From the Newsroom: Third phase of Covid-19 vaccination to begin next month

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Third phase of Covid-19 vaccination to begin next month; Sensex jumps 117 points after Reserve Bank keeps interest rates unchanged and US warship moves close to South China Sea.

The third phase of Covid-19 vaccination is going to begin next month, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told Lok Sabha on Friday. "Persons above 50 years of age and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities will be administered the vaccine in the third Phase," he said.

Extending its winning run to the fifth session, equity benchmark Sensex jumped 117 points on Friday after the Reserve Bank kept interest rates unchanged but continued its accommodative stance to revive growth.

The 30-share BSE benchmark briefly crossed the 51,000-level, before ending 117.34 points or 0.23 per cent higher at its fresh closing record of 50,731.63.

Similarly, the 50-share NSE Nifty scaled the 15,000 mark during the day but shed some ground to close at its all-time high of 14,924.25, up 28.60 points or 0.19 per cent.

A US warship sailed near the Chinese-controlled Paracel Islands in the disputed South China Sea on Friday in a freedom of navigation operation, the US Navy said

China's military condemned the move, saying it had dispatched naval and air units to follow and warn away the ship.