Breaking News December 26 | Highlights

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will undertake a two-day visit to Qatar beginning Sunday during which he will hold talks with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and other important dignitaries.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made an announcement about Jaishankar's visit to the Gulf nation.

Delhi Police will inform its personnel through SMS about the date, time and place of vaccination as the force gears up for the COVID-19 inoculation drive, officials said Saturday.

The schedule for classes 10 and 12 board examinations will be announced on December 31, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said on Saturday. READ MORE

An earthquake measuring 4.1 magnitude on the Richter scale was felt in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Satuday. READ MORE

Amid strict COVID-19 protocols, the auspicious Mandala puja was held at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, marking the end of the first leg of the 62-days-long annual pilgrimage season.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off 100th Kisan Rail from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal on December 28 via video conferencing. Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal will also be present on the occasion.

The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) led by Hanuman Beniwal on Saturday announced that it is quitting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to protest the three new farm laws and in support of the farmers protest saying they do not want to stand with anyone who are not in support of farmers. READ MORE 

Rajinikanth is stable. Reports of some of the investigations done today have come and there's nothing alarming. Based on reports of remaining investigations and his blood pressure status overnight a call will be taken tomorrow on his discharge from hospital: Apollo Hospital,Hyderabad

Farmer unions have sought to hold the next round of talks, in a bid to break the deadlock with the government over the new Agri reforms, on December 29. The farmers, who have been protesting in biting cold for several days, have proposed the Centre for a meeting at 11 am on Tuesday. READ MORE

The Biraja Temple, one of the major 'shakti peeths' in Odisha, will reopen for devotees from December 29 while the residents of Puri town were allowed inside the Lord Jagannath Temple from Saturday, officials said.

The Biraja Temple will reopen following a decline in the number of fresh COVID-19 cases in Jajpur, District Collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore said.

Rathore said that devotees will be allowed entry to the temple between 6 am and 5 pm every day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme for 21 lakh families of Jammu & Kashmir. Under this scheme, all families in J&K will be able to receive free treatment up to Rs five lakh annually.

The people of J&K will be able to take advantage of the scheme not only in the state but in the whole country.

Union Minister Amit Shah kick-started Assam assembly election campaign in Kamrup. He said, "Congress didn't do anything for the birthplace of Acharya Sankardev whose contributions gave recognition to Assam's history, drama writing, arts and poetry. But BJP believes in strengthening of language, culture, arts of the states."

"BJP believes that India can not achieve greatness until the culture and language of states are strengthened. India's culture and arts are incomplete without Assamese culture and arts," said Amit Shah.

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari calls new session of National Assembly, the upper House of Nepal Parliament from January 1. The lower House of Nepal Parliament was dissolved on December 20 on the recommendation of PM KP Sharma Oli's govt.

"NH-9 and NH-24 closed from Delhi to Ghaziabad due to farmers' protests. People are advised to take alternate route for Ghaziabad via DND, ITO and Wazirabad," tweets Delhi Traffic Police.

PM Modi launched SEHAT healthcare scheme for Jammu and Kashmir. 

"I would like to tell that over 10 lakh farmers of Jammu and Kashmir have received financial assistance under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme," Jammu and Kashmir L-G Manoj Sinha said.

"Recently, three-tier grassroot democracy was established in J&K with DDC elections. I thank the people of J&K for their participation in the elections. The elected DDC members will take oath on December 28, " he added.

"We are ready for COVID19 vaccination. When a vaccine is available, we will be able to inoculate the identified persons, " said Sinha.

Union Minister Amit Shah said, "PM Modi wishes to see speedy development in Jammu and Kashmir and improvement in the standard of living of people. He presses that democracy should reach the grassroots levels and wishes peace and security for people of the state."

"Nearly 229 govt hospitals and 35 private hospitals have been listed under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Under this scheme, people of J&K will be able to avail free medical facilities up to Rs 5 lakh," said Shah.

PM Modi interacted with Ramesh Lal, a cancer patient from Jammu, who is a beneficiary of Centre's Ayushman Bharat Yojana. "Ayushman Bharat has made your life 'ayushman'. I urge you to tell everyone you meet about this scheme and its benefits," said PM.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The people of J&K have voted for strengthening democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. People of all walks of life came out and voted for development in DDC elections."

On DDC elections, during his address at the launch of Ayushaman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT scheme for residents of Jammu and Kashmir said, "Jammu and Kashmir has won Mahatma Gandhi's vision of 'gram swaraj'."

"There was a time, we were a part of the Jammu and Kashmir government but we broke the alliance. Our issue was that panchayat elections should be held and people be given their due rights to choose their representatives, " said Modi.

"Even after Supreme Court has directed that Panchayati and municipal elections should be conducted in Puducherry, the elections are not being conducted there. Those who keep on teaching me lessons on democracy are the ones who are running their govt there, " Modi added.

Former Gujarat CM Shankersinh Vaghela today announced 'Challo Dilli" campaign in Ahmedabad to support protesting farmers. 
While he is under detention at home, police stopped his supporters outside Gandhi Ashram and detained them as they began their protest march towards Delhi.

Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked continuous firing in Indreshwar Nagar sector of #Jammu for four hours towards Indian posts, starting late last night till early morning today. BSF retaliated befittingly.

With 22,272 new COVID-19 infections, India's total cases rise to 1,01,69,118. With 251 new deaths, toll mounts to 1,47,343 . Total active cases at 2,81,667. Total discharged cases at 97,40,108 with 22,274 new discharges in the last 24 hours.

27-year-old man murdered allegedly by his wife's relatives in Palakkad district of Kerala. Police said that two persons have been arrested.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (in file picture) has received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Magnetic bomb explosion in Chaman-e Huzori area of Afghanistan's Kabul. No casualties reported.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari yesterday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 27 National Highway Projects in Assam worth Rs. 2,366 Crores. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was also present.

Samrudhi, a tigress gave birth to five cubs at Siddharth Garden and Zoo of Aurangabad. 

Two army jawans dead and one injured after wall of a barrack collapsed in Machhedi of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua.

One dead and two rescued after a fire that broke out at a mask manufacturing unit in Delhi's Mayapuri.