Breaking News January 8 | Highlights

US President-elect Joe Biden on Friday nominated Indian-American Tarun Chhabra to be the Senior Director for Technology and National Security at National Security Council of White House.

Scientists have found evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine co-developed by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech may protect against the novel coronavirus variant which originated in the UK and has been reported in several parts of the world, including India.

Several parts of the country, mostly south India, are likely to receive a good amount of rainfall this month, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.

There is a possibility of cold wave conditions over Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and north Rajasthan on January 11 and 12, and above normal rainfall in south India from January 14 to 28, the IMD said.

https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1347560609454280705

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid a courtesy visit to PM Narendra Modi in Delhi today.

Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India on Friday said its cars would turn costlier from January 15 onwards owing to five per cent price hike across its models range.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting chief ministers of all the states on Monday to discuss coronavirus vaccine rollout. READ MORE

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday virtually inaugurated the 26th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) and allowed full occupancy of cinema halls in the state with adherence to COVID safety protocols.

In the first such case in Madhya Pradesh, a 39-year-old man who returned to Indore from the UK last month has tested positive for the new coronavirus strain, senior officials said on Friday.

The two-day proposed visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Mizoram beginning Saturday has been cancelled, state government sources said on Friday. No reason has been cited for cancellation of the trip, they said.

During the visit, Shah was to inspect a land customs station at Zokhawthar village in Champhai district on the Indo-Myanmar border.

As part of efforts to increase its presence and collaborations in India’s North-East, Israel has appointed an honorary consul in the region who will be based in Assam.

The Embassy of Israel in India has appointed Joyshree Das Verma as honorary consul in the region with jurisdiction over the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim, an Embassy statement said.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh launched Online Portal for purchase of items Against Firm Demand (AFD) from CSD Canteens. "The Government is committed towards the welfare of all Jawans and Officers of Armed Forces and the Veterans," he said.

Delhi Cabinet has approved to procure 18 advanced ventilators for ICUs of the Neurosurgery Department at GB Pant Hospital. 

The Delhi govt has approved the establishment of the Konkani academy to facilitate the growth and promotion of the Konkani language and culture in the capital. 

Kerala High Court grants bail to former PWD minister and IUML MLA VK Ebrahim Kunju in Palarivattom flyover scam case. 

"Bharat Biotech sent an application to DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) for conducting the phase 1 trials of nasal vaccine against COVID-19, matter yet to be taken up," said a Government official.

Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan meets Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at Tamil Nadu Secretariat in Chennai. 

We going for talks with the hope that there will be a resolution today, said Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union, ahead of the 8th round of talks with the Centre on the three farm laws.

4 people dead, 7 hospitalised after consuming liquor in Bulandshahr. UP CM Yogi Adityanath orders strict action against the culprit and distillery.

"Three police personnel including Station Incharge suspended. Further investigation underway," said SSP Bulandshahr.

Farmers continue to protest for 44 days at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana) against the Centre's Farm Laws. "There is no scope of clause-wise talks. The government should hold a meeting to repeal these laws today itself," said Balvinder Singh Raju, a farmer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, then, we will also take it, said RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav.

Boycotting Kerala Governor's address Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) stages protest in front of Kerala Assembly demanding that Left government led by Pinarayi Vijayan should step down. 

A total of 346 new COVID-19 cases, 397 discharges, and 2 deaths were reported in Telangana yesterday, says State Health Department.

• Total positive cases: 2,89,135
• Total recoveries: 2,82,574
• Active cases: 5,000
• Death toll: 1,561

India reported 18,139 new COVID-19 cases, 20,539 discharges, and 234 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry. 

• Total cases: 1,04,13,417
• Active cases: 2,25,449 
• Total discharges: 1,00,37,398
• Death toll: 1,50,570

Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested the main accused in Budaun gangrape and murder case. He had a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head.

India will be chairing 3 key subsidiary bodies of the UN Security Council- Taliban Sanctions Committee, Counter-Terrorism Committee (for 2022), and Libya Sanctions committee, announced TS Tirumurti, Permanent Representative of India at United Nations Security Council.

Taliban Sanctions Committee has always been a high priority for India keeping in mind our strong interest and commitment to peace, security, development, and progress of Afghanistan, he added. 

India will chair the Counter-Terrorism Committee of UNSC in 2022. Chairing of this committee has a special resonance for India which has not only been at the forefront of fighting terrorism especially cross border terrorism but has also been one of its biggest victims, he further said. 

We will be assuming the chair of the Libya Sanctions Committee at a critical juncture when there is an international focus on Libya and on the peace process, Tirumurti said.