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Seven persons who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>, have been found infected with the new strain of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

Interacting with reporters, earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that a total of 38 people have been found positive since coming to Delhi from the UK recently, and kept in a separate institutional isolation unit on the LNJP Hospital premises.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-expert-panel-recommends-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-353889/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

"Four such patients have been found infected with the new UK strain of COVID-19. The persons who came in their contact have been also traced and tested, and its not in them. So, only these four cases of new strain in Delhi so far," he said.

"Flights have been stopped and those who came before that are being traced and tested rigorously," he added.

In the evening, a senior official said that a total of seven persons who have recently arrived in Delhi from the UK have been found infected with the new strain of COVID-19.

"Four of these have their addresses in Delhi, while the rest are from other places," he said.

Delhi recorded 574 fresh COVID-19 cases and 13 new fatalities on Thursday, even as the positivity rate slipped to 0.7 per cent, authorities said.

The infection tally in the city mounted to over 6.25 lakh and death toll rose to 10,536, they said, adding over 81,000 tests were conducted the previous day.

"Positivity rate has dropped to 0.8 per cent (on Wednesday) from 15.26 per cent on November 7. About 85 per cent beds are vacant, so the situation has improved a lot. And, so, it had been decided to make LNJP Hospital and GTB Hospital into partial COVID-19 facilities now. All services, including the OPD will be soon resumed gradually," Jain said.

As per the latest health bulletin, an order has been issued to create separate institutional isolation facility in four private hospitals on payment basis, for international passengers who have travelled from or transited through the UK in the past four weeks ( November 25 to December 24) and tested positive.

These facilities are --Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, Saket; Batra Hospital &amp; Research Centre, Tughlakabad Institutional Area; Fortis Super Specialty Hospital, Vasant Kunj; and Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital, the order said.

On the preparedness for the vaccination, Jain said, work is on to set up 1,000 vaccination centres.

"Also, so far we are aware that the vaccines will be made available freely by the central government," he said.

On the night curfew in Delhi in view of New Year's celebrations, Jain said the COVID-19 situation is under control right now, but huge gatherings could spell trouble again, and therefore, the curfew has been imposed.

The Delhi government has imposed night curfew from 11 pm to 6 am on December 31 and January 1 to avoid large gatherings during New Year celebrations due to COVID-19 and its highly transmissible UK strain.

Amid mounting concerns over the new variant of the COVID-19, the Delhi government had earlier said that people who had arrived here recently from that country, are being traced and tested, while an institutional quarantine facility has been set up separately for positive cases at the LNJP Hospital.

According to the Thursday bulletin, out of the total number of 18,718 beds in COVID hospitals, 16,622 are vacant.

It said that 108 beds in COVID care centres are occupied by persons under quarantine, including travellers who have returned by Vande Bharat Mission and bubble flights. 
The Delhi government had significantly ramped up testing in the past few weeks, with the count on several times crossing the 60,000-mark.

The number of tests done per million, as on Wednesday, was over 4.5 lakh while the total number of tests stood at over 86 lakh.

The bulletin said that 6,09,322 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far.

The number of containment zones in Delhi dropped to 4085 on Thursday.

The number of people in home isolation dropped to 2,761 on Thursday.

Seven persons who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for COVID-19, have been found infected with the new strain of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

Seven persons who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for COVID-19, have been found infected with the new strain of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday. Interacting with reporters, earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that a total of 38 people have been found positive since coming to Delhi from the UK recently, and kept in a separate institutional isolation unit on the LNJP Hospital premises. Watch | "Four such patients have been found infected with the new UK strain of COVID-19. The persons who came in their contact have been also traced and tested, and its not in them. So, only these four cases of new strain in Delhi so far," he said. "Flights have been stopped and those who came before that are being traced and tested rigorously," he added. In the evening, a senior official said that a total of seven persons who have recently arrived in Delhi from the UK have been found infected with the new strain of COVID-19. "Four of these have their addresses in Delhi, while the rest are from other places," he said. Delhi recorded 574 fresh COVID-19 cases and 13 new fatalities on Thursday, even as the positivity rate slipped to 0.7 per cent, authorities said. The infection tally in the city mounted to over 6.25 lakh and death toll rose to 10,536, they said, adding over 81,000 tests were conducted the previous day. "Positivity rate has dropped to 0.8 per cent (on Wednesday) from 15.26 per cent on November 7. About 85 per cent beds are vacant, so the situation has improved a lot. And, so, it had been decided to make LNJP Hospital and GTB Hospital into partial COVID-19 facilities now. All services, including the OPD will be soon resumed gradually," Jain said. As per the latest health bulletin, an order has been issued to create separate institutional isolation facility in four private hospitals on payment basis, for international passengers who have travelled from or transited through the UK in the past four weeks ( November 25 to December 24) and tested positive. These facilities are --Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, Saket; Batra Hospital & Research Centre, Tughlakabad Institutional Area; Fortis Super Specialty Hospital, Vasant Kunj; and Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital, the order said. On the preparedness for the vaccination, Jain said, work is on to set up 1,000 vaccination centres. "Also, so far we are aware that the vaccines will be made available freely by the central government," he said. On the night curfew in Delhi in view of New Year's celebrations, Jain said the COVID-19 situation is under control right now, but huge gatherings could spell trouble again, and therefore, the curfew has been imposed. The Delhi government has imposed night curfew from 11 pm to 6 am on December 31 and January 1 to avoid large gatherings during New Year celebrations due to COVID-19 and its highly transmissible UK strain. Amid mounting concerns over the new variant of the COVID-19, the Delhi government had earlier said that people who had arrived here recently from that country, are being traced and tested, while an institutional quarantine facility has been set up separately for positive cases at the LNJP Hospital. According to the Thursday bulletin, out of the total number of 18,718 beds in COVID hospitals, 16,622 are vacant. It said that 108 beds in COVID care centres are occupied by persons under quarantine, including travellers who have returned by Vande Bharat Mission and bubble flights. The Delhi government had significantly ramped up testing in the past few weeks, with the count on several times crossing the 60,000-mark. The number of tests done per million, as on Wednesday, was over 4.5 lakh while the total number of tests stood at over 86 lakh. The bulletin said that 6,09,322 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far. The number of containment zones in Delhi dropped to 4085 on Thursday. The number of people in home isolation dropped to 2,761 on Thursday.

Delhi: 38 UK returnees found positive for COVID; new strain detected in seven patients 

As India is about to begin a dry run to assess the preparedness to roll out the coronavirus vaccine in the country, the&nbsp;Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has claimed the vaccine will be available free of cost in India.

"Not just in Delhi, it (vaccine) will be free across India," Dr Vardhan said while speaking to the local media.

His statement came after he visited a hospital in the capital city New Delhi to review the situation before India begins a mass vaccination drive. When he was asked if the vaccine will be available free of cost for the locals of Delhi, he claimed all Indians will be administered the shot free of cost.

He also took to Twitter to confirm the news. "In 1st phase of #COVID19Vaccination free #vaccine shall be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that incl 1 crore healthcare &amp; 2 crore frontline workers," he tweeted. "Details of how further 27 cr priority beneficiaries are to be vaccinated until July are being finalised."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In 1st phase of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19Vaccination?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19Vaccination</a> free <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vaccine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vaccine</a> shall be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that incl 1 crore healthcare &amp; 2 crore frontline workers 
Details of how further 27 cr priority beneficiaries are to be vaccinated until July are being finalised <a href="https://t.co/K7NrzGrgk3">pic.twitter.com/K7NrzGrgk3</a>
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/drharshvardhan/status/1345265266767237120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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New Delhi has three dry run centres: GTB hospital, Daryaganj and Srinivaspuri, Vardhan visited the GTB hospital on Saturday morning to check the staff's preparedness and review the situation.

The announcement has come as India awaits approval for emergency use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine.&nbsp;

As India is about to begin a dry run to assess the preparedness to roll out the coronavirus vaccine in the country, the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has claimed the vaccine will be available free of cost in India.

As India is about to begin a dry run to assess the preparedness to roll out the coronavirus vaccine in the country, the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has claimed the vaccine will be available free of cost in India. "Not just in Delhi, it (vaccine) will be free across India," Dr Vardhan said while speaking to the local media. His statement came after he visited a hospital in the capital city New Delhi to review the situation before India begins a mass vaccination drive. When he was asked if the vaccine will be available free of cost for the locals of Delhi, he claimed all Indians will be administered the shot free of cost. He also took to Twitter to confirm the news. "In 1st phase of #COVID19Vaccination free #vaccine shall be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that incl 1 crore healthcare & 2 crore frontline workers," he tweeted. "Details of how further 27 cr priority beneficiaries are to be vaccinated until July are being finalised." In 1st phase of #COVID19Vaccination free #vaccine shall be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that incl 1 crore healthcare & 2 crore frontline workers Details of how further 27 cr priority beneficiaries are to be vaccinated until July are being finalised pic.twitter.com/K7NrzGrgk3 — Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) January 2, 2021 × New Delhi has three dry run centres: GTB hospital, Daryaganj and Srinivaspuri, Vardhan visited the GTB hospital on Saturday morning to check the staff's preparedness and review the situation. The announcement has come as India awaits approval for emergency use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine.

Coronavirus vaccine will be available free of cost in India: Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan

With the beginning of the new year, India will begin a new journey at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as it will become its non-permanent member for the eighth time.&nbsp;

India will enter UNSC along with Norway, Kenya, Ireland and Mexico for the 15-member UNSC for a two-year term.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

India will be presented with a unique opportunity to demonstrate its ability as a global power and strengthen its claim to a permanent seat.&nbsp;

So what will be India's agenda and approach at UNSC? Here's a report to answer all such questions related to India and UNSC.&nbsp;

India has been a non-permanent member of the UNSC for a total of seven times in the past. There was a 19-year break when India was not the member of the council after a term from 1991-1992.&nbsp;

<h2>The values India will hold at UNSC</h2>

In the words of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, India's approach will be guided by 5s: samman, samvad, sahyog, shanti, samriddhi (respect, dialogue, cooperation, peace and prosperity).&nbsp;

With these values in mind, India vows to emerge as a mediating force as frictions between world powers emerge.&nbsp;

Key priorities that could lead to a permanent seat

Counter-terrorism, maritime security, scientific research, technological development with a human touch and maintaining international peace will be the main agendas that could pave the way for a permanent seat at the UNSC.&nbsp;

Let's look at some of the statistics which strengthens Indiá's demand for being awarded a permanent seat.

India is the fourth-highest troop-contributing country at the United Nations. A total 6,700 Indian troops are deployed in UN peacekeeping currently and over 200,000 Indians have served in several such UN missions since 1948.&nbsp;

As many as 160 Indians have lost their lives serving under the UN flag.&nbsp;

In 2007, India became the first country to deploy an all-women contingent to a UN peacekeeping mission.&nbsp;

India will seek to leverage its strength to improve peacekeeping efforts around the world.&nbsp;

Also, India is the vaccine manufacturing hub of the world.

Almost 60 per cent of vaccines distributed around the world come from India, which means one out of every three vaccines.&nbsp;

The cost of production and clinical trials is the lowest in the world in India.

As the world's pharmacy, India would seek to reform the global institution to respond better to health crises in the future.&nbsp;

The next reason is the most important one which is India's clear position on combating international terrorism.&nbsp;

As a non-permanent member, India would push for an effective response to global terrorism, abuse of information technology by terrorists, disrupting their nexus with sponsors, stemming the flow of terror financing and strengthening cooperation with other multilateral forums.&nbsp;

The common perception suggests that the non-permanent members are powerless as they don't have the power of veto.&nbsp;

However, this is not entirely true as these members have what is called as 'collective veto'.&nbsp;

To pass any resolution in the council, at least seven non-permanent members should agree to it.

Even, if the permanent members have already said 'yes' to a resolution, it still needs the backing of at least seven non-permanent members. This is called a collective veto.&nbsp;

Also, along with the permanent members, the non-permanent members assume the monthly presidency of the UNSC.

As president, they can decide the topics of debate and issues they think are important to be discussed at the high table.&nbsp;

Non-permanent members also preside over several committees and working groups at the UNSC.

Keeping all these aspects on perspective, Indis has plenty of room to lead from the front and strengthen its case to grab permanent membership. 
&nbsp;

With the beginning of the new year, India will begin a new journey at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as it will become its non-permanent member for the eighth time.

With the beginning of the new year, India will begin a new journey at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as it will become its non-permanent member for the eighth time. India will enter UNSC along with Norway, Kenya, Ireland and Mexico for the 15-member UNSC for a two-year term. Watch | India will be presented with a unique opportunity to demonstrate its ability as a global power and strengthen its claim to a permanent seat. So what will be India's agenda and approach at UNSC? Here's a report to answer all such questions related to India and UNSC. India has been a non-permanent member of the UNSC for a total of seven times in the past. There was a 19-year break when India was not the member of the council after a term from 1991-1992. The values India will hold at UNSC In the words of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, India's approach will be guided by 5s: samman, samvad, sahyog, shanti, samriddhi (respect, dialogue, cooperation, peace and prosperity). With these values in mind, India vows to emerge as a mediating force as frictions between world powers emerge. Key priorities that could lead to a permanent seat Counter-terrorism, maritime security, scientific research, technological development with a human touch and maintaining international peace will be the main agendas that could pave the way for a permanent seat at the UNSC. Let's look at some of the statistics which strengthens Indiá's demand for being awarded a permanent seat. India is the fourth-highest troop-contributing country at the United Nations. A total 6,700 Indian troops are deployed in UN peacekeeping currently and over 200,000 Indians have served in several such UN missions since 1948. As many as 160 Indians have lost their lives serving under the UN flag. In 2007, India became the first country to deploy an all-women contingent to a UN peacekeeping mission. India will seek to leverage its strength to improve peacekeeping efforts around the world. Also, India is the vaccine manufacturing hub of the world. Almost 60 per cent of vaccines distributed around the world come from India, which means one out of every three vaccines. The cost of production and clinical trials is the lowest in the world in India. As the world's pharmacy, India would seek to reform the global institution to respond better to health crises in the future. The next reason is the most important one which is India's clear position on combating international terrorism. As a non-permanent member, India would push for an effective response to global terrorism, abuse of information technology by terrorists, disrupting their nexus with sponsors, stemming the flow of terror financing and strengthening cooperation with other multilateral forums. The common perception suggests that the non-permanent members are powerless as they don't have the power of veto. However, this is not entirely true as these members have what is called as 'collective veto'. To pass any resolution in the council, at least seven non-permanent members should agree to it. Even, if the permanent members have already said 'yes' to a resolution, it still needs the backing of at least seven non-permanent members. This is called a collective veto. Also, along with the permanent members, the non-permanent members assume the monthly presidency of the UNSC. As president, they can decide the topics of debate and issues they think are important to be discussed at the high table. Non-permanent members also preside over several committees and working groups at the UNSC. Keeping all these aspects on perspective, Indis has plenty of room to lead from the front and strengthen its case to grab permanent membership.

As India set to begin another journey in UNSC this year, a playbook of how it can showcase its ability

 Washington [US], January 2 (ANI): American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey recently appeared on `The Andy Cohen Show` and talked about the much-loved song `All I Want For Christmas`.According to Page Six, while discussing Carey`s Christmas classic on CNN`s New Year`s Eve show, Cohen asked the chanteuse, "When you recorded `All I Want For Christmas Is You,` did you have a sense that it was going to live for so long? Because it`s one of those songs that you listen to and it still sounds like a brand-new song."To which the Grammy winner replied, "Thank you, but first of all, I hate to always say this, but as a writer, I wrote that song." Cohen quickly added, "I know," but it was too little, too late, for the diva."Yeah, but you said, `recorded it,` so I just had to clarify it for the folks at home," the 50-year-old singer responded. (Carey and song-writing partner Walter Afanasieff co-wrote the tune, supposedly in just 15 minutes.)Adding just a splash more cringe to the exchange, Carey then asked what the noise in the background was, forcing Cohen to respond that it was Jennifer Lopez`s performance for the evening.As reported by Page Six, Carey, whose supposed feud with Lopez dates back to her feeling that Lopez copied her `Loverboy` with `I`m Real,` kept a fixed smile on her face.The situation was obliquely addressed in Carey`s recent memoir, which described "a female entertainer on [Sony`s] label (whom I don`t know)," an aside that itself references her famous interview response of "I don`t know her" to a question about Lopez. (ANI) 

Washington [US], January 2 (ANI): American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey recently appeared on `The Andy Cohen Show` and talked about the much-loved song `All I Want For Christmas`.

Washington [US], January 2 (ANI): American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey recently appeared on `The Andy Cohen Show` and talked about the much-loved song `All I Want For Christmas`.According to Page Six, while discussing Carey`s Christmas classic on CNN`s New Year`s Eve show, Cohen asked the chanteuse, "When you recorded `All I Want For Christmas Is You,` did you have a sense that it was going to live for so long? Because it`s one of those songs that you listen to and it still sounds like a brand-new song."To which the Grammy winner replied, "Thank you, but first of all, I hate to always say this, but as a writer, I wrote that song." Cohen quickly added, "I know," but it was too little, too late, for the diva."Yeah, but you said, `recorded it,` so I just had to clarify it for the folks at home," the 50-year-old singer responded. (Carey and song-writing partner Walter Afanasieff co-wrote the tune, supposedly in just 15 minutes.)Adding just a splash more cringe to the exchange, Carey then asked what the noise in the background was, forcing Cohen to respond that it was Jennifer Lopez`s performance for the evening.As reported by Page Six, Carey, whose supposed feud with Lopez dates back to her feeling that Lopez copied her `Loverboy` with `I`m Real,` kept a fixed smile on her face.The situation was obliquely addressed in Carey`s recent memoir, which described "a female entertainer on [Sony`s] label (whom I don`t know)," an aside that itself references her famous interview response of "I don`t know her" to a question about Lopez. (ANI)

Mariah Carey makes sure Andy Cohen knows she wrote ''All I Want for Christmas''

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said that Indian government had approved emergency use of AstraZeneca/ Oxford University coronavirus vaccine, also known as Covishield in India. The minister said that the government had given a go-ahead on Friday.

India: AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use

COVID-19 vaccines do not belong to any political party, but humanity, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Saturday, hours after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed coronavirus vaccines to be rolled out in the country as "vaccine of the BJP".

Taking to Twitter, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, "I don't know about anyone else but when my turn comes I'll happily roll up my sleeve &amp; get a COVID vaccine."

The more people get vaccinated, the better it will be for the country and the economy, the National Conference (NC) vice president said.

"No vaccine belongs to any political party, they belong to humanity &amp; the sooner we get vulnerable people vaccinated the better," he tweeted.

While talking to reporters in Lucknow, Yadav, said, "How can I trust the vaccine, which will be used for vaccination by the BJP? We cannot get vaccinated by the BJP's vaccine.

" On Saturday, an expert panel of India's central drug authority recommended granting permission for restricted emergency use of the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin with certain conditions, a day after giving similar directions for the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine.

The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had on Friday recommended granting permission for restricted emergency use of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield, being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

The NC leader also tweeted that this "virus has been far too disruptive &amp; if a vaccine helps bring about a semblance of normalcy after all the chaos then sign me up."

COVID-19 vaccines do not belong to any political party, but humanity, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Saturday, hours after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed coronavirus vaccines to be rolled out in the country as "vaccine of the BJP".

COVID-19 vaccines do not belong to any political party, but humanity, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Saturday, hours after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed coronavirus vaccines to be rolled out in the country as "vaccine of the BJP". Taking to Twitter, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, "I don't know about anyone else but when my turn comes I'll happily roll up my sleeve & get a COVID vaccine." The more people get vaccinated, the better it will be for the country and the economy, the National Conference (NC) vice president said. "No vaccine belongs to any political party, they belong to humanity & the sooner we get vulnerable people vaccinated the better," he tweeted. While talking to reporters in Lucknow, Yadav, said, "How can I trust the vaccine, which will be used for vaccination by the BJP? We cannot get vaccinated by the BJP's vaccine. " On Saturday, an expert panel of India's central drug authority recommended granting permission for restricted emergency use of the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin with certain conditions, a day after giving similar directions for the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine. The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had on Friday recommended granting permission for restricted emergency use of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield, being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. The NC leader also tweeted that this "virus has been far too disruptive & if a vaccine helps bring about a semblance of normalcy after all the chaos then sign me up."

Covid vaccines don't belong to any political party, but humanity: Omar Abdullah on Akhilesh's remark

India has successfully cultured the new coronavirus strain, which originated in the UK, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Saturday.

In a tweet, the ICMR claimed that no country has yet reported successful isolation and culture of the UK-variant of SARS-CoV-2.

Culture is the process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions, generally outside their natural environment.

"UK-variant of the virus, with all signature changes, is now successfully isolated and cultured at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) from the clinical specimens collected from UK-returnees," the ICMR said.

The research body said Vero cell lines were used by the scientists of ICMR-NIV to culture the UK-variant of the virus.

The UK had recently announced that the newly identified strain of the virus found in their population was up to 70 per cent more infectious.

A total of 29 people have tested positive for the new UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in India so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

India has successfully cultured the new coronavirus strain, which originated in the UK, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Saturday. In a tweet, the ICMR claimed that no country has yet reported successful isolation and culture of the UK-variant of SARS-CoV-2.

India has successfully cultured the new coronavirus strain, which originated in the UK, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Saturday. In a tweet, the ICMR claimed that no country has yet reported successful isolation and culture of the UK-variant of SARS-CoV-2. Culture is the process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions, generally outside their natural environment. "UK-variant of the virus, with all signature changes, is now successfully isolated and cultured at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) from the clinical specimens collected from UK-returnees," the ICMR said. The research body said Vero cell lines were used by the scientists of ICMR-NIV to culture the UK-variant of the virus. The UK had recently announced that the newly identified strain of the virus found in their population was up to 70 per cent more infectious. A total of 29 people have tested positive for the new UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in India so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

In a first, India successfully isolates, cultures UK-variant of Sars-CoV-2: ICMR

Expert panel at&nbsp;Central Drugs Standard Control Organization&nbsp;has recommended emergency use of Covishield (AstraZeneca) vaccine for coronavirus vaccination in India. The panel has recommended AstraZeneca vaccine with certain conditions. The vaccine is being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Serum Institute of India (SII) will manufacture the vaccine.

A decision on coronavirus vaccine made by Bharat Biotech is also likely.

As per reports, Serum Institute of India has already stored more than 50 million&nbsp;doses of Astrazeneca vaccine. SII had said several months ago that half of the vaccines it manufactures will be for vaccination purpose in India.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-oxford-vaccine-one-step-away-from-approval-in-india-353934">WATCH|</a>

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Indian&nbsp;government said on Wednesday that Pfizer Inc had sought more time to present data for emergency authorisation of a vaccine it has developed with Germany's BioNTech.

AstraZeneca/ Oxford University coronavirus vaccine has already got approval in Britain and Argentina for urgent public use. USA, which has approved Pfizer vaccine is likely to approve use of Astrazeneca vaccine in April. as per reports received on Thursday.

Moncef Slaoui, the chief advisor to Operation Warp Speed, the military-led US effort for vaccines, told reporters that US trials and assessments would be complete for approval "sometime in early April."

"Several tens of millions of doses will have been manufactured... and therefore will be available for use if the data supports its approval," he said.

(With agency inputs)

Expert panel at Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has recommended emergency use of Covishield (AstraZeneca) vaccine for coronavirus vaccination in India.

Expert panel at Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has recommended emergency use of Covishield (AstraZeneca) vaccine for coronavirus vaccination in India. The panel has recommended AstraZeneca vaccine with certain conditions. The vaccine is being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Serum Institute of India (SII) will manufacture the vaccine. A decision on coronavirus vaccine made by Bharat Biotech is also likely. As per reports, Serum Institute of India has already stored more than 50 million doses of Astrazeneca vaccine. SII had said several months ago that half of the vaccines it manufactures will be for vaccination purpose in India. WATCH| × Indian government said on Wednesday that Pfizer Inc had sought more time to present data for emergency authorisation of a vaccine it has developed with Germany's BioNTech. AstraZeneca/ Oxford University coronavirus vaccine has already got approval in Britain and Argentina for urgent public use. USA, which has approved Pfizer vaccine is likely to approve use of Astrazeneca vaccine in April. as per reports received on Thursday. Moncef Slaoui, the chief advisor to Operation Warp Speed, the military-led US effort for vaccines, told reporters that US trials and assessments would be complete for approval "sometime in early April." "Several tens of millions of doses will have been manufactured... and therefore will be available for use if the data supports its approval," he said. (With agency inputs)

Indian panel recommends emergency use of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine with conditions

As India is about to begin a dry run to assess the preparedness to roll out the coronavirus vaccine in the country,&nbsp;Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan appealed to people&nbsp;not to be misguided by "rumours" and disinformation campaigns regarding the safety and efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine, stressing that there would be no compromise on any protocol while approving it. 
 
“I appeal to people not to pay heed to rumours. Ensuring the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is our priority. Different kinds of rumours were spread during polio immunisation but people took the vaccine and India is now polio-free,” Harsh Vardhan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.&nbsp;

Vardhan, who visited two mock vaccination sites in Delhi to review the drill, said the free vaccine would be provided in the first phase of the inoculation drive to the most prioritised beneficiaries, including one crore healthcare and two crore frontline workers.

He added that details of how 27 crore priority beneficiaries -- those above 50 years of age and those below it having comorbidities -- would be vaccinated until July were being finalised.

The minister dispelled doubts regarding the country's capability to undertake such a massive vaccination drive, describing how India had unparalleled experience in dealing with immunisation and run one of the largest such programs in the world.

"It is as a result of our steadfastness and dedication that India was declared polio-free in 2014. Our rich learning from the earlier immunisation drives, including the polio vaccination campaign, is being used to guide our present countrywide COVID-19 vaccination campaign," he said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

As India is about to begin a dry run to assess the preparedness to roll out the coronavirus vaccine in the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan appealed to people not to be misguided by "rumours" and disinformation campaigns regarding the safety and efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine, stressing that there would be no compromise on any protocol while approving it.

As India is about to begin a dry run to assess the preparedness to roll out the coronavirus vaccine in the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan appealed to people not to be misguided by "rumours" and disinformation campaigns regarding the safety and efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine, stressing that there would be no compromise on any protocol while approving it. “I appeal to people not to pay heed to rumours. Ensuring the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is our priority. Different kinds of rumours were spread during polio immunisation but people took the vaccine and India is now polio-free,” Harsh Vardhan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Vardhan, who visited two mock vaccination sites in Delhi to review the drill, said the free vaccine would be provided in the first phase of the inoculation drive to the most prioritised beneficiaries, including one crore healthcare and two crore frontline workers. He added that details of how 27 crore priority beneficiaries -- those above 50 years of age and those below it having comorbidities -- would be vaccinated until July were being finalised. The minister dispelled doubts regarding the country's capability to undertake such a massive vaccination drive, describing how India had unparalleled experience in dealing with immunisation and run one of the largest such programs in the world. "It is as a result of our steadfastness and dedication that India was declared polio-free in 2014. Our rich learning from the earlier immunisation drives, including the polio vaccination campaign, is being used to guide our present countrywide COVID-19 vaccination campaign," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid vaccine hesitancy: Dr Harsh Vardhan urges people not to pay heed to rumours

The Army on Saturday set up a 'feedback and grievances' helpline in the Kashmir valley as part of its efforts to strengthen the bond with the people.

The helpline has been set up under the aegis of Chinar Corps or 15 Corps -- responsible for guarding the Line of Control in the valley.

"As part of Indian Army's efforts to further strengthen the bond of friendship between the Aawam and Jawan, a 'feedback and grievances' helpline has been established under the aegis of Chinar Corps," a defence spokesman said.

He said the helpline number is 9484101010.

The contact can also be established through Telegram application, the spokesman said.

"A 'Humsaya' (companion) to the Awaam, in good times and through any challenge, the Awaam-Jawan greater synergy will go a long way in establishing peace and prosperity for all," he said.

The Army on Saturday set up a 'feedback and grievances' helpline in the Kashmir valley as part of its efforts to strengthen the bond with the people. The helpline has been set up under the aegis of Chinar Corps or 15 Corps -- responsible for guarding the Line of Control in the valley.

The Army on Saturday set up a 'feedback and grievances' helpline in the Kashmir valley as part of its efforts to strengthen the bond with the people. The helpline has been set up under the aegis of Chinar Corps or 15 Corps -- responsible for guarding the Line of Control in the valley. "As part of Indian Army's efforts to further strengthen the bond of friendship between the Aawam and Jawan, a 'feedback and grievances' helpline has been established under the aegis of Chinar Corps," a defence spokesman said. He said the helpline number is 9484101010. The contact can also be established through Telegram application, the spokesman said. "A 'Humsaya' (companion) to the Awaam, in good times and through any challenge, the Awaam-Jawan greater synergy will go a long way in establishing peace and prosperity for all," he said.

Indian Army sets up 'feedback and grievances' helpline in Kashmir

Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has said that he would not take the Covid vaccine shot approved by Indian government's expert panel, calling it a "vaccine of the BJP".

"I will not take the COVID-19 vaccine at this moment. That too given by Bharatiya Janata Party. How can I trust BJP`s vaccine, not a chance&nbsp;When our government will be formed, everyone will get a free vaccine. We cannot take the BJP vaccine," said Akhilesh Yadav during a press conference here.

Further cornering the Centre over dry run which is being taken across all states and Union Territories, Yadav said, "What is the need for dry dun in the country. This government was eliminating coronavirus by clapping hands and beating utensils. What is the need for such a large cold chain? What is the need for the vaccine?"SP chief`s statement comes after Dr Shekhar Mande, Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) said the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and would not have adverse effects and urged people not to hesitate to take it.

"I want to assure everyone that the vaccine is very safe. It has cleared all safety trials and there are no adverse effects. People should not hesitate in taking the vaccine," Mande said.

Mande also said, "If Dr Harsh Vardhan said the dry run was a success in four states, which is the most authentic voice of the government. This is a very good development and should set the country on track for vaccination as soon as approval is granted."

According to the Union Health Ministry, the objective of the dry run is to "assess operational feasibility in the use of COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) application in a field environment, to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges and guide the way forward prior to actual implementation".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has said that he would not take the Covid vaccine shot approved by Indian government's expert panel, calling it a "vaccine of the BJP".

Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has said that he would not take the Covid vaccine shot approved by Indian government's expert panel, calling it a "vaccine of the BJP". "I will not take the COVID-19 vaccine at this moment. That too given by Bharatiya Janata Party. How can I trust BJP`s vaccine, not a chance When our government will be formed, everyone will get a free vaccine. We cannot take the BJP vaccine," said Akhilesh Yadav during a press conference here. Further cornering the Centre over dry run which is being taken across all states and Union Territories, Yadav said, "What is the need for dry dun in the country. This government was eliminating coronavirus by clapping hands and beating utensils. What is the need for such a large cold chain? What is the need for the vaccine?"SP chief`s statement comes after Dr Shekhar Mande, Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) said the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and would not have adverse effects and urged people not to hesitate to take it. "I want to assure everyone that the vaccine is very safe. It has cleared all safety trials and there are no adverse effects. People should not hesitate in taking the vaccine," Mande said. Mande also said, "If Dr Harsh Vardhan said the dry run was a success in four states, which is the most authentic voice of the government. This is a very good development and should set the country on track for vaccination as soon as approval is granted." According to the Union Health Ministry, the objective of the dry run is to "assess operational feasibility in the use of COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) application in a field environment, to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges and guide the way forward prior to actual implementation". (With inputs from agencies)

‘How can I trust BJP’s vaccine?’ Akhilesh Yadav says won’t take Covid shot

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said that Indian government had approved emergency use of AstraZeneca/ Oxford University coronavirus vaccine, also known as Covishield in India. The minister said that the government had given a go-ahead on Friday. The vaccine had also got a go-ahead from expert panel at&nbsp;Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) had given its nod to the vaccine on Friday itself. Javadekar said that India had more than 50 million doses stockpiled.

The vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University will be manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII).

As India gears up to take up the challenging task of inoculating millions of people, many Indian states on Saturday conducted dry-runs for vaccination&nbsp;to assess their ability and readiness to administer Covid-19 shots to hundreds of millions of people, including many in remote corners of the country.

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&nbsp;

Delhi, Punjab, Haryana along with Gujarat, Andra Pradesh and Assam were among many states and UTs that conducted dry runs for vaccination earlier in the day,&nbsp;aimed at testing the laid out mechanisms for the vaccination roll-out in the health system.

The Centre had directed earlier to conduct a dry run by all state and UTs on January 2 to test the linkages between planning and implementation, and to identify the challenges.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-panel-recommends-emergency-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-with-conditions-353860">Indian panel recommends emergency use of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine with conditions</a>

As per the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, all states selected their particular areas and districts to hold the dry run exercise at various government medical college, hospitals, medical centres and the community health centres.

While visiting one of dry run centres, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said that one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers would be given free vaccine in the first phase of the inoculation drive.

"In the first phase of vaccination, free vaccine will be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that include one crore healthcare and 2 crore frontline workers," Vardhan said in a tweet.

(With agency inputs)

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said that Indian government had approved emergency use of AstraZeneca/ Oxford University coronavirus vaccine, also known as Covishield in India.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said that Indian government had approved emergency use of AstraZeneca/ Oxford University coronavirus vaccine, also known as Covishield in India. The minister said that the government had given a go-ahead on Friday. The vaccine had also got a go-ahead from expert panel at Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) had given its nod to the vaccine on Friday itself. Javadekar said that India had more than 50 million doses stockpiled. The vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University will be manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). As India gears up to take up the challenging task of inoculating millions of people, many Indian states on Saturday conducted dry-runs for vaccination to assess their ability and readiness to administer Covid-19 shots to hundreds of millions of people, including many in remote corners of the country. × Delhi, Punjab, Haryana along with Gujarat, Andra Pradesh and Assam were among many states and UTs that conducted dry runs for vaccination earlier in the day, aimed at testing the laid out mechanisms for the vaccination roll-out in the health system. The Centre had directed earlier to conduct a dry run by all state and UTs on January 2 to test the linkages between planning and implementation, and to identify the challenges. Also Read | Indian panel recommends emergency use of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine with conditions As per the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, all states selected their particular areas and districts to hold the dry run exercise at various government medical college, hospitals, medical centres and the community health centres. While visiting one of dry run centres, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said that one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers would be given free vaccine in the first phase of the inoculation drive. "In the first phase of vaccination, free vaccine will be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that include one crore healthcare and 2 crore frontline workers," Vardhan said in a tweet. (With agency inputs)

Indian government okays emergency use of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine

A bipartisan Congressional provision condemning China's aggression towards India has become a law as the US Congress overrode President Donald Trump's veto on the USD 740 billion defence policy bill which among other things included calling out China for its aggression against India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-completes-track-laying-work-for-a-railway-line-in-tibet-close-to-arunachal-pradesh-353727">Also read | China completes track-laying work for a railway line in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh</a>

The National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2021, which became law on Friday after Congress overrode Donald Trump's veto, included a resolution urging the Chinese government to end its military aggression towards India along the LAC. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/beijing-doesnt-recognize-ladakh-union-territory-and-arunachal-pradesh-chinese-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-334959">Also read | Beijing doesn’t recognize Ladakh Union Territory and Arunachal Pradesh: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs</a>

President Trump, on December 23, vetoed the NDAA, which had bipartisan support, arguing it had provisions that would damage national security.

As the US Congress dealt a blow to Donald Trump in his last days in office, Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said: "Through today's New Year's Day vote in the Senate, Congress has made the National Defence Authorisation Act into law, including elements of my resolution calling on China to end its military aggression towards India and others in the broader Indo-Pacific region".

The US House of Representatives and the Senate, on December 15, passed the USD 740 billion NDAA, which included key components of Mr Krishnamoorthi's resolution language urging the Chinese government to end its military aggression against India along the LAC.

China and India have been locked in a military standoff since May 2020 after Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Several rounds of talks between the two countries to resolve the standoff have not yielded any concrete outcome.

Mr Krishnamoorthi said: "The Chinese military's violent aggression along the Line of Actual Control with India and elsewhere is unacceptable, and the passage into law of this legislation sends a clear message of support and solidarity to India and our other partners across the world as we enter the New Year".

A bipartisan Congressional provision condemning China's aggression towards India has become a law as the US Congress overrode President Donald Trump's veto on the USD 740 billion defence policy bill which among other things included calling out China for its aggression against India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

A bipartisan Congressional provision condemning China's aggression towards India has become a law as the US Congress overrode President Donald Trump's veto on the USD 740 billion defence policy bill which among other things included calling out China for its aggression against India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Also read | China completes track-laying work for a railway line in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh The National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2021, which became law on Friday after Congress overrode Donald Trump's veto, included a resolution urging the Chinese government to end its military aggression towards India along the LAC. Also read | Beijing doesn’t recognize Ladakh Union Territory and Arunachal Pradesh: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs President Trump, on December 23, vetoed the NDAA, which had bipartisan support, arguing it had provisions that would damage national security. As the US Congress dealt a blow to Donald Trump in his last days in office, Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said: "Through today's New Year's Day vote in the Senate, Congress has made the National Defence Authorisation Act into law, including elements of my resolution calling on China to end its military aggression towards India and others in the broader Indo-Pacific region". The US House of Representatives and the Senate, on December 15, passed the USD 740 billion NDAA, which included key components of Mr Krishnamoorthi's resolution language urging the Chinese government to end its military aggression against India along the LAC. China and India have been locked in a military standoff since May 2020 after Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Several rounds of talks between the two countries to resolve the standoff have not yielded any concrete outcome. Mr Krishnamoorthi said: "The Chinese military's violent aggression along the Line of Actual Control with India and elsewhere is unacceptable, and the passage into law of this legislation sends a clear message of support and solidarity to India and our other partners across the world as we enter the New Year".

US bill condemning China's military aggression against India becomes law

Pakistan counter-terrorism authorities have arrested Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the chief planner of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the LeT's current supreme commander of operations, on charges of terrorist financing. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/eyebrows-raised-as-after-hafiz-saeed-lakhvi-gets-basic-expense-approval-from-unsc-over-pakistans-request-349017">Also read | Eyebrows raised as after Hafiz Saeed, Lakhvi gets 'basic expense' approval from UNSC over Pakistan's request</a> 
 
Lakhvi, who was on bail since 2015 in the Mumbai attack case, has been found guilty of extending financial help to terrorists through different umbrella businesses.

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However, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD)&nbsp;did not mention his place of arrest.

"Following an intelligence-based operation conducted by the CTD Punjab, proscribed organisation LeT leader Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was arrested on charges of terrorism financing,” CTD spokesperson said. 
 
His case will now be heard in the Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) in Lahore. 
 
Earlier on December 11 this year, The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had given approval for "basic expense" for Lakshar-e-Taiba's leader Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Mahmood Sultan Bashiruddin, a Pakistani nuclear engineer. Both have been listed by the UN as international terrorists.&nbsp;

Lakhvi had a role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, while Sultan, once at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission came under the scanner for his meetings with Al Qaeda's Osama Bin Laden. Sultan has been awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz, the third-highest civilian award of Pakistan. There may be more such developments coming. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan counter-terrorism authorities have arrested Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the chief planner of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the LeT's current supreme commander of operations, on charges of terrorist financing.

Pakistan counter-terrorism authorities have arrested Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the chief planner of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the LeT's current supreme commander of operations, on charges of terrorist financing. Also read | Eyebrows raised as after Hafiz Saeed, Lakhvi gets 'basic expense' approval from UNSC over Pakistan's request Lakhvi, who was on bail since 2015 in the Mumbai attack case, has been found guilty of extending financial help to terrorists through different umbrella businesses. However, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) did not mention his place of arrest. "Following an intelligence-based operation conducted by the CTD Punjab, proscribed organisation LeT leader Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was arrested on charges of terrorism financing,” CTD spokesperson said. His case will now be heard in the Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) in Lahore. Earlier on December 11 this year, The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had given approval for "basic expense" for Lakshar-e-Taiba's leader Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Mahmood Sultan Bashiruddin, a Pakistani nuclear engineer. Both have been listed by the UN as international terrorists. Lakhvi had a role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, while Sultan, once at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission came under the scanner for his meetings with Al Qaeda's Osama Bin Laden. Sultan has been awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz, the third-highest civilian award of Pakistan. There may be more such developments coming. (With inputs from agencies)

26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi arrested in Pakistan

India on Saturday staged nationwide drills to start one of the world's biggest coronavirus vaccination programmes as the drug regulator prepared to approve the first vaccine.

A government panel on Friday recommended emergency use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University shot and the first injections could be given in the coming week after the Drugs Control Authority of India gives final approval.&nbsp;

India, which has the world's second highest number of pandemic cases -- more than 10.2 million -- has set an ambitious target of inoculating 300 million of its 1.3 billion people by mid-2021.

The activity was conducted by all state and union territory administrations on January 2 to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges, the Centre had said on Thursday.

Three sites across the national capital were selected, while seven districts shortlisted in Chhattisgarh.

District hospital, community health centres (CHCs) and primary health centres (PHCs) were selected as centres for the exercise which will start from 10 am onwards.

A video conference was held under the chairmanship of the Delhi health secretary on Friday for conducting a dry run for COVID vaccination at three selected sites, one each in Central District, Shahdara District and South West district, according to the latest health bulletin.

From installing freezers to setting up cold chain equipment, arrangements are being made at a Delhi government hospital here for storing the vaccine, whenever it arrives.

The Delhi government is fully prepared to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccine to 51 lakh priority category persons in the city in the first phase of vaccination, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said on December 24.

These people include healthcare workers, frontline workers, people aged above 50 and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities.

Once the vaccine is available, 2.53 lakh health care personnel will be administered it in the first phase of roll out.&nbsp;

In Pune, a total of 17 registered beneficiaries&nbsp;underwent&nbsp;the mock drill at three health care centres in Pune city, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad.

The Punjab government conducted the drive in Patiala on January 2 and 3.

The first dry run in Gujarat was successfully held on December 28 and 29. The new dry run was conducted in the districts of Dahod, Bhavnagar, Valsad and Anand, said state Commissioner of Health Jai Prakash Shivahare.

Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine producer, has already stockpiled tens of millions of doses of AstraZeneca's Covishield ready for the campaign and &nbsp;96,000 health workers have been trained for the inoculation drive.

Health minister Harsh Vardhan said the exercise would help build expertise "so that the upcoming vaccination drive may proceed without any glitch." He has also called for a campaign to counter "misleading rumours" that may scare people off getting the vaccine.

(with inputs from agencies)

India on Saturday staged nationwide drills to start one of the world's biggest coronavirus vaccination programmes as the drug regulator prepared to approve the first vaccine.

India on Saturday staged nationwide drills to start one of the world's biggest coronavirus vaccination programmes as the drug regulator prepared to approve the first vaccine. A government panel on Friday recommended emergency use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University shot and the first injections could be given in the coming week after the Drugs Control Authority of India gives final approval. India, which has the world's second highest number of pandemic cases -- more than 10.2 million -- has set an ambitious target of inoculating 300 million of its 1.3 billion people by mid-2021. The activity was conducted by all state and union territory administrations on January 2 to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges, the Centre had said on Thursday. Three sites across the national capital were selected, while seven districts shortlisted in Chhattisgarh. District hospital, community health centres (CHCs) and primary health centres (PHCs) were selected as centres for the exercise which will start from 10 am onwards. A video conference was held under the chairmanship of the Delhi health secretary on Friday for conducting a dry run for COVID vaccination at three selected sites, one each in Central District, Shahdara District and South West district, according to the latest health bulletin. From installing freezers to setting up cold chain equipment, arrangements are being made at a Delhi government hospital here for storing the vaccine, whenever it arrives. The Delhi government is fully prepared to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccine to 51 lakh priority category persons in the city in the first phase of vaccination, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said on December 24. These people include healthcare workers, frontline workers, people aged above 50 and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities. Once the vaccine is available, 2.53 lakh health care personnel will be administered it in the first phase of roll out. In Pune, a total of 17 registered beneficiaries underwent the mock drill at three health care centres in Pune city, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad. The Punjab government conducted the drive in Patiala on January 2 and 3. The first dry run in Gujarat was successfully held on December 28 and 29. The new dry run was conducted in the districts of Dahod, Bhavnagar, Valsad and Anand, said state Commissioner of Health Jai Prakash Shivahare. Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine producer, has already stockpiled tens of millions of doses of AstraZeneca's Covishield ready for the campaign and 96,000 health workers have been trained for the inoculation drive. Health minister Harsh Vardhan said the exercise would help build expertise "so that the upcoming vaccination drive may proceed without any glitch." He has also called for a campaign to counter "misleading rumours" that may scare people off getting the vaccine. (with inputs from agencies)

India holds dry run for Covid vaccination ahead of inoculation drive

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said innovation, integrity and inclusion have emerged as the key mantras in the field of management which can help the country achieve the goal of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

Laying the foundation stone for the permanent campus of IIM-Sambalpur through video conference, the prime minister said the goal of a self-reliant India will be achieved with the help of collaborative, innovative and transformative concepts in management.

Noting that technology is reducing distances between regions, Modi said India has brought speedy reforms in the digital connectivity sector in order to cope with changes taking places all over the world.

"Technologly management is as important as human management," he said, adding the country has been able to build substantial capacity over the last decade which was evident during the COVID-19 crisis.

Emphasising that the young generation should take along those lagging behind to ensure inclusive growth, Modi said local products will have global reach with the help of new management concepts and technology.

"Today's start-ups in India are tomorrow's Multi- national Corporations," he said, and asked young managers to align their career goals to the aspirations of the country.

The prime minister said IIM Sambalpur will go a long way in giving Odisha a new identity in the field of management education apart from creating tremendous opportunities for the handloom and other sectors in the region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said innovation, integrity and inclusion have emerged as the key mantras in the field of management which can help the country achieve the goal of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said innovation, integrity and inclusion have emerged as the key mantras in the field of management which can help the country achieve the goal of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. Laying the foundation stone for the permanent campus of IIM-Sambalpur through video conference, the prime minister said the goal of a self-reliant India will be achieved with the help of collaborative, innovative and transformative concepts in management. Noting that technology is reducing distances between regions, Modi said India has brought speedy reforms in the digital connectivity sector in order to cope with changes taking places all over the world. "Technologly management is as important as human management," he said, adding the country has been able to build substantial capacity over the last decade which was evident during the COVID-19 crisis. Emphasising that the young generation should take along those lagging behind to ensure inclusive growth, Modi said local products will have global reach with the help of new management concepts and technology. "Today's start-ups in India are tomorrow's Multi- national Corporations," he said, and asked young managers to align their career goals to the aspirations of the country. The prime minister said IIM Sambalpur will go a long way in giving Odisha a new identity in the field of management education apart from creating tremendous opportunities for the handloom and other sectors in the region.

Innovation, integrity, inclusion will help build 'Atmanirbhar Bharat': PM Modi

Mumbai, Jan 2 (IANS) Bollywood star Ranveer Singh has shared his first picture of the year, from Ranthambore where he is currently vacationing with his wife, Deepika Padukone.
 
Through the picture posted on Instagram, Ranveer gives a glimpse of the beauty of the forest in Ranthambore. The picture seems taken at dawn or dusk, with the sunlight merging with the misty winter hues. The photo was clicked by the lake, with a few birds around. 
Ranveer let the picture do the talking, and captioned it post as, "#views". 
While Ranveer and Deepika have refrained from sharing pictures of themselves from their Ranthambore vacation on social media, they made appearances in Riddhima Kapoor`s Instagram Stories. Riddhima is also on a trip to Ranthambore with her family -- Neetu Singh Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor along with Alia Bhatt, Shaheen Bhatt and Soni Razdan. 
On the work front, Ranveer will be seen in Kabir Khan`s "83", which narrates the story of India`s first-ever cricket World Cup victory in 1983, and Rohit Shetty`s ambitious "Sooryavanshi" this year. He also has Rohit Shetty`s "Cirkus" coming up. 
--IANS 
sug/vnc

Mumbai, Jan 2 (IANS) Bollywood star Ranveer Singh has shared his first picture of the year, from Ranthambore where he is currently vacationing with his wife, Deepika Padukone.

Mumbai, Jan 2 (IANS) Bollywood star Ranveer Singh has shared his first picture of the year, from Ranthambore where he is currently vacationing with his wife, Deepika Padukone. Through the picture posted on Instagram, Ranveer gives a glimpse of the beauty of the forest in Ranthambore. The picture seems taken at dawn or dusk, with the sunlight merging with the misty winter hues. The photo was clicked by the lake, with a few birds around. Ranveer let the picture do the talking, and captioned it post as, "#views". While Ranveer and Deepika have refrained from sharing pictures of themselves from their Ranthambore vacation on social media, they made appearances in Riddhima Kapoor`s Instagram Stories. Riddhima is also on a trip to Ranthambore with her family -- Neetu Singh Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor along with Alia Bhatt, Shaheen Bhatt and Soni Razdan. On the work front, Ranveer will be seen in Kabir Khan`s "83", which narrates the story of India`s first-ever cricket World Cup victory in 1983, and Rohit Shetty`s ambitious "Sooryavanshi" this year. He also has Rohit Shetty`s "Cirkus" coming up. --IANS sug/vnc

Ranveer Singh shares first picture from Ranthambore

A severe cold wave swept through Delhi on New Year's Day as the mercury plummeted to 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in 15 years, and "very dense" fog lowered visibility to "zero" metres, affecting traffic movement.

On January 8, 2006, the city had recorded a minimum of 0.2 degree Celsius. The all-time record is minus 0.6 degrees Celsius registered in January, 1935.

The lowest minimum temperature recorded in January last year was 2.4 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD''s regional forecasting centre, said "very dense" fog lowered visibility to "zero" metres at Safdarjung and Palam at 6 am.

According to the IMD, "very dense" fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres. In case of "dense" fog, visibility is between 51 and 200 metres, "moderate" 201 and 500 metres, and "shallow" 501 and 1,000 metres.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a minimum of 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in January in 15 years.

Delhi recorded a minimum of 3.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday. At 15.2 degrees Celsius, the city recorded the season''s lowest maximum temperature on December 18.

Srivastava said the minimum temperature will start rising under the influence of an "intense" western disturbance which will affect northwest India from January 2 to January 6.

The minimum temperature is predicted to rise to 8 degrees Celsius by January 4-5.

Light rain is also expected in the national capital under the influence of the western disturbance from January 3 to January 5.

The western disturbance will lead to moderate snowfall in the western Himalayan region, the IMD said.

In the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave if the minimum temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius. A severe cold wave is when the minimum is 2 degrees Celsius or less.

A cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than normal.

A "severe" cold wave is when the minimum temperature dips to two degrees Celsius or the departure is more than 6.4 degrees.

The average minimum temperature in Delhi in December was the second-lowest in 15 years.

Data released by the IMD on Thursday showed that the mean minimum temperature (MMT) this December was 7.1 degrees Celsius. It was 7.6 degrees Celsius last year.&nbsp;

According to Srivastava, multiple western disturbances affecting the Himalayan region and the global impact of La Nina were the major reasons behind such low minimum temperatures.

The month of November last year was the coldest in the national capital in 71 years, with the mean minimum temperature dropping to 10.2 degrees Celsius, according to IMD data.

Delhi had recorded a mean minimum temperature of 10.2 degrees Celsius in November 1949.

Also, the month of October last year was the coldest in 58 years in the city.&nbsp;

The mean minimum temperature in October last year was 17.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 1962, when it was 16.9 degrees Celsius.

A severe cold wave swept through Delhi on New Year's Day as the mercury plummeted to 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in 15 years, and "very dense" fog lowered visibility to "zero" metres, affecting traffic movement.

A severe cold wave swept through Delhi on New Year's Day as the mercury plummeted to 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in 15 years, and "very dense" fog lowered visibility to "zero" metres, affecting traffic movement. On January 8, 2006, the city had recorded a minimum of 0.2 degree Celsius. The all-time record is minus 0.6 degrees Celsius registered in January, 1935. The lowest minimum temperature recorded in January last year was 2.4 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD''s regional forecasting centre, said "very dense" fog lowered visibility to "zero" metres at Safdarjung and Palam at 6 am. According to the IMD, "very dense" fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres. In case of "dense" fog, visibility is between 51 and 200 metres, "moderate" 201 and 500 metres, and "shallow" 501 and 1,000 metres. The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a minimum of 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in January in 15 years. Delhi recorded a minimum of 3.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday. At 15.2 degrees Celsius, the city recorded the season''s lowest maximum temperature on December 18. Srivastava said the minimum temperature will start rising under the influence of an "intense" western disturbance which will affect northwest India from January 2 to January 6. The minimum temperature is predicted to rise to 8 degrees Celsius by January 4-5. Light rain is also expected in the national capital under the influence of the western disturbance from January 3 to January 5. The western disturbance will lead to moderate snowfall in the western Himalayan region, the IMD said. In the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave if the minimum temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius. A severe cold wave is when the minimum is 2 degrees Celsius or less. A cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than normal. A "severe" cold wave is when the minimum temperature dips to two degrees Celsius or the departure is more than 6.4 degrees. The average minimum temperature in Delhi in December was the second-lowest in 15 years. Data released by the IMD on Thursday showed that the mean minimum temperature (MMT) this December was 7.1 degrees Celsius. It was 7.6 degrees Celsius last year. According to Srivastava, multiple western disturbances affecting the Himalayan region and the global impact of La Nina were the major reasons behind such low minimum temperatures. The month of November last year was the coldest in the national capital in 71 years, with the mean minimum temperature dropping to 10.2 degrees Celsius, according to IMD data. Delhi had recorded a mean minimum temperature of 10.2 degrees Celsius in November 1949. Also, the month of October last year was the coldest in 58 years in the city. The mean minimum temperature in October last year was 17.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 1962, when it was 16.9 degrees Celsius.

Severe cold wave in Delhi on New Year's Day; minimum temperature lowest in 15 years

China has deployed a fleet of underwater drones called Sea Wing (Haiyi) glider in the Indian Ocean, which can operate for months on end and make observations for naval intelligence purposes, according to defence analyst HI Sutton.

Writing for the Forbes magazine, Sutton said that these sea gliders, which the Chinese are deploying "en masse", are a type of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) which were launched in mid-December 2019 and recovered in February after making over 3,400 observations.

Citing the government sources, Sutton in his report said that these gliders are similar to those deployed by the US Navy, one of which was seized by Beijing in 2016 to ensure "safe navigation of passing ships." "Taken at face value, it may be surprising that China is now deploying these types of UUV en masse in the Indian Ocean. China has also deployed the Sea Wing from an ice breaker in the Arctic," Sutton wrote.

According to the defence expert, reports from December last year suggested that 14 would be employed in the Indian Ocean mission but only 12 were used. Sutton said that these gliders are unpowered with large wings to glide that can run for long periods of time, adding that they are not fast or agile, however, they are employed for long-range missions.

Furthermore, the defence analyst said these Chinese gliders that are placed in the Indian Ocean were reportedly gathering oceanography data, which "sounds innocuous" however, is commonly gathered for naval intelligence purposes." Noting the rising challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat earlier this month had said the world is witnessing a race for strategic bases in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), adding that it is only going to gain momentum in the times to come.

"Of late along with geostrategic competition in the Indo-Pacific, we are also witnessing a race for strategic places and bases in the Indian Ocean region which is only going to gain momentum in the times to come," General Rawat had said while delivering a keynote address at the Global Dialogue Security Summit.

CDS Rawat had said, "In the military field, technology must be a means of deterrence not a source of destruction. Our approach to security hence needs to shift from unilateral to the multilateral mode which mandates increasing training engagements with partner nations in order to fortify the future." He said that based on the challenges that India face, "we require structured long term planning for capacity building and capability development of our defence forces."

China has deployed a fleet of underwater drones called Sea Wing (Haiyi) glider in the Indian Ocean, which can operate for months on end and make observations for naval intelligence purposes, according to defence analyst HI Sutton.

China has deployed a fleet of underwater drones called Sea Wing (Haiyi) glider in the Indian Ocean, which can operate for months on end and make observations for naval intelligence purposes, according to defence analyst HI Sutton. Writing for the Forbes magazine, Sutton said that these sea gliders, which the Chinese are deploying "en masse", are a type of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) which were launched in mid-December 2019 and recovered in February after making over 3,400 observations. Citing the government sources, Sutton in his report said that these gliders are similar to those deployed by the US Navy, one of which was seized by Beijing in 2016 to ensure "safe navigation of passing ships." "Taken at face value, it may be surprising that China is now deploying these types of UUV en masse in the Indian Ocean. China has also deployed the Sea Wing from an ice breaker in the Arctic," Sutton wrote. According to the defence expert, reports from December last year suggested that 14 would be employed in the Indian Ocean mission but only 12 were used. Sutton said that these gliders are unpowered with large wings to glide that can run for long periods of time, adding that they are not fast or agile, however, they are employed for long-range missions. Furthermore, the defence analyst said these Chinese gliders that are placed in the Indian Ocean were reportedly gathering oceanography data, which "sounds innocuous" however, is commonly gathered for naval intelligence purposes." Noting the rising challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat earlier this month had said the world is witnessing a race for strategic bases in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), adding that it is only going to gain momentum in the times to come. "Of late along with geostrategic competition in the Indo-Pacific, we are also witnessing a race for strategic places and bases in the Indian Ocean region which is only going to gain momentum in the times to come," General Rawat had said while delivering a keynote address at the Global Dialogue Security Summit. CDS Rawat had said, "In the military field, technology must be a means of deterrence not a source of destruction. Our approach to security hence needs to shift from unilateral to the multilateral mode which mandates increasing training engagements with partner nations in order to fortify the future." He said that based on the challenges that India face, "we require structured long term planning for capacity building and capability development of our defence forces."

China deploying 'en masse' underwater drones in Indian Ocean, says report 

India reported as many as 20,036 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the country to 1,02,86,710, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Friday.

With this, the total number of active cases now stands at 2,54,254.

As many as 256 lives were claimed by the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 1,48,994.

So far 98,83,461 recoveries have been reported in the country.

Maharashtra, one of the worst-affected states, reported 3,509 new cases and 58 deaths in the last 24 hours. So far, 18,28,546 people have recovered, while the death toll stands at 49,521, the state health department informed.

Kerala reported 5,215 new cases, 5,376 recoveries and 30 deaths on Thursday. The total number of active cases in the state now stands at 65,381.

As many as 574 new coronavirus cases and 888 recoveries were reported in the national capital on Thursday, as per the Delhi Health Department. The total number of positive cases now stands at 6,25,369, while the death toll stands at 10,536, including 13 on Thursday. There are currently 5,511 active cases in the national capital.

With 10,62,420 samples tested for the coronavirus on Thursday, the total number of samples tested so far stands at 17,31,11,694, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) informed.

India reported as many as 20,036 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the country to 1,02,86,710, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Friday.

India reported as many as 20,036 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the country to 1,02,86,710, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Friday. With this, the total number of active cases now stands at 2,54,254. As many as 256 lives were claimed by the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 1,48,994. So far 98,83,461 recoveries have been reported in the country. Maharashtra, one of the worst-affected states, reported 3,509 new cases and 58 deaths in the last 24 hours. So far, 18,28,546 people have recovered, while the death toll stands at 49,521, the state health department informed. Kerala reported 5,215 new cases, 5,376 recoveries and 30 deaths on Thursday. The total number of active cases in the state now stands at 65,381. As many as 574 new coronavirus cases and 888 recoveries were reported in the national capital on Thursday, as per the Delhi Health Department. The total number of positive cases now stands at 6,25,369, while the death toll stands at 10,536, including 13 on Thursday. There are currently 5,511 active cases in the national capital. With 10,62,420 samples tested for the coronavirus on Thursday, the total number of samples tested so far stands at 17,31,11,694, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) informed.

India reports 20,036 new COVID-19 cases, 256 deaths

Applications for the emergency use approval for the coronavirus vaccines filed by the Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Pfizer will be taken up on Friday for consideration by a government-appointed panel of experts.

The important meeting comes a day before the dry run for vaccination will be carried out in all states.&nbsp;

The SII is manufacturing 'Covishield' vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharma industry major AstraZeneca. Bharat Biotech partnered with the Indian Council of Medical Research to produce 'Covaxin', and Pfizer have sought more time to present its data.

The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) in the CDSCO had earlier met to consider the emergency use authorisation (EUA) request of Pfizer, Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech Pvt Ltd.

After the expert panel gives nod to the vaccines, the applications will be reviewed by the Drugs Controller General of India for final approval.&nbsp;

The government is aiming to start the vaccination drive this month.

India, which has the world's second-highest number of COVID-19 infections in the world after the United States, plans to inoculate 30 crore people in the next six to eight months and the affordable Oxford vaccine is its biggest hope.

Like the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs, Covishield is similar in requiring two doses but is easier to deliver as it does not need extremely low temperatures for storage. It is also cheap and easy to mass-produce.

Earlier in this week, the UK approved the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine for human use, the second coronavirus vaccine to be cleared for rollout in Britain after the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs.

(with inputs from agencies)

Applications for the emergency use approval for the coronavirus vaccines filed by the Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Pfizer will be taken up on Friday for consideration by a government-appointed panel of experts.

Applications for the emergency use approval for the coronavirus vaccines filed by the Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech and Pfizer will be taken up on Friday for consideration by a government-appointed panel of experts. The important meeting comes a day before the dry run for vaccination will be carried out in all states. The SII is manufacturing 'Covishield' vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharma industry major AstraZeneca. Bharat Biotech partnered with the Indian Council of Medical Research to produce 'Covaxin', and Pfizer have sought more time to present its data. The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) in the CDSCO had earlier met to consider the emergency use authorisation (EUA) request of Pfizer, Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech Pvt Ltd. After the expert panel gives nod to the vaccines, the applications will be reviewed by the Drugs Controller General of India for final approval. The government is aiming to start the vaccination drive this month. India, which has the world's second-highest number of COVID-19 infections in the world after the United States, plans to inoculate 30 crore people in the next six to eight months and the affordable Oxford vaccine is its biggest hope. Like the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs, Covishield is similar in requiring two doses but is easier to deliver as it does not need extremely low temperatures for storage. It is also cheap and easy to mass-produce. Earlier in this week, the UK approved the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine for human use, the second coronavirus vaccine to be cleared for rollout in Britain after the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs. (with inputs from agencies)

Meeting on Covid vaccine in India ahead of dry run to be held on Friday

As India and China continue to face off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Beijing on Thursday completed the track-laying work for a railway line linking the cities of Lhasa and Nyingchi in Tibet, close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, official media here reported.

According to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, it would play a key role in safeguarding stability in the border areas.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will be the second railway into Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/beijing-doesnt-recognize-ladakh-union-territory-and-arunachal-pradesh-chinese-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-334959">Also read | Beijing doesn’t recognize Ladakh Union Territory and Arunachal Pradesh: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs</a>

It will go through the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most geologically active areas.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway starts from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province and travels through Ya'an and enters Tibet via Qamdo, shortening the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-dictates-terms-to-indian-press-protests-wions-interview-with-taiwan-foreign-minister-joseph-wu-see-letter-inside-337366">Also read |&nbsp;China dictates terms to Indian press, protests WION's interview with Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu - see letter inside</a>

Linzhi, also known as Nyingchi, is located close to Arunachal Pradesh border. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/wion-has-got-mail-from-china-337567">Also read | Wion has got mail. From China</a>

Last month, President Xi Jinping instructed officials to expedite construction of the new railway project connecting Sichuan Province and Linzhi in Tibet.

With a designed speed of 160 km per hour, the 435-km rail line passes through 47 tunnels and 120 bridges, according to its constructor Tibet Railway Construction Co. Ltd.

Construction started in 2014 on the railway connecting Lhasa, the regional capital, and Nyingchi in eastern Tibet.

It is the first electrified railroad in Tibet and is slated to begin operations in June 2021, the Xinhua report said.

So far, a total of 31.2 billion yuan (about USD 4.8 billion) has been invested in the project, according to official data.

With more than 90 per cent of the railway built in areas more than 3,000 metres above sea level, the high altitude and complex geological conditions have posed great challenges to the project, the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

As India and China continue to face off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Beijing on Thursday completed the track-laying work for a railway line linking the cities of Lhasa and Nyingchi in Tibet, close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, official media here reported.

As India and China continue to face off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Beijing on Thursday completed the track-laying work for a railway line linking the cities of Lhasa and Nyingchi in Tibet, close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, official media here reported. According to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, it would play a key role in safeguarding stability in the border areas. The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will be the second railway into Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Also read | Beijing doesn’t recognize Ladakh Union Territory and Arunachal Pradesh: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs It will go through the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most geologically active areas. The Sichuan-Tibet Railway starts from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province and travels through Ya'an and enters Tibet via Qamdo, shortening the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours. Also read | China dictates terms to Indian press, protests WION's interview with Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu - see letter inside Linzhi, also known as Nyingchi, is located close to Arunachal Pradesh border. Also read | Wion has got mail. From China Last month, President Xi Jinping instructed officials to expedite construction of the new railway project connecting Sichuan Province and Linzhi in Tibet. With a designed speed of 160 km per hour, the 435-km rail line passes through 47 tunnels and 120 bridges, according to its constructor Tibet Railway Construction Co. Ltd. Construction started in 2014 on the railway connecting Lhasa, the regional capital, and Nyingchi in eastern Tibet. It is the first electrified railroad in Tibet and is slated to begin operations in June 2021, the Xinhua report said. So far, a total of 31.2 billion yuan (about USD 4.8 billion) has been invested in the project, according to official data. With more than 90 per cent of the railway built in areas more than 3,000 metres above sea level, the high altitude and complex geological conditions have posed great challenges to the project, the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

China completes track-laying work for a railway line in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh

The scientists working at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) need to focus on the next generation needs of the armed forces in cybersecurity, space and artificial intelligence, its Chairman G Satheesh Reddy said on Friday.

In his speech at an event to mark the 60th foundation day of the DRDO, Reddy said academic institutes, research and development (R&amp;D) organisations and the industry need to work together on advanced and futuristic technologies to make India self-reliant in the defence sector.

A press statement issued by the defence ministry said, "In his speech, he (Reddy) called upon DRDO scientists to focus on next-generation needs, including cybersecurity, space and artificial intelligence."

According to the statement, Reddy mentioned that "a number of SMEs and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises)" are being nurtured by the DRDO as these are supplying small components to subsystems for its projects.

He added that at least 30 startups should be supported every year to develop innovative products for the Indian armed forces.

Reddy declared "export" as the theme of DRDO for 2021 and mentioned that many products based on the DRDO's technologies have already been exported by the defence public sector units (DPSUs) and private companies.

He also highlighted the role of the DRDO during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that its 40 laboratories developed over 100 products on a war footing to combat the virus.

The scientists working at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) need to focus on the next generation needs of the armed forces in cybersecurity, space and artificial intelligence, its Chairman G Satheesh Reddy said on Friday.

The scientists working at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) need to focus on the next generation needs of the armed forces in cybersecurity, space and artificial intelligence, its Chairman G Satheesh Reddy said on Friday. In his speech at an event to mark the 60th foundation day of the DRDO, Reddy said academic institutes, research and development (R&D) organisations and the industry need to work together on advanced and futuristic technologies to make India self-reliant in the defence sector. A press statement issued by the defence ministry said, "In his speech, he (Reddy) called upon DRDO scientists to focus on next-generation needs, including cybersecurity, space and artificial intelligence." According to the statement, Reddy mentioned that "a number of SMEs and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises)" are being nurtured by the DRDO as these are supplying small components to subsystems for its projects. He added that at least 30 startups should be supported every year to develop innovative products for the Indian armed forces. Reddy declared "export" as the theme of DRDO for 2021 and mentioned that many products based on the DRDO's technologies have already been exported by the defence public sector units (DPSUs) and private companies. He also highlighted the role of the DRDO during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that its 40 laboratories developed over 100 products on a war footing to combat the virus.

DRDO chairman asks scientists to focus on cyber security, space and artificial intelligence

India will resume flights to and from the UK from January 8, civil aviation minister said on Friday.

Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, on Friday said that India-UK flights will resume from January 8 and till January 23, only 15 flights per week each for carriers of the two nations will be permitted.&nbsp;

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It has been decided that flights between India &amp; UK will resume from 8 Jan 2021. 
Operations till 23 Jan will be restricted to 15 flights per week each for carriers of the two countries to &amp; from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru &amp; Hyderabad only. <a href="https://twitter.com/DGCAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGCAIndia</a> will issue the details shortly
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) <a href="https://twitter.com/HardeepSPuri/status/1345009768390295552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The decision comes after Puri on Wednesday extended the ban of flights to and from the UK till January 7 due to the detection of a new strain of novel coronavirus that is spreading wildly in Britain.

Watch |&nbsp;

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Over 30 nations have halted air travel to Britain because of the new strain, which UK officials said has gone "out of control".

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-pm-boris-johnson-expected-take-stock-of-the-current-pandemic-situation-353248">38 UK returnees found positive for COVID in Delhi; new strain detected in four patients: Health Minister</a>

At least four more cases of the new variant have been detected in India on Friday taking the total cases to 29, however, it is still not known how many people amongst these 29 visited the UK.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

India will resume flights to and from the UK from January 8, civil aviation minister said on Friday. Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, on Friday said that India-UK flights will resume from January 8 and till January 23, only 15 flights per week each for carriers of the two nations will be permitted.

India will resume flights to and from the UK from January 8, civil aviation minister said on Friday. Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, on Friday said that India-UK flights will resume from January 8 and till January 23, only 15 flights per week each for carriers of the two nations will be permitted. It has been decided that flights between India & UK will resume from 8 Jan 2021. Operations till 23 Jan will be restricted to 15 flights per week each for carriers of the two countries to & from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru & Hyderabad only. @DGCAIndia will issue the details shortly — Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) January 1, 2021 × The decision comes after Puri on Wednesday extended the ban of flights to and from the UK till January 7 due to the detection of a new strain of novel coronavirus that is spreading wildly in Britain. Watch | Over 30 nations have halted air travel to Britain because of the new strain, which UK officials said has gone "out of control". Also read | 38 UK returnees found positive for COVID in Delhi; new strain detected in four patients: Health Minister At least four more cases of the new variant have been detected in India on Friday taking the total cases to 29, however, it is still not known how many people amongst these 29 visited the UK.

India to resume UK flights from January 8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has seen a rise in popularity amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. A recent analysis by Morning Consult, a US-based survey research firm, which showed that Narendra Modi has a net approval rating of 55. The report also showed that PM Modi's popularity rose to the highest among all global leaders.

Morning consult political intelligence is currently tracking the approval rating for government leaders in 13 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, The United Kingdom, The United States), offering real-time insight into the shifting political dynamics across the globe.&nbsp;

Approval ratings are based on a seven-day moving average of adult residents in each country, and samples sizes vary by country.

The other leaders who have witnessed a rise in their popularity include Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pm-modis-popularity-rose-during-the-pandemic-353696">WATCH|</a>

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As of December 22, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador scored 29, just ahead of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had 27.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is preparing to run the world's largest Covid-19 vaccination drive.

He said this after laying the foundation stone for AIIMS at Gujarat's Rajkot.

He said, "The numbers of new cases of Covid-19 infection in the country are decreasing now. We are preparing to run the world's largest vaccination program in the next year."

"Swasthya hi sampada hai, the year 2020 has taught us this well. It has been a year full of challenges," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Modi said, "India has emerged as the nerve centre of global health. In the year 2021, we have to strengthen India's role in healthcare."

PM Modi said Dawai bhi aur kadaai bhi should be our mantra for 2021. He said, "Earlier, I said, 'Dawai nahi toh dheelai nahi'. Now, I am saying 'Dawai bhi aur kadaai (caution) bhi'. Our mantra for the year 2021 is 'Dawai bhi aur kadaai bhi'."

(With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has seen a rise in popularity amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. A recent analysis by Morning Consult, a US-based survey research firm, which showed that Narendra Modi has a net approval rating of 55.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has seen a rise in popularity amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. A recent analysis by Morning Consult, a US-based survey research firm, which showed that Narendra Modi has a net approval rating of 55. The report also showed that PM Modi's popularity rose to the highest among all global leaders. Morning consult political intelligence is currently tracking the approval rating for government leaders in 13 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, The United Kingdom, The United States), offering real-time insight into the shifting political dynamics across the globe. Approval ratings are based on a seven-day moving average of adult residents in each country, and samples sizes vary by country. The other leaders who have witnessed a rise in their popularity include Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. WATCH| × As of December 22, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador scored 29, just ahead of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had 27. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is preparing to run the world's largest Covid-19 vaccination drive. He said this after laying the foundation stone for AIIMS at Gujarat's Rajkot. He said, "The numbers of new cases of Covid-19 infection in the country are decreasing now. We are preparing to run the world's largest vaccination program in the next year." "Swasthya hi sampada hai, the year 2020 has taught us this well. It has been a year full of challenges," the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Modi said, "India has emerged as the nerve centre of global health. In the year 2021, we have to strengthen India's role in healthcare." PM Modi said Dawai bhi aur kadaai bhi should be our mantra for 2021. He said, "Earlier, I said, 'Dawai nahi toh dheelai nahi'. Now, I am saying 'Dawai bhi aur kadaai (caution) bhi'. Our mantra for the year 2021 is 'Dawai bhi aur kadaai bhi'." (With inputs from agencies)

PM Modi's approval ratings highest among world leaders

Expert panel at Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has recommended emergency use of Covishield (AstraZeneca) vaccine for coronavirus vaccination in India. The panel has recommended AstraZeneca vaccine with certain conditions. The vaccine is being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Serum Institute of India (SII) will manufacture the vaccine.

India: Expert panel recommends use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

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