From The Newsroom: India approves Russia's Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V for emergency use

In your evening news brief, Subject Expert Committee approves Russia's Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V for emergency use; Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa says state government could impose lockdown if the necessity arises and Guillermo Lasso wins Ecuador's presidential election.

Hi, this is Ahmed Shariff and you are listening to, From The Newsroom— your daily evening news catch-up show from Deccan Herald.

Here is the top news of April 12, 2021:

India's Subject Expert Committee on Monday have approved Russia's Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V for emergency use, sources told Deccan Herald. The approval comes in the midst of an acute vaccine shortage that have states writing to the Central government as stocks run low.

India's Covid surge has raised an alarm as the country reported over 1 lakh cases for the sixth straight day on Monday. India is now the second worst-hit nation, surpassing Brazil.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said the state government could impose lockdown if the necessity arises.

"People need to respond for their own good. If they don't heed then we may have to take stringent measures. If required and if necessity arises, we will impose lockdown," Yediyurappa told reporters in Bidar.

Reacting to queries on the growing coronavirus cases in the state, which saw the numbers breaching 10,000 on Sunday, he said the Prime Minister had also spoken to him about the measures taken by his government.

Former banker Guillermo Lasso won Ecuador's presidential election Sunday, pledging "opportunities and prosperity" despite a pandemic-battered and debt-laden economy and a political system riven by gridlock.

Conservative Lasso declared himself president-elect after his socialist opponent Andres Arauz conceded. With 93 per cent of votes counted, the 65-year-old held a lead of almost five percentage points over economist Arauz.

Source: DHNS/ PTI/ AFP