INDIA

2 die after getting Covid-19 vaccine in India

Two persons have died after they were administered Covid-19 vaccines on the first day of the vaccination drive across India but at least one of the deaths is not connected to the vaccination according to the post mortem report, India’s Health Ministry said tonight.
West Bengal assembly election: Mamata Banerjee to contest from Nandigram

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today announced that she would contest assembly election in the state from Nandigram in Purbo Medinipur.
‘Hurting religious sentiments’: FIR lodged against makers of Amazon Prime web series ‘Tandav’

An FIR has been lodged against the makers of Amazon Prime web series “Tandav” and Amazon’s India head of original content for allegedly depicting Hindu gods in a manner “hurtful to religious sentiments of the people”.
India's Covid-19 vaccination drive hits bump due to app glitch

India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive hit a bump on the first day due to glitches in an app called Co-Win that is being used to coordinate the campaign, according to several officials involved in the immunisation programme.
Sanitation worker first person to receive Covid-19 vaccine in India

A sanitation worker in All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi today became India’s first person to be administered the first of the two-dose Covid-19 vaccine during the launch of the nationwide vaccination programme.
'Probably beginning of the end' of Covid-19, says Indian health minister as Modi launches vaccination drive

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the rollout of the country’s Covid-19 vaccination drive, saying Indian vaccines were cheaper compared to others around the world.
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.
Beneficiaries may not get to choose between two Covid-19 vaccines: Indian health ministry

While India is rolling out Covishield and Covaxin vaccines against Covid-19 on January 16, its government has indicated that recipients of the jabs may not have the option to choose the one they want to be inoculated with.
India's Serum to sell Covid-19 vaccine to Bangladesh at $4/dose: Report

Serum Institute of India will sell the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to Bangladesh at $4 a dose, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, about 47% more than India will pay for its inoculation campaign.
Indian Supreme Court stays implementation of 3 new farm reform laws

In a significant ruling, India’s Supreme Court today stayed the implementation of three contentious farm sector reform laws till further orders.
Indian foreign minister says will get clarity on export of Covid-19 vaccines in few weeks

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said today that the government would have greater clarity on the export of Covid-19 vaccines from the country within the next few weeks.
New strain of bird flu reaches Delhi, Maharashtra; 9 states affected

The H5N8 strain of bird flu has spread to Delhi and Maharashtra, pushing the total number of Indian states hit by the disease to nine.
Covid-19 vaccine to be free in India's West Bengal: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said her government is making arrangements for providing Covid-19 vaccines free of cost to all the people of the state.
Indian army captures Chinese soldier from Ladakh: officials

The Indian army has captured a Chinese soldier from eastern Ladakh, where the countries are locked in months long military standoff, Indian official sources said today.
Hospital fire kills 10 infants in India

Ten infants were killed as a fire broke out at the neonatal care section of a hospital in Bhandara district of Maharashtra in the wee hours of today, doctors said.
First shipment of Covishield set to reach Delhi tonight

The first shipment of coronavirus vaccine Covishield developed by Oxford University-AstraZeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India is all set to reach Delhi tonight as India prepares to roll out the shots for nearly 30 crore people in the first phase.
Covid-19 fallout: Indian economy expected to contract 7.7pc in FY 2020-21

The coronavirus-hit Indian economy is estimated to contract 7.7 percent in the 2020-21 financial year compared to the 4.2 percent growth in the previous fiscal mainly because of pandemic’s fallout, said government data released today.
India’s farm reform laws: farmers march to Delhi on tractors

Thousands of Indian farmers riding tractors today took out a march from protest sites bordering Delhi against three contentious farm sector reform laws passed by parliament last year, and vowed to intensify their agitation if their demand for repeal of the legislations was not met.
Sourav Ganguly discharged from hospital

Board of Control for Cricket in India President and former Team India skipper Sourav Ganguly was discharged from Woodland Hospital in Kolkata today, five days after he suffered a “mild” heart attack.
Indian edible oil brand withdraws commercial featuring Sourav Ganguly

A leading edible oil brand of India has temporarily withdrawn TV commercials featuring Sourav Ganguly, president of Board of Control for Cricket in India and former Indian cricket team captain, following his mild heart attack recently.
Indian states sound alert to contain new strain of bird flu

Several states across India have sounded an alert to contain the H5N8 strain of bird flu while Kerala began culling thousands of chickens and ducks.
India says it hadn't banned export of Covid-19 vaccine; warns of misinformation

India today said it has not banned the export of Covid-19 vaccines Oxford-AstraZeneca and Covaxin, both of which have been granted restricted emergency use approval by the country’s drug regulator.
India ready to roll out Covid-19 vaccine on January 13

India today announced it is ready to introduce Covid-19 vaccine within 10 days from the date of emergency use authorisation, and based on the feedback of the dry run of the vaccination drive held last week.
‘Coronavirus vaccine to cost $3-4 to Indian govt, $6-8 in private market’ Serum Institute of India says

Coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford will cost USD three to four per shot (Rs 219-292) to the Indian government and will be priced at double that rate in private market once such sales open up, reports PTI quoting the CEO of its Indian manufacturer as saying on Monday.
'Used as illegal route': Assam police probe culvert at India-Bangladesh border

While investigating an abduction case, India's Assam police have stumbled upon a culvert in Karimganj district -- which borders Bangladesh -- that might have been used as a secret and illegal route between the two countries.
Bangladesh will get Covid-19 vaccine from India's SII on time: Beximco Pharmaceuticals

Beximco Pharmaceuticals, the local partner of Serum Institute of India (SII), has said that Bangladesh will get three crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines on time.
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.