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Mon, 25 January 2021
China for resolving disputes through dialogue: Xi

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23:56   100% FASTag at Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Mumbai-Pune expressway from Jan 26
At toll plazas on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in the metropolis and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, 100 per cent FASTag system will be implemented from January 26, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation said on Monday.
FASTag programme uses radio-frequency identification technology, which provides users a smooth crossover at toll plazas without halting. The toll payment is made digitally through the FASTag linked to the bank wallet.
In a press release, MSRDC said motorists will have to pay double the amount of toll if their vehicles, without FASTag or a blacklisted tag, enter in the lane dedicated for FASTag-enabled vehicles.
According to the state-run transport body, all lanes will be facilitated with FASTag on these two high-speed roads.
"However, there will be some hybrid lanes at toll plazas on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, where they can pay toll using cash, but they will have to buy FASTag from stalls there," said Vijay Waghmare, joint director of MSRDC.
Earlier this month, the MSRDC hadlaunched a 5 per cent cashback scheme on payment of toll through FASTag.

The scheme is applicable for cars, jeeps and SUVs, for a limited period. -- PTI  
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23:52   China for resolving disputes through dialogue: Xi
Committing to bridge differences by dialogue and resolve disputes through negotiations with other countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday warned against 'beggar-thy-neighbour' policies and said the strong should not bully the weak by "showing off strong muscles or waving a big fist".
 
He also cautioned that any type of confrontation, be it in the form of "cold war, hot war, trade war or tech war", would eventually hurt all countries' interests and undermine everyone's well-being.
"We should respect and accommodate differences, avoid meddling in other countries' internal affairs, and resolve disagreements through consultation and dialogue," he said in a special address at the World Economic Forum's week-long online Davos Agenda Summit, which will also be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.
"We have been shown time and again that to beggar thy neighbour, to go it alone, and to slip into arrogant isolation will always fail," President Xi said.
'The Beggar thy neighbour' policies typically mean economic measures adopted by a country to address its own problems, but they worsen the situation for other countries.
While he did not name any country, China's relationship with a few countries, mainly the US and India, has deteriorated badly in the recent past. It remains to be seen what might change in US-China relations under the presidency of Joe Biden, who took charge as the US president less than a week ago.
China has also faced a lot of flak from some quarters for its initial handling of COVID-19, which was first reported in late 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
President Xi said China will continue to take an active part in international cooperation on COVID-19, as containing the virus remains the most pressing task for the international community.
"Global public health governance needs to be enhanced. No global problem can be solved by any one country alone. We need to give full play to the role of the World Health Organization in building a global community of health for all," he said.
He also said reforms of the World Trade Organization must be advanced.
President Xi advocated for addressing international affairs through consultation.
"To build small circles or start a new Cold War, to reject, threaten or intimidate others, to willfully impose decoupling, supply disruption or sanctions, and to create isolation or estrangement will only push the world into division and even confrontation," he said.
He called for the entire world to join hands and letting multilateralism light the way towards "a community with a shared future for mankind".
Stressing that China will continue to promote a new type of international relations, he said, "Zero-sum game or winner-takes-all is not the guiding philosophy of the Chinese people."
"As a staunch follower of an independent foreign policy of peace, China is working hard to bridge differences through dialogue and resolve disputes through negotiation and to pursue friendly and cooperative relations with other countries based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit," President Xi said. -- PTI
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23:35   China plays down its vaccine rivalry with India
Aggressively pursuing its COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy, China on Monday played down reports of rivalry with India, which has emerged as a major competitor to Beijing in supplying the jabs to various countries, saying that there should not be vicious competition and confrontation over this.
China welcomes more countries to produce effective vaccines to benefit more people, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijiang told a media briefing here, replying to a question from China's official media about the reports of emerging rivalry between Beijing and New Delhi over the vaccine diplomacy.
He said each country should independently decide to opt for the vaccine of its choice independently.
"On this issue, there should not be vicious competition, and certainly not confrontation," Zhao said.
A number of countries in the subcontinent including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, where Beijing has substantial investments, caught China by surprise by opting for Indian vaccines.
India on Friday said it is undertaking commercial supplies of the doses to a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil and Morocco.
So far, India has sent consignments of coronavirus vaccines under grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Mauritius and Seychelles.
India has also rushed two million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Brazil on the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
China for its part was not shy to highlight its own vaccine diplomacy. On January 20, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying read out to the media the names of leaders of several countries who have taken Chinese vaccine jabs.
Hua said 46 countries so far have expressed their desire to import the China-made vaccines.
Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his vice President Fuat Oktay, Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan, leaders of UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia have been publicly inoculated with Chinese vaccines, she said.
China has launched its vaccine diplomacy even as it approved only one of its four vaccines, Sinopharm for emergency use. Its other vaccines like Sinovac and CoronaVac have made their way abroad and are being used while they are undergoing trial processes.
Back home, China has launched the free vaccination drive for all of its 1.4 billion people starting with key groups. Over 10 million people have been inoculated already in the country while the ruling Communist Party leadership and the party cadre were yet to get vaccinated. -- PTI
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22:54   Pilot killed as Army chopper crash-lands in JK
A pilot was killed after an advanced light helicopter Dhruv of the Indian Army made a crash-landing in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Monday, officials said. 
The chopper, which was coming from Pathankot, was forced to make a crash-landing in an Army area in the Lakhanpur belt of the district, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua Shailendra Mishra told PTI
Two pilots of the helicopter were injured in the incident, he said, adding that they were rushed to a military base hospital.
One of them succumbed subsequently, an official said.
"Tragic news coming in. We have one pilot fatal casualty," a defence spokesperson, said.
Further details are awaited. 
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22:39   Arnab Goswami, wife to declare income, entire bank accounts
Alleging canards, defamatory comments and slander, Republic Media Network said on Monday said that its editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and his wife will publicly declare all their income, salaries, expenditures and their entire bank accounts since 2004, when they moved to Mumbai.

In a press release, the network said the attempt was being made through "leaks" to question Arnab Goswami's integrity.

It said Arnab Goswami and his wife and Senior Executive Editor of the Republic Media Network Samyabrata Ray Goswami "are going to publicly declare all their income, salaries, expenditures, loans, insurance policies, educational expenses, medical expenses, and their entire bank accounts since 2004, when they moved to Mumbai".

"They will be putting all their personal financial details in a document and publicly handing it over to the CBI, the ED and, should the Mumbai Police be interested, to them as well," the release said.

The release said this is the first time that "a media professional and a public personality is disclosing every single rupee of their financial transactions-- that too of the last 16 years".

It alleged "conspiratorial" attempts to "create prejudice" against Arnab Goswami. -- ANI
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22:24   Covid: Delhi soon to have herd immunity: Survey
The outcome of the fifth round of sero-prevalence survey in the national capital has indicated that Delhi population could be heading towards attaining herd immunity against coronavirus infection, sources said on Monday.
 
The survey has found that in one district, 50-60 per cent of the sampled population has developed antibodies to COVID-19, they said.
 
For the survey, which ended a few days ago, samples of over 25,000 people from various districts across the city were collected, the sources said.
Delhi's population is over two crore, spread across 11 districts.
 
"In one district, the sero-prevalence rate is between 50-60 per cent, indicating a large number of people have developed antibodies, so we can say the city is moving towards attaining herd immunity," a source said without disclosing the name of the district.
 
Experts say herd immunity is said to have been developed in a population segment if 50-60 per cent of those are found to have the presence of antibodies in a sero-prevalence survey.
 
Herd immunity implies that in any set of people in a community, after becoming affected by the virus, a lot many of them become immune to it, on account of antibodies developed in response to it. And, hence, such people become a protective layer between the infected person and unaffected people, thereby breaking the chain of viral transmission.
 
This is the fifth such exercise that was conducted here, but the Delhi government has not given any official version on it.
 
The first sero-prevalence, done from June 27-July 10 by the Delhi government in association with the National Centre for Disease Control, had used 21,387 samples and found that around 23 per cent of the people surveyed had an exposure to the novel coronavirus. -- PTI
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22:15   CRPF conferred with 73 gallantry medals
The country's largest paramilitary force, CRPF, has been bestowed with the highest number of 73 gallantry medals for undertaking counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir and in various Maoist violence affected states.  

It also earned four Kirti Chakras announced by the ministry of defence, the Central Reserve Police Force said in a statement. 

Inspector Pintu Kumar Singh, head constable Shyam Narain Singh Yadava and constable Vinod Kumar of the 92nd battalion have been posthumously decorated with the Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry medal.  

The three laid down their lives in a fierce gunfight with terrorists that raged for almost 34 hours in Jammu-Kashmir's Kupwara in February 2019. Two foreign terrorists were killed in this gun battle that claimed the lives of five security forces personnel, including two from JK police's special operations group (SOG).  

Deputy Commandant Rahul Mathur, who was grievously wounded during a counter-terrorist operation in Batmaloo, Srinagar in September last year has also been awarded with the Kirti Chakra, the force said.  

The officer, chief of its house intervention team in the Kashmir Valley, was under treatment at the 92 base hospital for about 10 days after he was shot twice in the chest and abdomen during this action. He is "back in action" now and has resumed duty, a senior officer said. 

A medals' tally released by the Union home ministry showed that the force has been decorated with the highest Presidents' Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG), posthumously for Assistant Sub Inspector Mohan Lal who was killed during the 2019 Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, while rest of the medals are in the second-highest category of Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG).

-- PTI
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S P Balasubramaniam
21:25   Padma Vibhushan for singer SPB, Japan's Shinzo Abe
Former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, Singer S P Balasubramaniam (posthumously), Sand artist Sudarshan Sahoo, Archaeologist BB Lal awarded Padma Vibhushan, reports ANI.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, former Principal Secretary to PM Nripendra Misra, former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan (posthumous), former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi (posthumous) and religious leader Kalbe Sadiq (posthumous) are among the 10 recipients of Padma Bhushan.
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20:45   India, China to hold 10th round of talks 'soon'
India and China have agreed to push for an early disengagement of troops and resolved to continue "effective efforts" to stabilise and control the situation in eastern Ladakh at their ninth round of military talks on the border row, a joint press statement said on Monday.
   
The statement issued in New Delhi by the defence ministry said the two sides agreed that the meeting was "positive, practical and constructive, which further enhanced mutual trust and understanding."
 
"The two sides agreed to continue their effective efforts in ensuring the restraint of the frontline troops, stabilise and control the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the China-India border, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility," it said after the 16-hour meeting at the Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. 
 
The statement said they agreed to hold the 10th round of Corps Commander meeting at an early date to jointly advance de-escalation.
 
The Corps Commander-level talks began at around 10:30 am on Sunday and ended at 2:30 am on Monday, military sources said.
 
"They also agreed to follow the important consensus of their state leaders, maintain the good momentum of dialogue and negotiation, and hold the 10th round of the Corps Commander level meeting at an early date to jointly advance de-escalation," the statement said.
 
The sources said both sides held extensive deliberations on modalities for disengagement of troops from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh at the talks.
 
"Detailed discussions were held on modalities for the disengagement process," said a source aware of the negotiations.
 
The sources said India insisted that it was up to China to carry forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation at friction points in the region where the two militaries have been engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball face-off for nearly nine months.
 
Hours after the talks concluded, it came to light that Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a clash in the high-altitude Naku La region in North Sikkim on January 20, an incident described by the Indian Army on Monday as a "minor face-off".
 
In a statement, the Indian Army said the face-off was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols. -- PTI
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20:40   Decision to allow all on local trains soon: Maha CM
A decision on allowing all commuters to board suburban train services in Mumbai will be taken "soon", Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Monday.
He made the statement after chairing a review meeting in Mumbai on the issue of resumption of suburban train services, currently available only for select sections of commuters, for all members of the public.
According to an official statement, several options were discussed on allowing all passengers to use local train services in such a way that there is no crowding as the COVID-19 threat still persists.
The meeting was attended by chief secretary Sanjay Kumar, the CM's principal adviser Ajoy Mehta, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, railway officials etc,the statement said.
Currently, only some categories of commuters, like women and those providing essential services, can travel by local trains in the Mumbai region after obtaining a special pass, in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
Those with confirmed tickets for long distance trains can now travel to the boarding station by suburban trains in the Mumbai region.
The suburban train services, considered Mumbai's lifeline, were suspended in March-end last year due to the coronavirus outbreak and gradually resumed later. -- PTI 
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19:33   R-Day: Prez pays tribute to Galwan martyrs
President Ram Nath Kovind addresses the nation on the eve of 72nd Republic Day.

During his address, the President mentioned the Ladakh standoff and paid tributes to the 20 India soldiers who were killed during the Galwan Valley clash.

"The past year was a time of adversity, and it came from many fronts.

"We faced an expansionist move on our borders, but our valiant soldiers foiled it.

"To achieve this objective, 20 of them had to lay down their lives. The nation shall remain grateful to those brave soldiers.

"Though we reiterate our commitment to peace, our defence forces -- Army, Air Force and Navy -- are adequately mobilised in a well-coordinated move to thwart any attempt to undermine our security.

"Our national interest will be protected at all costs," the President said in his address. -- ANI
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19:14   Sasikala to be released on Jan 27: Dinakaran
Expelled All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader V K Sasikala, serving a jail term in Bengaluru in a corruption case and presently under treatment for coronavirus, will be released from prison on Wednesday 'according to all our expectations', her nephew T T V Dinakaran said on Monday.

With the former aide of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa recuperating in a Bengaluru hospital, her discharge from the medical facility will be made known later, he said in a tweet.

'According all our expectations... Chinnamma (Sasikala) will be released (from prison) day after tomorrow, 27-01-2021,' Dinakaran said.

Independent legislator Dinakaran, Sasikala's nephew and founder of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) said his aunt was recuperating from coronavirus and that her discharge from the hospital will be made known later after consulting doctors.

Sasikala, under treatment at Victoria Hospital, had been earlier moved out of the ICU there after her virus symptoms reduced.

She had contracted coronavirus on January 20 and was later admitted to the Bowring Hospital.

In view of her critical condition, she was shifted to the ICU ward of Victoria Hospital.

She was sentenced to four years imprisonment in February 2017 in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case.   -- PTI
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18:24   Farmers announce march to Parl on Budget day
Krantikari Kisan Union leader Darshan Pal has announced that farmers protesting on the borders of Delhi will take out a march to Parliament on February 1, the day when Union budget will be presented in the House.

"On February 1, we will march on foot towards Parliament in Delhi from different locations," Pal said.

More details awaited.   -- ANI 
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17:49   Covid negative report must for attending Kumbh
Devotees who wish to attend the forthcoming Kumbh mela must bring a COVID-19 negative RT-PCR test report, according to a standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the Centre for holding the religious congregation.

The RT-PCR test must be conducted within 72 hrs of the date of the visit, stated the document by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The Uttarakhand government shall ensure that healthcare and other frontline workers engaged during Kumbh Mela medical and public health operations are vaccinated on priority.

Only vaccinated healthcare and other frontline workers be deputed for Kumbh Mela duties, it said.

As far as possible, people must maintain a six-feet distance in public places and wear masks, the SOP stated, while the authorities have been directed to ensure the devotees adhere to COVID-appropriate behaviour during the Kumbh.

Mask dispensing kiosks at government-approved rates may be set up at entry points and parking lots.

Provision should be kept for distribution of free masks to those who cannot afford them, it said.

Enforcement agencies should levy penalties on defaulters for not wearing masks or face covers or for not following physical distancing norms, the SOP stated.

Those aged more than 65 years, pregnant women, children below the age of 10, those with underlying comorbid conditions such should be discouraged to attend the Kumbh Mela, it said.

Devotees visiting the Kumbh Mela must register with the Uttarakhand government and obtain a compulsory medical certificate from the nearest community Health centre district hospital and medical college in their state.

The Kumbh Mela administration should identify spatial boundaries of the fair ground keeping in view the physical distancing requirements and prepare a detailed site plan which would facilitate compliance with thermal screening, physical distancing and sanitization.

Kumbh Mela administration should make arrangements for adequate ambulances and build a temporary hospital with 1,000 beds which can be being expanded to 2,000 beds.

The likely dates for the event are from February 27 to April 30.

It is expected that about 10 lakh people will attend the fair on a normal day and about 50 lakh people will attend the mela on auspicious days.   -- PTI
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17:36   Big losers at the BSE today
On the Sensex chart on Monday, Reliance Industries fell 5.36 per cent despite posting better-than-estimated earnings. IndusInd Bank, HCL Tech, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement and PowerGrid also declined (infographic alongside).
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17:36   Top gainers at the BSE today
The benchmark Sensex dived nearly 531 points to close at 48,348 on Monday, extending its losses to the third straight session due to massive selling in energy and IT stocks.

After swinging nearly 1,000 points during the session, the BSE benchmark settled with a loss of 530.95 points or 1.09 per cent at 48,347.59.

Among the gainers were Axis Bank, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Auto, Bajaj FinServ, HDFC Bank and Dr Reddy's (graphic alongside).
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17:21   Video of Vedic hymns at Kamala Harriss office is from 2014!
A video purporting to be of mantras being chanted at a puja on US vice president Kamala Harris's first day in office, which went viral on social media, has turned out to from 2014, reports fact-checking site Alt News.

The same video, Alt News reports, was also circulated last month as Vedic mantras being chanted at Joe Biden's first day at the White House! 

Following several requests to fact-check the origin of the video, Alt News found that the video had been shared on October 14, 2014, by radio jockey Giridhar Talla with the following description: 'Jeffrey Erhard and Robbie Erhard started off the fourth annual Hindu American Seva Communities Conference with the first anuvakam of Sri Rudram Namakam', adding, 'Celebrating Mahatma Gandhi's 145th birth anniversary at the White House on October 2nd 2014. This is the Hindu American Seva Communities fourth annual conference' (on October 2, 2014), Alt News writes, here.
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17:09   Hope farmers will reconsider govt offer: Tomar
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday termed the government's proposal to suspend new farm laws for 1-1.5 years as the 'best offer' and hoped that the protesting farmers' unions will soon reconsider it and convey their decision.

The talks between the government and 41 protesting farm unions have remained inconclusive even after 11 rounds of discussions.

During the 10th round of talks, the government had climbed down and offered a proposal to keep the new laws in abeyance for 1-1.5 years, but it was rejected by the unions.

In the 11th round of discussion, the government asked unions to reconsider the proposal and convey their final decision.

"The government has given the best offer to farmers' unions. I am hopeful that they will convey their decision to us after discussing it among themselves. Once they communicate, we will take it forward," Tomar told PTI.

After the 11th round of talks, the minister had indicated that there won't be further talks but he would be ready to meet for farmers' final decision on the offer made by the government.

It remains to be seen whether the farmers' unions will convey their decision after their planned tractor rally or 'Kisan Gantantra Parade' in the city on January 26.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court-appointed committee on farm laws is scheduled to hold its second round of consultations with farmers and agricultural organisations on January 27.

Notwithstanding severe cold, thousands of farmers -- especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of western Uttar Pradesh -- have camped at Delhi borders seeking repeal of the new laws and a legal guarantee of government-fixed minimum support price for agri-crops.

The farmers' protest at Delhi borders has entered its 61st day and even peasants in other states like Maharashtra have started extending support to them.   -- PTI
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16:24   Sensex crashes 530 points in runup to Budget
The BSE benchmark Sensex dived nearly 531 points to close at 48,348 on Monday, prolonging its losing streak to the third straight session, weighed down by massive selling particularly in energy and IT stocks. 

After swinging nearly 1,000 points during the session, the BSE benchmark settled with a loss of 530.95 points or 1.09 per cent at 48,347.59. 

The 30-share index opened over 375 points higher and hit the day's high of 49,263.15 before succumbing to selling pressure that took the index to the session's lowest point at 48,274.92.

Likewise, the NSE gauge Nifty plunged 133 points or 0.93 per cent to end the session at 14,238.90. 

On the Sensex chart, Reliance Industries fell 5.36 per cent, followed by IndusInd Bank, HCL Tech, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement and PowerGrid dropping as much as 4.72 per cent. 

Of the Sensex constituents, 21 closed in the red and only 9 in the green. 

Among the gainers were Axis Bank, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Auto, Bajaj FinServ, HDFC Bank and Dr Reddy's.

Analysts are of the view that markets may remain volatile in this holiday-shortened week amid monthly derivatives expiry, quarterly earnings and the upcoming Union Budget.

-- PTI
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16:00   Check vaccine rumours: Centre to states
Faced with the problem of circulation of rumours about the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, the Centre has asked the states to check the spread of such misinformation and advised them to take penal action against those who are found to be involved in dissemination of wrong and ill-informed news.
 
In a communication to chief secretaries of all states and UTs, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla also strongly emphasised that the National Regulatory Authority in the country has found that the two vaccines -- Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin, developed and manufactured by the Bharat Biotech Limited -- were safe and immunogenic.
The central government, in close collaboration with the state governments and UT administrations, has launched the inoculation drive of COVID-19 vaccination from January 16 across the country with the two vaccines.
The Union home secretary said healthcare workers and frontline workers are being inoculated as per the priority decided by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19, and subsequently the priority groups 2 and 3 will be vaccinated.

"I would like to strongly emphasise that the National Regulatory Authority in the country has found both the vaccines safe and immunogenic. However, it has been reported that unfounded and misleading rumours are circulating on social and other media, creating doubt about the safety and efficacy of these vaccines. 
"Such kind of rumour mongering, particularly by vested interests, can create unwarranted doubts among people at large, and there is, therefore, a need to check all such kinds of unfounded scare mongering relating to the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccines, the communication said.
Urging the states and UTs to put in place an appropriate mechanism to check the spread of such ill-informed rumours, Bhalla asked the chief secretaries to direct all the authorities concerned under the state government to take appropriate necessary measures to counter the spread of all such kind of "false information" about COVID-19 vaccines as well as promptly disseminate factual messages. 
"Further, penal action may be taken against the person/s or organisation/s who is/ are found to have indulged in such activities, under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act. 2005 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860," he said. 

-- PTI
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15:50   Mumbai: Protesters, trying to make their way to Raj Bhavan, clash with cops
Maharashtra: Agitators protesting the new farm laws moving towards the Raj Bhavan (Governor's House) in Mumbai, stopped by the police. 

Farmers from various districts of the state have gathered at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, in protest against the new farm laws. 

A protester said, "We'll give memorandum to Governor today. Our families have also come with us because if we lose farming, the entire family will come on road" 

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar addressing the crowds at Azad Maidan said, "Braving cold weather, farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are agitating for the last 60 days. Has the PM enquired about them? Do these farmers belong to Pakistan?"
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15:26   Row over Netaji's portrait at Rashtrapati Bhavan
A portrait of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose unveiled by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan is that of an actor who played him in a biopic, posts on social media claimed today.

President Ram Nath Kovind unveiled Netaji's portrait on Saturday to mark his birth anniversary, named "Parakram Diwas" by the Centre. A post on his timeline has gone viral with users saying the portrait is not that of Netaji at all, that it is actually of Prosenjit Chatterjee, who played Netaji in the 2019 biopic "Gumnami".

BJP sources have rubbished the charge, asserting that the photo was provided by Netaji's family to famous Padma Shri award winning artist Paresh Maity, who painted the portrait. "The photo does not resemble Prosenjit at all. It is an unnecessary controversy," the sources said.

It is not clear yet which member or which branch of the family provided the photo.

Paresh Maity, 56, is from Bengal's East Midnapore district and currently lives in Delhi.

Among those who ridiculed the portrait was Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who tweeted: "After donating ₹ 5 lakhs to the Ram temple the President honours Netaji by unveiling a portrait of Prasenjit, the actor who played him in biopic God Save India (because this government certainly can't)."

In his role as Netaji, Bengali movie star Prosenjit Chatterjee bears a striking resemblance to the renowned freedom icon in the 2019 film and he reportedly used prosthetics for his transformation. The claim that his portrait is up as Netaji's at Rashtrapati Bhavan has inspired several memes and jokes on Twitter, with people calling for the inauguration of a portrait of Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi and Vivek Oberoi as Narendra Modi.
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15:05   Sasikala moved out of ICU, says B'luru hospital
Expelled AIADMK leader V K Sasikala, who is serving a jail term in Bengaluru in a
corruption case, has been moved out of the ICU after her coronavirus symptoms reduced, the Victoria Hospital authorities said in a statement.

The former aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, who is set to be released from prison on January 27, contracted coronavirus on January 20 and was later
admitted to the Bowring Hospital.

In view of her critical condition, she was shifted to the ICU ward of Victoria Hospital. Now that the symptoms have reduced substantially and her condition has become normal, she has been taken out of the ICU.

However, the hospital authorities have been monitoring her.
Sasikala was sentenced to four years imprisonment in February 2017 in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case.

-- PTI
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14:34   Won't tolerate Bengal's insult: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party over the Victoria Memorial incident where the BJP supporters chanted 'Jai Shari Ram' and 'Modi-Modi' just as she began speaking at an event, saying the saffron party can insult her but the insult of West Bengal will not be tolerated.

Calling the saffron party "fake", Mamata Banerjee also asked the people of West Bengal to "accept the cash BJP offers" but "vote for Trinamool Congress" when they enter the polling booth during the assembly elections.

"BJP may pay you cash. If they do, take it but vote for TMC when you enter the booth. The BJP is total fake fake fake. They can insult me fine, but I will not tolerate West Bengal's insult. The BJP does not even respect BJP," Mamata Banerjee said.
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14:18   Farmers' rally in Mumbai only for publicity: Athawale
Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said there was no need of a farmers' march in Mumbai in support of peasants protesting near Delhi against the Centre's three new farm laws, and claimed it is being done only for "publicity".

The central government is on the farmers' side and ready to give justice to the peasants, he asserted.

However, the NCP, an ally of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government, accused Athawale of insulting farmers by calling the protest in Mumbai as a "publicity stunt", and asked him to apologise to all the peasants.

Thousands of farmers from across Maharashtra have reached Mumbai to participate in a rally in the state capital on Monday against the Centre's three new farm laws and to support farmers bodies agitating near Delhi over the issue.

Athawale noted that the Supreme Court recently stayed the implementation of the three new farm laws, and the Centre has also proposed to suspend the legislations for two years.

"This march (in Mumbai) is not at all required because the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the Acts. "The government has proposed to suspend the laws for two years. Hence, the agitation is only for publicity," he said.

-- PTI
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13:57   Cops deny farmers' march to Raj Bhavan in Mumbai
Police have made tight security  arrangements at the venue of a farmers' rally in Mumbai and protesters are not allowed to march from south Mumbai to the Raj Bhavan, a senior police official said on Monday.

Thousands of farmers from across Maharashtra have come to participate in a rally at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Monday against the Centre's three new farm laws.

The All India Kisan Sabha's Maharashtra unit on Sunday said the protesters will later march to the Raj Bhavan and submit a memorandum to Governor B S Koshyari over their various demands.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Vishwas Nangre Patil said, "As per a Bombay High Court order, no morcha is allowed in south Mumbai and we are convincing representatives of the farmers to follow the court order."

"They are urging us to allow a morcha till the Raj Bhavan, but we have shown them the high court order. If they come out of the Azad Maidan to go to the Raj Bhavan, we will try to stop them and allow only their delegation to go to the Raj Bhavan," the official said.
The rally is part of a call given by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a pro-farmer body, to intensify the struggle till January 26 over various demands of farmers.

The rally is being held to support and expand the two-month-long farmers' struggle in Delhi for a repeal of the three farm laws and for a central law to guarantee a remunerative Minimum Support Price and procurement all over the country, the AIKS said on Sunday. 

-- PTI
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13:31   Hope we get rid of COVID-19 this year, says Kejriwal
After hoisting the Tricolour at Delhi Secretariat on the eve 72nd Republic Day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday termed the COVID-19 pandemic as difficult phase and hoped that "we will get rid of the virus this year".

"I hope this year we will get rid of COVID-19. It was a difficult phase. People lost jobs, it was tough for the government too as no tax was received and we wondered how to pay salaries to our employees," Kejriwal said. 

On the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, he said: "In developed countries, patients were lying on floors in corridors, we studied it and understood that everyone who got sick was taken to hospital, even those with mild symptoms. Doctors in Delhi came up with 'home isolation' and more than 3 lakh people recovered from the virus."

The chief minister further said that his government aims to provide health-card to every citizen living in the national capital. The health card will contain the entire record of the health history of an individual, including details of medical tests.

-- ANI
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13:03   India, China 'minor clash' resolved by officers
Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed along the Line of Actual Control near Naku La pass in Sikkim last week, the army confirmed today.

Three days ago, a Chinese patrol tried to cross into Indian Territory and were forced back.

"We have received several queries regarding a face-off between Indian Army and PLA troops in Sikkim sector. It is clarified that there was a minor face-off at Naku La area of North Sikkim on January 20 and the same was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols," said the army in a statement.

The army added that the media should "refrain from overplaying or exaggerating reports which are factually incorrect".
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12:43   Galwan valley hero likely to be posthumously awarded Mahavir Chakra on R-Day
Acknowledging the valour of Colonel Santosh Babu, who lost his life in a fight with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley clash, the government is likely to award him posthumously with the second-highest wartime gallantry medal Mahavir Chakra on the Republic Day this year.

"Col Babu is likely to be awarded the Mahavir Chakra posthumously on this Republic Day," government sources said.

The Indian Army top brass recommended that soldiers who took on Chinese troops in the Galwan valley clash should be awarded the war-time chakra series awards at this Republic Day.

The long list of personnel recommended for the gallantry awards at this Republic Day included the 16 Bihar Commanding Officer Colonel Santosh Babu who lost his life in the clash.

The top army brass has recommend these brave personnel for wartime gallantry awards.

The Galwan valley clash took place on June 15 last year when Indian troops led by Colonel Babu took on the Chinese troops near the patrolling point 14 area.

India lost 20 troops in the fiercest clash between the two sides in a long time while the Chinese also suffered significant casualties.

The clash led to hardening of India's stand, which has now allowed troops to use weapons during patrolling after the use of unorthodox weapons by Chinese troops.

-- ANI
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12:22   PM is destroying our agri sector: Rahul in TN
Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the central government of "attacking the farmers" by enacting the three new farm laws.

"The PM is attacking our farmers. He has brought three new laws that are going to destroy Indian agriculture (sector) and hand it over to two-three big industrialists. Imagine that one of the laws clearly states that farmers can't go to court to protect themselves," said Gandhi. 

The Congress MP was addressing a gathering during a roadshow organised in Karur district of Tamil Nadu, ahead of the state's assembly polls.

Gandhi further alleged that the PM Narendra Modi-led central government's wrong policies are responsible for ruining the country's economy, which left the youth jobless.

"Our youngsters are no longer capable of getting jobs and it is not their fault. It is the fault of the actions taken by our PM. Those actions include demonetisation and a flawed Goods and Services Tax."

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of communalism, the Congress leader further stated, "If we look at the nation and we see what PM has done over the last six years, we see a weakened India, a divided India, an India where BJP-RSS ideology keeps spreading hatred throughout the country. Our biggest strength, our economy, has been demolished."

The Congress leader is on a three-day visit to the western belt in Tamil Nadu. He is interacting with farmers, weavers and the general public over there.

-- ANI
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12:04   WhatsApp treating Indian users differently from Europeans: Centre to HC
The Centre on Monday told the Delhi high court that WhatsApp was treating Indian users differently from its European ones with regard to opting out of its new privacy policy, and this was a matter of concern for the government which is looking into it.
  
The central government told the high court that it was also a matter of concern that Indian users were being "unilaterally" subjected to the change in privacy policy by social networking platform WhatsApp.

The submissions were made before Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva by Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma during hearing of a petition by a lawyer against the new privacy policy of the social networking platform owned by Facebook.

During the hearing, Sharma told the court that by not giving Indian users the option to opt out of sharing their data with other companies of Facebook, WhatsApp prima facie appears to be treating users with an "all or nothing approach".

"This leverages the social significance of WhatsApp to force users into a bargain which may infringe on their interests in information privacy and information security," he told the court.

Sharma said the government was already looking into the issue and has sent a communication to WhatsApp seeking certain information.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for WhatsApp, told the court that the communication has been received and will be responded to.

The court, thereafter, listed the matter for hearing on March 1. 

-- PTI
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11:40   Kerala, Maha contribute nearly 65% of active coronavirus caseload
Kerala and Maharashtra together contribute nearly 65 per cent of the total active coronavirus caseload of the country, the ministry of health said.

India's active caseload has fallen to 1,84,182 today. The share of active cases in the total positive cases has further shrunk to 1.73 per cent. Kerala accounts for 39.7 per cent (73,121) of the active cases whereas Maharashtra contributes 25 per cent (46,057) of the total active coronavirus cases.

The total recovered cases stand at 1,03,30,084 which translates to a recovery rate of 96.83 per cent.

The gap between COVID-19 recovered cases and active cases continues to grow and presently stands at 1,01,45,902.

Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,173 recoveries. Maharashtra follows with 1,743 new recoveries. Gujarat recorded another 704 daily recoveries.

-- ANI
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11:29   Indian, Chinese troops hurt post clash in Sikkim
A clash has been reported between Indian and Chinese armies in Sikkim's Nathu La last week in which soldiers on both sides were injured after a PLA patrol party attempted to come into Indian territory and was physically blocked.

India and China are locked in an eight-month-long bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh that has significantly strained their ties. Both sides held a series of diplomatic and military talks to resolve the row. However, no breakthrough has been achieved to end the standoff.

The incident came just before the ninth round of military-level talks between the neighbours over the Ladakh standoff.

In the last Corps Commander-level talks held in November, the two sides had agreed to ensure that their troops exercise restraint and avoid any misunderstanding and miscalculation along the Line of Actual Control. The discussion, however, remained inconclusive.
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11:12   Farmers at Azad Maidan, Pawar to address rally
Over 6,000 farmers from across 21 districts in the state arrived in Mumbai in a convoy of 500 vehicles to begin their three-day sit-in at Azad Maidan in solidarity with protesting farmers at the Delhi border. 

Senior leaders cutting across party lines, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, will be addressing the gathering on Monday. The farmers have gathered under the banner of All India Kisan Sabhas Maharashtra unit.

The rally is part of the call given by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which is leading the Delhi protests, to intensify and broaden the struggle from January 23 to 26. 

More farmers are expected to join the gathering on Monday.

While the bulk of farmers who entered Mumbai on Sunday were members of AIKS, other farmer organisations as well as political parties, including the MVA alliance, will also be a part of the protest. Farmer organisations and political parties will be present on a single platform of Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha.
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11:04   AAP attacks CM Amarinder Singh over farm laws
The Aam Aadmi Party attacked Punjab CM Amarinder Singh over the three contentious farm legislations, alleging he was "aware" well in advance that these laws were being brought by the Centre, and yet he remained "silent", a claim the Congress leader termed "brazen lies". 

"We have conclusive proof that reveals that all the three black farm laws were discussed by the high-powered Committee on agriculture," AAP's national spokesperson and Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha said in a statement. 

"As far back as on August 7, 2019, he knew about the members of the Committee and the agenda of this committee. He knew that these controversial laws are being discussed and yet remained tight-lipped," Chadha alleged, citing a copy of an RTI reply.
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10:35   Tata in talks to launch Moderna vaccine in India
Tata Medical & Diagnostics is said to have started initial discussions with Moderna Inc for a partnership to launch its COVID-19 vaccine in India, the Economic Times reported today. 

Tata could team up with the India's Council of Scientific & Industrial Research to carry out clinical trials of Moderna's vaccine candidate in India, the report added, citing officials familiar with the matter. 

The Indian government this month gave emergency-use approval to a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech International Ltd and state-run Indian Council of Medical Research, and another licensed from Oxford University and AstraZeneca PLC that is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
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10:15   Australia approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine
Australia has approved the coronavirus vaccine by Pfizer and BioNTech, announced Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday.

"The Therapeutic Goods Administration has today provisionally approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in Australia. This is an important step in our fight against this terrible virus," Morrison wrote in a tweet. 

"The Pfizer vaccine has met strict standards for safety, quality and efficacy. The TGA provisional approval is for individuals 16 years of age and older. Two doses will be required - at least 21 days apart," a statement from the PM's office read.

A priority group of Australians are expected to now receive their first dose of the vaccine as soon as it can be received from Pfizer and the necessary checks are undertaken by the TGA, prior to its distribution.

If there are delays in shipping or production, the possibility remains that commencement could be in early March, however, guidance remains for late February, the statement read further.

-- ANI
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09:49   India records 131 Covid deaths in 24 hours
India reports 13,203 new COVID-19 cases, 13,298 discharges and 131 deaths in last 24 hours, as per the official data provided by the health ministry.

Total cases: 1,06,67,736
Active cases: 1,84,182
Total discharges: 1,03,30,084  
Death toll: 1,53,470 
Total vaccinated: 16,15,504
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09:20   National Voters Day occasion to appreciate EC's remarkable contribution: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the National Voters Day was an occasion to appreciate the remarkable contribution of the Election Commission to strengthen the country's democratic fabric and ensure smooth conduct of elections.
 
The National Voters Day is observed on January 25 to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission.
"National Voters Day is an occasion to appreciate the remarkable contribution of the EC to strengthen our democratic fabric and ensure smooth conduct of elections," Modi tweeted. "This is also a day to spread awareness on the need of ensuring voter registration, particularly among the youth."

-- PTI
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08:45   India-China military talks end after 15 hours
The ninth round of Corps Commander Level talks between India and China ended at 2:30 am on Monday.

The meeting lasted for more than 15 hours after starting at 11 am on Sunday at Moldo opposite Chushul in the Eastern Ladakh sector to address the ongoing military standoff. 

The two countries have been engaged in a stand-off along the Line of Actual Control since April-May last year. While China began amassing massive military strength along the LAC, India responded with a befitting build-up.

Multiple rounds of talks have failed to yield any significant result in defusing border tensions. The last round of Corps Commander-level talks between both countries were held on November 6, 2020 in Chushul in Eastern Ladakh.

On August 29-30, India occupied heights along the northern and southern bank of the Pangong Lake which includes dominating positions overlooking the Chinese military deployed in that area.

The Chinese have been asking India to withdraw troops and tanks first from the southern bank but India has been asking for disengagement from all the friction points.

-- ANI
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08:21   Biden to reinstate Coronavirus travel restrictions: White House official
US President Joe Biden will re-impose a Covid-19 travel ban on most non-US citizens who have been in Britain, Brazil, Ireland and much of Europe, a White House official said, as the new administration ramps up its pandemic response.

Biden will also extend the ban to travellers who have recently been to South Africa amid warnings that new, more transmissible coronavirus variants are already establishing themselves in the United States, the official said, confirming US media reports.

The new US president last week tightened mask wearing rules and ordered quarantine for people flying into the United States, as he seeks to tackle the country's worsening coronavirus crisis.

Biden has said that the Covid-19 death toll would likely rise from 420,000 to half a million next month -- and that drastic action was needed.

"We're in a national emergency. It's time we treated it like one," he said on Thursday.
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07:54   Delhi Police gears up for tractor parade
As hundreds  headed to Delhi from neighbouring states for the farmers' tractor parade on the Republic Day, the Delhi Police said it is making tight security arrangements due to inputs about possible attempts to disrupt the rally while Haryana authorities advised people to avoid travelling to the national capital.
Deependra Pathak, Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence), claimed that over 300 Twitter handles have been generated from Pakistan to disrupt the tractor parade.
In a circular, Delhi Police Commissioner S N Srivastava directed that all officers and personnel, as well as Central Armed Police Forces and others, posted for the Republic Day Parade security arrangements should be prepared for an extended deployment to maintain law and order in the wake of the tractor parade.

While police tried to convince farmer leaders to hold their tractor parade outside the national capital, they were adamant about holding it on Delhi's busy Outer Ring Road.
An agreement was reached during the fourth round of talks on Friday.
On Sunday, police said the farmers' proposed tractor rally will start after the time period of the Republic Day celebration has ended.
The rally will be held from Delhi's three border points -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur -- and adequate security will be provided to it, police said.
 
-- PTI

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