President Ram Nath Kovind will address the nation on Monday on the eve of the 72nd Republic Day, according to an official communique.

The address will be broadcast from 1900 hrs on the entire national network of the All India Radio (AIR) and telecast over all channels of Doordarshan in Hindi followed by the English version, it said.

"Broadcast of the address in Hindi and English on Doordarshan will be followed by broadcast in regional languages by regional channels of Doordarshan," said the statement issued on Sunday by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The AIR will broadcast regional language versions from 2130 hrs onwards on its respective regional networks, it added.  -- PTI

The Republic Media Network on Sunday hit out at the Congress over its allegations that the purported WhatsApp chats of Arnab Goswami point to breach of national security and violations of the Official Secrets Act, and claimed that the party was peddling 'falsehoods'.

In a statement, the Republic media group also accused rival TV channel Times Now of manipulating TRPs, suppressing facts and misleading the public on the alleged TRP scam.

The statement comes after Times Network, under which Times Now operates, said it is contemplating all possible legal actions against Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) for its 'unacceptable and unpardonable' failure to act on complaints of large-scale manipulation of TRPs to favour Republic TV.

Also, the Congress had on Friday demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the purported WhatsApp chats of Goswami for breach of national security and violations of the Official Secrets Act and booking those involved.

In the statement, the Republic Media Network said there has been collusion of corporate and political interests to target its Editor-in-Chief Goswami.

The validity, veracity and genuineness of the purported WhatsApp chats are still to be tested in the courts of law, but even keeping that aside for a moment, there is not one line, suggestion or shred of evidence in the chats which contain any wrongdoing or TRP manipulation by the Republic Media Network, the statement said.

The Republic Media Network also called upon the Competition Commission of India to probe the existence of 'collusion and cartelisation' in the media industry 'which is selectively targeting Goswami'.

'The Congress which cannot get over its own infighting has peddled lies and falsehoods against us, accusing us of leaking official secrets, when the truth is that the possibility of airstrikes was a much-discussed topic in the public domain, much before the strikes actually took place,' it said.

Last week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said providing official secret information to a journalist is a 'criminal act' and both the giver and the receiver will have to go to jail.

He was referring to the allegations that the reported chats showed Goswami being privy to the Balakot air strikes beforehand.   -- PTI

An Army soldier, who was critically injured in Pakistani firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district last week, succumbed to injuries in the command hospital in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Sunday, a defence spokesperson said.

He is the third Army personnel to have died in the ceasefire violations by Pakistan this month.

"Pakistan Army had resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation on the LoC in Sunderbani sector on January 18, which was responded to strongly by Indian troops. In the incident, Naik Nishant Sharma of 10 JAK RIF was critically injured and was under treatment at command hospital," the spokesperson said.

However, he said the Non-Commissioned Officer succumbed on Sunday.

"Naik Sharma was a brave, highly motivated and a sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," the spokesperson said.

Earlier, two Army personnel were killed in separate ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts on January 1 and 21.

Last year, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 5,100 instances of ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC, the highest in the past 18 years with an average of 14 cases daily.

In these ceasefire violations, as per official data 36 people, including 24 security personnel, were killed and over 130 injured.   -- PTI

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the sole aimof the entire opposition, comprising the Congress-led Grand Alliance and the newly-formed regional parties, is to bring 'Babur's rule' in the state.

Addressing a rally in presence of Union Home MinisterAmit Shah in Nalbari, the National Democratic Alliance's regional wing North East Democratic Alliance convenor also asked the opposition whether Hindus will be able to follow their faith if it forms the government.

"The only aim of (AIUDF chief Badruddin) Ajmal, Congress and regional parties is how to bring (Mughal emperor) Babur's rule in Assam. But, till the BJP's Hanumans are there, we will move ahead with Ram's ideals," Sarma said.

The Congress has formed the Grand Alliance with All India United Democratic Front, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist and the Anchalik Gana Morcha to fight the upcoming assembly elections, likely to be held in March-April.

A new regional political party, the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), was formed jointly by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP).

Jailed anti-Citizenship Amendment Act leader Akhil Gogoi's Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and 70 other groups have formed anotherparty -- Raijor Dal.

Training guns at the AIUDF chief, the Assam health andfamily welfare minister said, "Ajmal told Muslims won't be able to go to mosques if BJP wins. I want to ask today whether Hindus can visit temples if Congress and AIUDF form the government in the state."

He asserted that till the 'BJP is alive', Ajmal will not be able to enter within 100 km of Dispur, the locality of the Assam secretariat.

Sarma also alleged that followers of Ajmal attacked 'Satras', the Vaishnavite places of worship, at Batadrava andother areas.

Attacking the All Assam Students' Union, which has been protesting againstthe visit of the prime minister and home minister, Sarma said, "Today you are taking out a torchlight procession against Amit Shah. But did you donate a single unit of plasma when we werefighting against COVID-19?"   -- PTI  

Nepal's caretaker Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has been removed from ruling Nepal Communist Party by a Central Committee Meeting of the splinter group of the party.

"His membership has been revoked," spokesperson for the splinter group, Narayan Kaji Shrestha confirmed to ANI.

More details awaited.   -- ANI

Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, who went to participate in 'Kisan Sansad' organised at Singh border's Guru Tegh Bahadur memorial, faced a backlash on Sunday, as he was heckled by protesting farmers at Singhu border in Delhi.

A visual of the incident shows that he had to run away from the spot to save his life.

In the visuals, it can be seen that farmers raised slogans against the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Punjab's Ludhiana, forcing him to run away from the spot.

After the incident, Bittu told ANI that he went to the Singhu border along with party leader Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Kulbir Singh Zira.

Bittu remarked that there are miscreant elements and people carrying Khalistani flags in the farmers' protest.

"The event was organised by farmer leaders. It was a parliament wherein everyone was allowed to present their views. We were speculating that the incident (that happened today) could have happened yesterday and hence we did not come here.

"Our party leaders asked us to be part of Kisan Sansad today to convey the party's message and hence we went there without any security," he said.

"Farmers welcomed us when we reached there. And all of sudden, we were ambushed, as if by guerilla warriors who were armed with sticks and other weapons.

"We were attacked in a planned manner. It was big planning to kill us.

"Many of them were carrying weapons. We do not know who exactly they were. They will be dealt with the law. We will not take any action as it will affect the farmers' movement which is still going on," he added.

The Congress MP further called himself a target of the attack.

"I have been saying for a while. There are miscreant elements, people carrying Khalistani flags. But what can farmer leaders do to verify identities in such numbers of people? Rs 1 crore to 80 lakhs is given to such elements for waving flags and I am a target anyway," he said.   -- ANI

Delhi Police on Sunday claimed that over 300 Twitter handles have been generated from Pakistan to disrupt the tractor rally proposed by protesting farmers on Republic Day.

Detailing the plan for the tractor parade, Deependra Pathak, Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) said the rally on Tuesday will be conducted amid tight security after the Republic Day celebrations conclude.

"Over 300 twitter handles have been generated from Pakistan during January 13 to 18 to disrupt the tractor rally by farmers only by misleading people.

"There are inputs about the same from different agencies too. It will be a challenging task for us but the rally will be conducted amid tight security after the Republic Day parade is over," Pathak said at a press conference.

Since November last year, farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting against the Centre's three new agriculture laws at several Delhi border points, including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, demanding that the legislations be repealed.

While police tried to convince farmer leaders to hold their tractor parade outside the national capital, they were adamant on holding the proposed rally on Delhi's busy Outer Ring Road.

Earlier, there have been three rounds of meetings between the unions and police officers from Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, but it was during the fourth round of talks over the tractor parade on Friday where both sides reached an agreement.    -- PTI

A police inspector and three  constables have been suspended following the death of a theft suspect in the custody of Mundra police in Gujarat's Kutchdistrict a few days back, a senior official said on Sunday.

The three constables, who have been accused of murder, are absconding and efforts are on to nab them, he said.

The victim, Arjan Gadhvi, 30, died on January 19 while undergoing treatment at a government hospital, after allegedly remaining in the illegal custody of the three constables at Mundra police station for six days, according toa police complaint filed by a relative of the deceased.      

Superintendent of Police, Kutch-West, Saurabh Singhon Sunday said inspector J A Padhiyar has been suspended fordereliction of duty, while the three constables were suspendedafter a case was registered against them on charges of murder.

The three accused constables are -- Shaktisinh Gohil, Ashok Kannad and Jaydevsinh Zala.

"I have suspended the three accused constables and apolice inspector of Mundra. The three accused constables arestill at large and efforts are on to nab them," Singh said.

The constables are absconding ever since the case ofmurder and wrongful confinement was registered against them on January 21 following the death Gadhvi in their custodyallegedly due to torture.

As per the FIR, Gadhvi, a resident of Samaghogha village in Mundra taluka, was picked by the three constableson January 12 on suspicion of being involved in a theft case.

Instead of showing Gadhvi's arrest and producing him before a magistrate as per law, the three policemen allegedly kept him under their illegal custody and tortured him for confession, said the complaint filed by the victim's brother.

When the complainant and others went to inquire about Gadhvi at the police station on January 16, the victim toldthem that the constables took turns to beat him and even gave him electric shock in order to make him confess about thetheft, according to the FIR.

When the complainant asked the constables why they did not show Gadhvi's arrest, the accused said they will releasehim soon.

However, the victim died on January 19, the FIR said.   -- PTI

A case has been registered by the  city police against the cast and crew of the controversial webseries Tandav starring actor Saif Ali Khan, for allegedlyhurting religious sentiments of Hindus.

Based on a complaint by Kiran Aradhya, the case wasregistered on Friday against Tandav director Ali AbbasZafar, producer Farhan Akhtar, actors Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyuband Saif Ali Khan and the head of India Originals of AmazonPrime Video, Aparna Purohit.

In his complaint, Kiran alleged that the cast and crewmade the deity of Hindu religion Lord Shiva spell invective tohurt the Hindu sentiments.    

Cases have been registered under section 295A, 298, 153Aand 34 of the Indian Penal Code for insulting religious belief and promotingreligious enmity between groups.

Several cases have been filed against the makers and castof the web series in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradeshand Maharashtra.

At least two scenes were removed from the nine-partstarry political saga on Amazon Prime Video amid calls forboycotts, FIRs and protests over its alleged depiction of Hindu deities.

The cast and crew of Tandav have apologised and saidthey had decided to implement changes to address the concernsraised.    -- PTI

Shooting of actor Janhvi Kapoor's upcoming film Good Luck Jerry was disrupted after a group of farmers held a protest in Patiala.

The incident took place near Civil Lines area on Saturday when protesting farmers opposed the filming of the movie.

Shouting slogans against Bollywood, protesters lamented that no actor extended support to farmers' agitation against the Centre's three farm laws.

We are telling the film industry which is holding its shooting in Punjab to at least speak in favour of farmers who are agitating against the legislations, said a protester Rajwant Singh Sandhu.

Another protester said, We are opposing Bollywood actors for not extending support to farmers.

They also slammed the Centre for imposing black laws on the farming community.

Some farmers held protest outside the hotel where the film's crew is staying.

A police official on Sunday said the protests were peaceful.

Earlier this month, shooting of Good Lucky Jerry had briefly come to a halt at Bassi Pathana in Fatehgarh Sahib after a group of farmers had insisted that Janhvi make a comment on the ongoing farmers' protest.

Following the incident, the Dhadak actor shared an Instagram Story in support of the farmers.

Unlike other posts, Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours from the time they are published.

"Farmers are at the heart of our country. I recognise and value the role that they play in feeding our nation. I hope a resolution is reached soon that benefits the farmers," Kapoor had written.

Farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been camping at Delhi's borders for several weeks, demanding the repeal of the farm laws and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price for crops.

They claim that the new laws will weaken the MSP system. But the Centre says the MSP system will remain and the new laws only provide more options for farmers to sell their produce.   -- PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Bairia, Surendra Singh, on Sunday said West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee hails from a 'demoness culture' and that her DNA is 'defected'.

Singh was referring to Banerjee taking offence at the chanting of slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' on Saturday at a programme held in Kolkata on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

"There is defect in the DNA of Mamata Banerjee, and she hails from the demoness culture (Mamata Banerjee ke DNA mein dosh hai, woh raakshashi sanskriti ki hai). No demon can love Lord Ram. Mamata Banerjee is a dishonest and evil (shaitan) person. Her hatred for Lord Ram is natural," he told reporters.

Singh added that the violence and murder unleashed allegedly by members of Banerjee's party TMC in West Bengal provide proof of their 'evil' act.

Banerjee had on Saturday declined to speak at an official programme at the lawn of Victoria Memorial Hall to celebrate Bose's birth anniversary after 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans were raised by a section of the audience in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She said such 'insult' was unacceptable.

The BJP claimed that Banerjee's reaction reflected her mindset of appeasement politics, while the ruling Trinamool Congress said no one can teach lumpens to be dignified.   -- PTI

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday wished speedy recovery to his arch rival Lalu Prasad, who has been rushed to New Delhi following marked deterioration in health and with whom he has shared a love- hate relationship for close to five decades.

The Janata Dal-United de facto leader also rued the fact that he now had to remain content with news about the ailing Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo gathered from newspapers since his telephonic enquiries about the latters health in the recent past had triggered a controversy.

"It is my fervent wish that he gets well as soon as possible," Kumar told reporters here when asked about Prasad whom he had dethroned in 2005, less than two decades after having supported his ascent in the states politics.

The chief minister was talking to journalists outside the JD-U state headquarters in Patna, where he had gone to pay tributes to former Chief Minister and OBC stalwart Karpoori Thakur on his birth anniversary.

Both Kumar and Prasad consider Thakur to be their political guru. With a hint of regret in his voice, Kumar added, "I used to frequently call up his personal attendants and enquire about his well being when he had similarly fallen ill in 2018. So many things were said about me because of that."

Notably, in 2017 Kumar had abruptly walked out of the coalition he had formed with the RJD and the Congress and formed a new government with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The soft corner he displayed for Prasad during his illness had triggered speculations that he was feeling uneasy in the BJP-led coalition and seeking a rapprochement with the RJD chief.

Their bitter rivalry notwithstanding, Kumar has often displayed his person affection for Prasad against whom he pulls no punches in the political arena.

Recently, while admonishing his son Tejashwi Yadav for impudence on the chief minister had underscored that he has been too charitable with the 31 years old, who was also his former deputy, because he was 'mere bhai samaan dost ka beta' (the son of a friend, dear to me like a brother).

Replying to queries about the states budget for the next financial year, which is scheduled to be tabled in the assembly on February 22, the chief minister said the people of Bihar may look forward to more development and many new schemes besides completion of the existing ones.   -- PTI

A tableau from Ladakh will participate in the Republic Day Parade on Rajpath for the first time this year, informed Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday.

Ladakh's tableau will depict the iconic Thiksey Monastery located on top of a hill in Thikse in Leh district, and is one of the most-visited tourist sites in the region.

It will also feature the Indian Astronomical Observatory, located in Hanle near Leh.

"Ladakh's tableau depicts the iconic Thiksey Monastery located on top of a hill in Thikse in Leh district and is one of the most-visited tourist sites in the region," Singh said.

The central government on August 5, 2019, scrapped the provision of article 370, bifurcating the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

India is all set to display its military might during the annual parade on January 26.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) tableau and Rafale fighter aircraft will be among some key attractions in the 2021 R-Day parade.

Uttar Pradesh's tableau will feature a replica of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which is currently under construction.

It will also display the culture, tradition and art related to the temple town.

The tableau of Punjab will reflect the theme of the unparalleled and supreme sacrifice of Ninth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Uttarakhand's tableau will represent 'Kedarkhand' in the Republic Day parade.

The front portion of the tableau displays the state animal musk deer, state bird monal pheasant and state flower Brahmakamal whereas behind these a model of the Kedarnath temple compound has been displayed along with devotees.

However, the Republic Day parade of this year will be very different from previous years as it is for the first time that it will be held amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Jawans will be seen wearing masks.

Only 25,000 spectators will witness the Republic Day parade this year.

This will be the first Republic Day parade without a chief guest in more than five decades.

British PM Boris Johnson, who had initially accepted India's invitation to be a chief guest, had cancelled his visit due to the rapid rise of Covid-19 cases in the United Kingdom.

There was no chief guest during the Republic Day parade in 1952, 1953 and 1966 before this. -- ANI

The Ram temple in Ayodhya will be built in around three years and the construction cost of the project will exceed Rs 1,100 crore, a prominent functionary of the temple trust has said.

"The main temple will be built in three to three and a half years and will cost Rs 300-400 crore. The expenditure on the development of the entire 70 acre land there will exceed Rs 1100 crore," said Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, treasurer of Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Nyas.

He said he arrived at these figures after consulting experts involved in the Ram temple construction project.

The Nyas (trust) has not come out with an official statement so far on the expenditure involved in the project, he said while talking to ABP Majha Marathi TV channel.

"It was possible for us to raise funds (for the temple construction) from some corporate people.

"Some (corporate) families had approached us, requesting us to hand over the (temple) designs and assuring us they will complete the temple project, but I humbly declined that request," he said.

To a query on criticism from some quarters that the Ram temple funds collection drive is a Bharatiya Janata Party campaign keeping in view the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he said, "People see this depending on the colour of spectacles they wear. We don't wear any spectacles and our eyes are pointing at the path of devotion."

"Our target is to reach 6.5 lakh villages and 15 crore homes (for collecting funds for the temple work)," he said.

Asked if he is willing to go to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's residence Matoshree in suburban Mumbai to collect funds for the Ram temple construction, he said, "I am willing to go there if he is ready to contribute."

"Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe has given us a one kg silver brick," he said.

The Swami was at the Rashtrapati Bhavan last week when President Ram Nath Kovind contributed Rs 500,100 for the Ram temple construction at Ayodhya.

Asked if he would visit the residence of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to seek contribution for the temple, he quipped, "I am ready to do that if someone were to guarantee that I wont's be disrespected there."   -- PTI

Protesting farmers at Tikri border on Sunday assured that they will hold peaceful tractor rallies on January 26 to mark 'Kisan Gantantra Parade'.

"We feel elated that the police gave us permission to hold tractor rallies on January 26. This will chance of a clash between both parties. There are around 2.5 lakh tractors at Tikri border," said Tajinder Singh, a farmer at the Delhi-Haryana border.

Another farmer, Gurpreet, said, "We will peacefully take out the tractor march and do the roadshow. Delhi Police will also be present at the place."

Farmers from all across the country are marching towards Delhi in order to take part in the scheduled rally.

Tractors from Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan have reached on Tikri border as the farmers sit in for protest on the 60th day.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has asked the farmers to take part in the agitation from January 23 to 26, including rallies to the Governors of states.

The farmers also arrived at the Singhu border as they plan to conduct the rally on Delhi's outer ring road.Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.   -- ANI

The decor from Varun Dhawan's sangeet.

Varun will marry longtime girlfriend Natasha Dalal at The Mansion House in Alibaug today.

Flight operations resumed at the Srinagar airport on Sunday, a day after they were suspended in the wake of snowfall in the Kashmir valley, officials said.

Flight operations could not take place at the Srinagar airport on Saturday due to bad weather and all flights to and fro the airport were cancelled.

However, as the weather was dry on Sunday morning and the visibility improved, the flight operations were resumed.

"Air traffic has resumed at the airport even though there are some delays," an official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

He said the flight operations resumed after the runway was cleared and the visibility improved.

The runway was not available for flight operations on Saturday due to the accumulation of snow after the valley received the third snowfall of the month.   -- PTI

Six people were found shouting 'Pakistan zindabad' near the Khan Market metro station in the early hours of Sunday, police said.

According to police, at around 1 am, a PCR call was received at the Tughlaq Road police station about a few people shouting 'Pakistan zindabad' (long live Pakistan) near the Khan Market metro station.

A police team reached the spot and found three women, two men and a teenager were present there on blue-coloured Yulu bikes, they said.

During questioning, it came to light that they had come to the India Gate area and had rented the Yulu bikes, a senior police officer said.

They decided to race on the Yulu bikes and call each other by names based on countries, including that of Pakistan.

Thus, they had shouted 'Pakistan zindabad' in a lighter vein, the officer said, adding that an enquiry is still being conducted.   -- PTI

The health of former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader V K Sasikala, who is undergoing treatment for COVID-19, is stable and comfortable, said the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) on Sunday.

She is taking oral food normally and is also walking with support.

"Sasikala is being continuously monitored in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward, and she is being treated as per the standard treatment protocols of COVID-19," informed Dr CR Jayanthi, Director cum Dean, BMCRI.

The close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalitha was admitted to Lady Curzon Hospital following complaints of fever and later she was admitted to BMCRI and tested positive for COVID-19 in an RT-PCR test on January 21.

She is currently serving a sentence in a disproportionate assets case.

In 2019, the Income Tax Department had attached properties worth Rs 1,600 crore belonging to the former AIADMK leader under the provisions of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act.

Following her being sent to prison, a controversy had broken out after a committee report alleged that Sasikala had been receiving special treatment inside the prison. -- ANI

Nearly 16 lakh (15,82,201) beneficiaries have received the COVID19 vaccination so far, said the ministry of health and family welfare.

India took only 6 days to roll out 1 million vaccine doses, it said.   -- ANI

Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, Sakshi Maharaj alleged that the Congress got Subhas Chandra Bose killed.

While addressing a public rally in Unnao, the BJP MP said, "My allegation is that Congress got Subhas Chandra Bose killed.... neither Mahatma Gandhi nor Pandit Nehru could stand in front of his popularity." 

The statement took place on the day when the nation was celebrating Bose's 125th birth anniversary.

While there is controversy over Bose's death in a plane crash in Taipei on August 18, 1945, the Central government had in a (Right to Information Act) RTI in 2017 confirmed that he had died in the incident. 

India reports 14,849 new COVID-19 cases, 15,948 discharges, and 155 deaths in last 24 hours, as per the official data. 

Total cases: 1,06,54,533

Active cases: 1,84,408

Total discharges: 1,03,16,786

Death toll: 1,53,339 

Total vaccinated: 15,82,201

After a slow start, India's vaccination numbers are gradually picking up. 15.37 lakh people have been vaccinated in 27,776 sessions since January 16, when the mass inoculation drive was launched.

1.46 lakh people were vaccinated on Saturday in 3,368 sessions, according to the health ministry.

A total of 1,238 adverse events have been recorded so far which is 0.08% of the total vaccinations, the government said, adding that 11 persons or 0.0007% of the people who were vaccinated have been hospitalised.

The health ministry on Saturday said that six healthcare workers, who were inoculated, have died so far but added that none of these deaths were related to the Covid vaccinations.

After a sluggish start in the first week (just 1.9 lakh healthcare workers got vaccinated on Day 1), India's vaccination numbers have gradually picked up with nearly 3.5 lakh healthcare workers getting vaccinated on day 7.

The increase in numbers is also because of modifications made in the CoWin database to allow walk-in vaccinations, i.e those healthworkers who are not slotted for a certain date can also come and get vaccinated.

A Corps Commander level meeting will be held between India and China in Ladakh on Sunday, army sources informed.

The meeting will be held in Moldo opposite the Chushul sector in Eastern Ladakh, Indian Army officials said. 

This will be the ninth round of Corps Commander-level military talks to address the ongoing military standoff in Eastern Ladakh.

The last round of Corps Commander-level talks between both countries was held on November 6 in Chushul in Eastern Ladakh. 

India and China have been locked in a bitter standoff along the LAC for more than six months. While China began amassing massive military strength along the LAC, India responded with a befitting build-up.

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. 

Objecting to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee not delivering her speech during Parakram Diwas event at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grandnephew and BJP leader CK Bose on Saturday said that 'Jai Shri Ram' is not a slogan to which one should react in an "allergic manner."

The event was held to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

"Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose stood for unity. He had people of all communities in Azad Hind Fauj. Whether you say 'Jai Hind' or 'Jai Shri Ram', I do not find any difference. Jai Shri Ram is not a slogan to which one should react in an allergic manner," CK Bose said.

"I think the CM need not have reacted adversely to a slogan whether it is 'Jai Hind' or 'Jai Shri Ram'. This is not the day to do any politics. It is a day to celebrate, it is a day to pay homage to the soldiers and martyrs of the Indian National Army," he added.

The West Bengal chief minister did not deliver her speech "in protest" during the event at Victoria Memorial to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose after 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans were raised when she was invited to speak.

The chief minister said "government programme should have some dignity" and it "is not fair to insult somebody whom you have invited".

As moderate fog engulfed the national capital on January 24, residents woke up to another chilly morning.

Cold and foggy weather will remain in the national capital, According to India Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature in Delhi will hover around 4 degree Celsius in the coming week. 

A total of 18 trains have been delayed due to low visibility conditions and other operational reasons. Meanwhile, Delhi's overall air quality stands in the 'very poor' category, according to the System of Air Quality & Weather Forecasting & Research.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will kick off the party's election campaign in Kerala from Wednesday. Rahul Gandhi will begin the poll campaign in Kerala with a two-day visit to his constituency Wayanad.

Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Wayanad on January 27 and 28. Assembly elections in Kerala are due in May 2021 and the tenure of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government ends on May 20.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi had launched Congress's campaign for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Addressing people at multiple locations from his campaign van in Coimbatore, Rahul Gandhi targeted the prime minister in his first of the three-day campaign of western Tamil Nadu.

In April or early May assembly elections are likely in Tamil Nadu and AIADMK, a BJP partner, is in power since 2011.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made clear to US President Joe Biden on Saturday that he's eager to forge a new US-UK trade deal.

The push for a new deal came in a broad-ranging call between the two leaders that touched on the global response to the coronavirus pandemic as well as the Biden administration announcing this week that the US would rejoin the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization, according to a statement from Downing Street.

A new trade agreement between the allies is a higher priority for Johnson than it is for Biden.

The UK regained control over its national trade policy at the start of the month following the end of a post-Brexit transition period.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki had said on Friday that the administration had no timeline for forging a new trade deal as Biden's attention is largely focused on getting the coronavirus pandemic under control and pressing Congress to pass the president's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan.