of a strong rally in metals, financials and public sector undertaking (PSU) stocks.

At 12:50 pm, the S&P BSE Midcap index was up 0.85 per cent at 18,319 levels, as compared to a 0.31-per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The midcap index hit a record high of 18,363 in the intra-day trade, surpassing its previous high of 18,321, touched on January 9, 2018.

Reliance Jio on Monday approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court urging it to direct the Punjab government to intervene and stop the continuous vandalism of its infrastructure in the state. The Mukesh Ambani led company stated that the vandalism has endangered the lives of its employees and disrupted its communication setup.

In a petition filed earlier this morning, Jio said that the miscreants have been indulged by people with vested interest under the garb of the ongoing farmer protests.

Bajaj Auto on Monday reported an 11 per cent increase in total sales at 3,72,532 units in December 2020.

The firm had sold a total of 3,36,055 units in December 2019, Bajaj Auto said in a statement.

The Republic Day celebrations at Rajpath this month are likely to witness a number of changes including smaller marching contingents, shorter distance for the parade and fewer spectators compared to the previous years in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Recently, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had confirmed that United Kingdom's Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be attending India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2021, as the chief guest, adding that it is symbolic of a new era of India-UK ties.

Mumbai: The vaccination drive for the recently approved coronavirus vaccine can start in the country from this month. On Sunday, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) VG Somani approved Serum Institute of India's 'Covishield' vaccine and Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin' for emergency use, paving the way for its roll-out and administration to millions.

Meanwhile, the Serum Institute of India has revealed for the first time its pricing for the vaccine.

Just as the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) approved coronavirus vaccines produced by AstraZeneca and Bharat Biotech for emergency use in the country, Congress leaders launched an attack on the PM Narendra Modi led government over the grant of permission.

Triggering a controversy, Bihar Congress leader and MLA Ajit Sharma has asked PM Modi to take the first vaccine shot to assure the country that the vaccine is indeed safe.

Ghaziabad: The death toll due to roof collapse at a crematorium in Uttar Pradesh's Muradnagar, adjacent to Delhi, has risen to 23. At the same time, 15 people are still struggling between life and death. Meanwhile, after the order of CM Yogi Adityanath, the administration has started investigating the causes of the incident.

A total of three persons, including a junior engineer, have been arrested in the case police has said.

A bird flu alert has been sounded in Rajasthan after the presence of the dreaded virus was confirmed in dead crows in Jhalawar and more avian deaths were reported in other districts, including Jaipur.

On Sunday, seven crows were found dead at Jaipur's iconic Jal Mahal, taking the toll to 252 in the state.

Inviting Real Estate Agents, Job Placements Agents, Educational Institutes, Software Service Providers, Real Estate Builders, Marriage Bureaus, Travel Agents, Restaurant Owners, Health & Fitness Centers and other Local Businesses to Post a FREE Classified Advertisement on Cootera.com Classifieds Website.