WHO gives emergency approval for Covovax vaccine
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday announced it has granted emergency approval to the India-manufactured coronavirus vaccine Covovax.
Pegasus | Supreme Court stays probe by Bengal panel
The Supreme Court on Friday stayed further proceedings of a Commission of Inquiry appointed by the West Bengal Government to look into allegations of snooping using the Pegasus software .
CCI slaps ₹200 crore fine on Amazon, freezes Future deal
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Friday froze its approval given in November 2019 to Amazon’s investment in a Future Group unit on the grounds that the U.S. e-commerce company had suppressed the scope and full details of its investment while seeking regulatory approval.
Rona Wilson’s iPhone hacked by Pegasus: forensic report
A report released by U.S. forensic investigation firm Arsenal Consultancy on Friday has revealed that activist Rona Wilson’s cell phone was attacked by the Pegasus spyware 49 different times and was successful in infecting his phone before his arrest on June 6, 2018, for alleged involvement in the Bhima Koregaon violence case.
No corruption in the past seven years, says Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that some decisions of the Central government may not have been correct in the past seven years, and that “this government has not been accused of any corruption”.
Mr. Shah was speaking at the 94th annual conference of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). He told the industrial body that the government could find a solution to tricky issues such as Article 370 and the Ramjanmabhoomi temple without any bloodshed.
IAF chopper crash: VAO says weather was intermittently misty
The weather condition in Coonoor at the time of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V5 helicopter crash in which Chief of the Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 13 others died on December 8 was intermittently misty, the complainant in the police case and Village Administrative Officer Arul Rathna told The Hindu .
How can PMO summon ECI, asks Opposition
A meeting of the Election Commission of India (ECI) with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) last month that was reported on Friday caused the Opposition to cry foul and question the credibility of the poll body.
Congress MP Manish Tewari moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on the matter. He wrote that the summoning of the ECI for a meeting with the principal secretary to the Prime Minister raised “serious questions of propriety and autonomy of the Election Commission”.
Prison population increased by 14% in last 2 years
An analysis of the population of prisons in 24 States, for which comparative data was available, by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has found that the prison population increased by 14% from December 31, 2019 till November 12 this year.
Environmentalists oppose proposed changes to Biological Diversity Act
Environmentalists have expressed concern over amendments to the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 on the grounds that it prioritises intellectual property and commercial trade at the expense of the Act’s key aim of conserving biological resources.
IUML, AIMIM oppose move to raise age of marriage for women
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Friday moved a notice for adjournment motion in Parliament opposing the government's proposal to raise the age of marriage for women to 21 years calling it an attempt to encroach on Muslim personal law.
Pressure on Boris Johnson after U.K. Tories suffer by-election upset
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party has suffered a stunning defeat in a parliamentary by-election that was viewed as a referendum on his government amid weeks of scandal and soaring COVID-19 infections.
Liberal Democrat Helen Morgan overturned a Conservative majority of almost 23,000 votes from the last election to win Thursday’s contest in North Shropshire, a rural area of northwest England that has been represented by a Conservative almost continuously since 1832. The election was called after the former Conservative member of Parliament resigned amid a corruption scandal.
Russia drafts pact to limit U.S., NATO role in ex-Soviet nations
Russia on Friday published security proposals addressed to NATO and the United States and called for urgent talks with Washington as tensions between Moscow and Western capitals soar over the conflict in Ukraine.
The far-reaching proposals, which Russia says are vital for its security, say NATO must not allow any new members to the U.S.-led military alliance and call for no new military bases to be established in ex-Soviet countries.
U.S. hits China’s DJI, others with sanctions over ‘rights abuse’
The U.S. government hit dozens of Chinese companies with investment and export restrictions on Thursday, including top drone maker DJI, accusing them of complicity in the oppression of China’s Uighur minority or helping the military, further ratcheting up tensions between the world’s top two economies.
India offers 8 oil, gas blocks for bidding in latest round
India has offered 8 oil and gas blocks, mostly in Assam, for bidding in the latest bid round with a view to bringing more area under exploration, so as to increase domestic production and reduce imports.
Eight blocks have been offered in the seventh bid round of Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), with bids due on February 15, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) said.
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel to invest ₹1.02 lakh cr. in Odisha
The Odisha government on Friday approved ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel’s proposal to set up a 24 million tonne per annum integrated steel plant in Mahakalpara block of Kendrapara district at an estimated investment of ₹1.02 lakh crore.
ISL | NEUFC blanks SC East Bengal
NorthEast United FC produced a nice turnaround in the second half to outplay SC East Bengal 2-0 in an Indian Super League fixture at Fatorda on Friday.
V.P. Suhair and Patrick Flottmann produced the strikes for North East United, which looked a very average side in the barren first half.
