South Asia

India to begin supplying Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh, 5 others, from tomorrow

India today announced that Covid-19 vaccine supplies under grant assistance to six countries, including Bangladesh, will begin from tomorrow but made it clear that supply to other countries would be calibrated against domestic requirements and international demand and obligations, including under WHO’s global vaccine alliance facility.
Arnab Goswami knew about Balakot 3 days before it happened, police probe in ratings scam suggests

Firebrand Indian television anchor Arnab Goswami knew of the Modi government's plan to stage a strike in Pakistan days before the February 26, 2019, Balakot episode between the two countries, evidence submitted by Mumbai police as part of an ongoing investigation on manipulation of television ratings suggests, multiple Indian media outlets reported on Saturday.
Covid-19: India vaccinates 224,301 people; 447 show adverse reaction

India has vaccinated 224,301, in two days of its massive Covid-19 vaccination programme so far with the number being much higher than many other countries such as the USA, the UK and France, the Indian health ministry said tonight.
Pakistan approves AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in Pakistan, the health minister said today, making it the first coronavirus vaccine to get the green light for use in the South Asian country.
Myanmar police scuffle with nationalist monk's followers

Myanmar police scuffled on Saturday with dozens of followers of Buddhist nationalist monk Ashin Wirathu at a demonstration calling for him to be put on trial more than two months after he handed himself in to face sedition charges.
Covid-19 vaccination in India: Bharat Biotech's vaccine recipients asked to sign consent forms

As India today began vaccinating its people against coronavirus, those receiving Bharat Biotech's Covaxin were asked to sign consent forms which held out the assurance of compensation and treatment if any adverse effect was noticed linked to the jab.
12 Pakistani police fired for not protecting Hindu temple

Pakistani authorities sacked a local police chief and 11 other policemen for failing to protect a Hindu temple that was set on fire and demolished last month by a mob led by hundreds of supporters of a radical Islamist party, police said Friday.
Brazil could be first country to receive Covid-19 vaccines from India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the start of pan-India rollout of Covid-19 vaccination drive tomorrow (Saturday) via video conferencing in what his office termed as the world’s largest inoculation programme.
3 lakh health workers to be inoculated on 1st day of Covid-19 vaccination drive in India

An estimated three lakh healthcare workers will be given the coronavirus vaccine at 2,934 sites across India on the first day of the massive nationwide vaccination drive on January 16, official sources said today.
Indian Air Force gets first indigenously-manufactured combat aircraft

India today approved the procurement of 73 indigenously-manufactured Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-1A fighter planes and ten LCA Tejas Mk-1 for training purposes at a cost of Rs 45,696 crores.
Bangladesh to import 60,000MT diesel from India

Bangladesh will import 60,000 metric tonnes of diesel from India in the current year 2021 under a government-to-government contract.
Rohingya repatriation: Bangladesh, Myanmar and China secretary level talks on Jan 19

Almost a year to the day, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China will hold another tripartite secretary-level meeting on Rohingya repatriation in Dhaka on January 19.
Indian and Bangladeshi police to work together against terrorist entities, other fugitives

The police chiefs of Bangladesh and India today decided to establish designated nodal points for enhancing joint work against terrorist entities, including global terrorist groups as well as other fugitives.
Covid-19 vaccine: India places order for 11 million Covishield doses with Serum Institute

The Indian government today placed an order with Serum Institute of India (SII) to purchase the first tranche of 11 million doses of the Covishield vaccine at 210 rupees each, official sources said.
India looks at int’l cooperation in fight against Covid-19 as ‘its duty’

India today said it sees international cooperation in the fight against Covid-19 particularly with its neighbours as “its duty.”
Bangladesh wants official apology from Pakistan for 1971 genocide

Bangladesh has reiterated the importance of resolving outstanding bilateral issues with Pakistan, including an official apology from Pakistan for the genocide it committed during Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971.
Nepal's top court to begin hearing on dissolution of parliament amid political flux

Nepal’s top court today will begin hearings on petitions challenging Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s sudden decision to dissolve the parliament, a move that has triggered public outrage and has been labelled unconstitutional.
Covid-19 vaccine delivery: Indian high commissioner says no reason for Dhaka to be concerned

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami says in a tweet that the country’s “cherished partner Bangladesh” has no cause for alarm over receiving the Covid-19 vaccine on time because India always prioritises its neighbours.
Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on Pakistan's Shi'ite Hazara minority that kills 11

Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on Sunday that killed 11 miners from Pakistan’s minority Shi’ite Hazaras in Baluchistan province.
India’s Serum Institute to meet local demand for Covid-19 vaccine for next 2 months, before exporting

Serum Institute of India (SII), the Indian manufacturer of the AstraZeneca/Oxford coronavirus vaccine, has said it intends to concentrate on meeting India’s own immediate demand in the next two months before exporting to other interested countries.
Dhaka hopeful its expectations from India will be met: Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has expressed his optimism that Bangladesh’s expectations from India will be met as the two countries maintain a strong and a very friendly relationship.
India’s approval of homegrown vaccine criticised over lack of data

India granted emergency approval to Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN but faced questions after taking the step without publishing efficacy data for the homegrown coronavirus vaccine.
21 killed in roof collapse during funeral in India

Twenty-one people were killed and at least 20 others injured when the roof of a shelter at a cremation ground collapsed in Muradnagar district of Uttar Pradesh in India today.
WHO welcomes India's approval of two Covid-19 vaccines

The World Health Organization today welcomed India's approval of two Covid-19 vaccines of Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech and said it would help "strengthen" its fight against the pandemic in South East Asia.
Rohingya issue: China and Russia for Myanmar, India abstains from voting

In a proposal regarding the Rohingya issue and other human rights situation in Myanmar placed before the 75th General Assembly of the United Nations, China and Russia yet again took stance in favour of Myanmar while India abstained from voting.
India’s drug regulator’s expert body recommends two Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use

Experts at India’s drug regulator have recommended emergency-use approval for the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine and another developed locally by Bharat Biotech and a state-run research body, the government said.
India begins nationwide Covid-19 vaccination dry run

India today began a nationwide dry run to check the preparedness for vaccinating people against Covid-19 and plug possible gaps in logistics, as the country with the second highest number of infections waits for the final approval of the jabs for an estimated 30 crore people to start with.
Indian cabinet approves export of Akash missile

In a significant decision, India today gave the green signal to the export of its surface-to-air missile Akash in the first initiative for export of big-ticket defence platforms.
Indian state’s ‘Love Jihad’ law denounced by ex-bureaucrats, diplomats in open letter

Over 100 retired senior civil servants and diplomats urged the Hindu nationalist leader of Uttar Pradesh state to repeal a new law criminalising forced religious conversion of brides, warning in an open letter that it risked fuelling communal tensions.
India announces lifting ban on onion export from Jan 1

India tonight announced lifting of the ban on onion exports with effect from January 1.