From the Newsroom: Masks mandatory for next six months in Maharashtra

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Union Minister V K Singh says farmers’ protest was ‘more political’; Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray says wearing masks will be mandatory for the next six months in the state; Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said that the National Education Policy 2020 will be implemented in the state from next year; A car bombing in Kabul targeting an Afghan lawmaker kills at least nine people; Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolves the country’s Parliament and Facebook takes down content spreading lies in Israel against coronavirus vaccinations.

Union Minister V K Singh on Sunday said the on going protests by farmers against the three Central farm laws was "more political" in nature and underlined the NDA government's intent to ensure the welfare of the ryots.

Speaking to reporters here ahead of his interaction with farmers, the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways claimed that "actual farmers are very happy with what has been done in last six months."

He sought to allay fears on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and other issues, saying MSP will carry on while contract farming will only benefit the farmers.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said wearing masks will be mandatory for the next six months in the state.

Addressing people of the state on social media, Thackeray said experts are in favour of imposing night curfew or another lockdown, but he is not in favour of these steps.

The coronavirus situation in the state is under control, through not completely, he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said that the National Education Policy 2020 will be implemented in Karnataka from next year.

"The NEP will pave the way for the concept of New India," he added.

The deputy chief minister was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 41st Foundation Day and releasing the video series of NEP 2020 in Kannada, prepared by Prof Karunakar A Kotegar, Syndicate member of Mangalore University, through online mode.

A car bombing in Kabul targeting an Afghan lawmaker killed at least nine people, officials said.

Lawmaker Khan Mohammad Wardak survived the blast but is among 20 injured including women and children, Afghan Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi said.

It is unclear whether the explosive was planted in a car parked on the lawmaker's route or if a vehicle with the bomb was being driven by a bomber, Andarabi added. No one has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday dissolved Parliament at the recommendation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and announced new dates for mid-term general election in April-May.

President Bhandari has announced April 30 for the first phase and May 10 for the second phase of the mid-term election, according to a notice issued by Rastrapati Bhawan.

She dissolved Parliament as per Article 76, clause 1 and 7, and Article 85 of the Constitution of Nepal, according to the notice.

The move comes as the intra-party feud reached climax in the ruling NCP which has been witnessing months long tussle between two factions, one led by 68-year-old Oli and Party’s chairman and another ed by 66-year-old “Prachanda”, also the executive chair of the party and former premier.

Facebook has taken down content that spread lies in Israel against coronavirus vaccinations as the government seeks to drum up support for the programme, the Justice Ministry said on Sunday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday became the first person to be vaccinated in Israel. Opinion polls show some two-thirds of the public want to follow suit.