SRINAGAR, JANUARY 10 (IANS): Based on credible input regarding presence of terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT in a hideout constructed in a house in village Chandhara Pampore in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, police along with the Army and CRPF launched a search operation Sunday morning. During search one large hideout of LeT outfit was found in a cowshed and was destroyed subsequently, officials said. Police said one terrorist associate identified as Adil Ahmad Sh

New Delhi, January 10 (PTI): An all-women cockpit crew set out on a history journey, operating Air India's inaugural San Francisco-Bengaluru flight, going over the North Pole and taking the Atlantic route to reach the Karnataka capital at the other end of the world. The flight number AI176 left San Francisco on Saturday at 8.30 pm (local time) and would arrive at 3.45 am on Monday, according to Air India sources. Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted,

New Delhi, January 10 (IANS): The Centre has directed states and union territories across the country to increase surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos, and poultry farms as well as strengthen biosecurity at poultry farms amid the bird flu scare. The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said in a statement on Sunday that the states and UTs have been asked to increase public awareness and prevent the spread of misinformation on the avian influenza

New Delhi, January 10 (PTI): The West Bengal government is making arrangements to provide free COVID vaccines to all the people of the state, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said. In an open letter, Banerjee said the COVID warriors, including police, home guards, civil defence volunteers, correctional home and disaster management employees, will be administered the vaccine on a priority basis. "I am happy to inform that our government is making arrangements for reaching t

New Delhi, January 10 (IANS): India on Sunday reported 18,444 new cases of Covid-19 while 201 people succumbed to to the deadly virus in the last 24 hours. According to the data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a total of 1,04,50,284 people have been affected with the virus so far. While the active cases stand at 2,23,335, a total of 1,00,75,950 have recovered and have been discharged after battling Covid-19. In a fresh statement, the Health Ministry ha

New Delhi, January 10 (IANS): After the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on the country's poultry industry, it is now reeling under the fresh threat of the bird flu infection. Due to the fear of bird flu, the sale of chicken and chicken products have been the worst-hit. Especially in north India, the poultry industry has been badly affected by ban on the transportation of hens from one state to another. A delegation from the industry is scheduled to meet the central government

New Delhi, January 10 (IANS): As India is poised to undertake the world's 'biggest vaccination drive', Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a virtual meeting with Chief Ministers on Monday afternoon, wherein all states will share the details of preparations made for the planned vaccination and other issues. The Prime Minister will chair the meeting slated to begin at 4 pm. He will be apprised by the CMs on the roll-out of coronavirus vaccine as well as the COVID-19 sit

Panaji, January 9 (IANS): People in India believe that the right character among politicians is in short supply, Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Saturday. Speaking at the Goa Legislator's Day function held here on Saturday evening, Naidu expressed concern over the deterioration in the conduct of lawmakers in several legislatures in the country. "Unfortunately, the people's perception is that the right character among the politicians is in short supp

New Delhi, January 9 (IANS): After the alleged death of a volunteer enrolled in Bharat Biotech's Covaxin clinical trial in Bhopal, the Hyderabad-based company clarified on Saturday that the death was unrelated to the vaccine and the probable cause of death was cardio respiratory failure as a result of suspected poisoning. "As per the post-mortem report issued by the Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, that the site received from the Bhopal Police, the probable cause of death wa

New Delhi, January 9 (IANS): Bird flu has been confirmed in seven states of the country so far, namely Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, while test reports of unsual death of birds received from Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Delhi are awaited, the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said on Saturday. As per a statement issued by the ministry, after confirmation of avian influenza (AI) positive samples by t

New Delhi, January 9 (PTI): President Ram Nath Kovind said on Saturday that the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan would make the world order more just and fair, promoting greater cooperation and peace. Virtually addressing the valedictory session of the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention, he said that the idea of self-reliant India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, does not mean seeking self-centred arrangements or turning the country inwards. "It is about self-belief, leading to self-suf

New Delhi, January 9 (IANS): As demand for the India-made Covid-19 vaccines gathers momentum in foreign countries, even China appears to have grudgingly accepted its South Asian neighbours domain expertise. An article in the China Communist Party's mouthpiece, Global Times, states: "Experts suggested that India's vaccines are no less competitive than Chinese Covid-19 vaccines in both research and production capacity, considering that India has the world's largest va

New Delhi, January 9 (IANS): A high-level committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been constituted to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in a befitting manner. A notification to this effect was issued on Friday by the Ministry of Culture in which 85 members, including the Prime Minister, have been named. The committee will decide on the activities for a one-year long commemoration, beginning January 23. The members of the commi

New Delhi, January 9 (IANS): A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldier was apprehended after he crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh and entered the Indian territory, the Indian Army has stated. "During early hours of January 8, a Chinese soldier was apprehended on the Indian Side of the LAC in Ladakh in area South of Pangong lake," the Army said. It further stated that the PLA soldier had transgressed across the LAC and was taken into custody b

New Delhi, January 9 (IANS): The Union Health Ministry said on Saturday that the much-awaited coronavirus vaccination drive will kick off on January 16. "It was decided that in view of the forthcoming festivals, including Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Magh Bihu etc., the Covid-19 vaccination will start from January 16, 2021," the ministry said in a statement. The roll-out of Covid-19 vaccine will give priority to the healthcare and frontline workers who are estimated

New Delhi, January 9 (IANS): The Central government on Saturday said that a total of 90 persons have been detected with the new 'more transmissible' UK coronavirus mutant strain. They are kept in physical isolation in health facilities. "Total number of persons infected with the UK mutant strain of Covid-19 now stands at 90 in the country," the Union Health Ministry said in a statement. According to the ministry, all the 90 persons have been kept in a single roo

New Delhi, January 9 (PTI): India is ready with two made-in-India vaccines for the protection of humanity and the world is not only waiting for them but also watching as to how the country runs the globe's biggest vaccination programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. In his address at the inauguration of the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention, Modi also asserted that if democracy is most strong, vibrant and lively anywhere in the world, it is in India.

Bhandara (Maharashtra), January 9 (IANS): In a shocking tragedy, at least 10 new-born infants were suffocated in a fire that erupted in the children's ward of a government hospital in Maharashtra's Bhandara district early on Saturday morning, officials said. The fire, due to a suspected electrical short-circuit, erupted around 1.45 a.m. when the mothers and relatives of the infants were fast asleep and quickly engulfed the Sick & Newborn Care Unit of the Bhandara Distric

New Delhi, January 8 (PTI): The second mock drill on COVID-19 vaccination was conducted on Friday in 736 districts across 33 states and union territories with Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who oversaw the dry run in Tamil Nadu, saying inoculating the country's entire population would soon become a reality. He said vaccines would be made available in the next few days and those at risk such as healthcare professionals would be given priority. The Directorate General of

New Delhi, January 8 (IANS): With the Covid-19 vaccination drive expected to commence next week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to chair a meeting with the Chief Ministers of all the states. The meeting is likely to be held at 4 p.m. on Monday, said sources. In the meeting, the Prime Minister is expected to discuss the detailed plans to roll Covid vaccines in all the states, following the Drug Controller General India's (DCGI) approval for the restricted emergency use of tw