India Covid News LIVE Updates: India reports 2,35,532 new COVID-19 cases and 871 deaths in the last 24 hours; positivity rate down to 13.39%

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra tests positive for Covid-19. He is asymptomatic.

Delhi HC directs concerned authorities to examine representation alleging corruption charges against Chhattisgarh IRS

Pakistan: Active cases jump 100,000 for first time since July 2020

According to NCOC, as many as 7,963 new infections were recorded in the last 24 hours after 70,389 tests were taken. The active case count stood at 104,095, The News International reported. Meanwhile, the country recorded a positivity rate of 11.31 per cent. This is the third consecutive day of Pakistan recording a positivity ratio above 11 per cent.

Forex reserves decline by $678 million to $634.28 billion

India’s foreign exchange (forex) reserves fell by $678 million to $634.28 billion in the week ended January 21 due to a sharp decline in foreign currency assets, Reserve Bank of India data showed. The foreign currency assets, which is the biggest component of the forex reserves, dipped by $1.115 billion to $569.582 billion during the week under review, according to the RBI’s weekly statistical supplement.

Fire breaks out in pantry car of Gandhidham-Puri Express

The blaze erupted around 10.35 am when the Odisha-bound train (12993) was entering the railway station, a statement issued by chief spokesperson of the Western Railway said. The train had 22 coaches and the pantry car was the 13th one. After the blaze, the pantry car was separated from the front and the rear portion of the train by around 10.45 am. Fire extinguishers available at the station and inside the train were used for dousing the flames, it said, adding that nobody was injured.

Shocking and new exposé in an international publication has now established what INC always maintained, that the Modi government is a deployer and executor of illegal and unconstitutional spying, snooping racket through Israeli surveillance spyware Pegasus and the Prime Minister himself is involved

– Congress’ Randeep Surjewala

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the first virtual rally for Uttar Pradesh on 31st January

No Zero, Question hour in Parliament on Jan 31, Feb 1

Owing to the developments on these two days, there shall be no Zero and Question Hour for both Houses. A Parliament bulletin released on Friday reads, “There shall be no ‘Zero Hour’ on January 31 and February 1, 2022. Members are informed that owing to the address of the President, during the first two days of the 8th session of the 17th Lok Sabha, there will be no ‘Zero Hour’ on January 31 and February 1, 2022.”

Punjab: Navjot Singh Sidhu files nomination papers from Amritsar East

In a tweet, the Congress leader on Friday said, “Will file my nomination paper’s tomorrow at 11.15.” Sidhu is a sitting MLA from the seat. Shiromani Akali Dal has fielded former Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia against him in Amritsar East.

No peace in Myanmar one year after military takeover

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the commander of Myanmar’s military — known as the Tatmadaw — seized power on the morning of February 1, 2021, arresting Suu Kyi and top members of her government and ruling National League for Democracy party, which had won a landslide election victory in November 2020.

Fight to get law on MSP will continue, says BKU leader Tikait

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Saturday said that the fight to get a law on Minimum Support Price for farmers’ produce will continue. “The families of farmers have lost more than 700 of their loved ones in the movement. Farmers will never forget these days of last year,” said Tikait in a tweet

Ahead of Budget Session, Rajya Sabha releases Code of Conduct

The direction for the ‘Code of Conduct’ came from Chairman of the Upper House M Venkaiah Naidu, informing that “Committee on Ethics in its Fourth Report presented to the Council on the March 14, 2005 and adopted by it on April 20, 2005 had inter alia considered the Code of Conduct for Members enumerated by the Committee in its First Report which was also adopted by the Council. The Committee felt that the Code was quite comprehensive and endorsed the same. It recommended that the Code of Conduct may be published in Bulletin Part II on the eve of each Session for information of and compliance by the Members.”

Nadal, Medvedev chase history at Australian Open

Since Wimbledon ended last July, there’s been so much discussion in tennis about the first man to win 21 Grand Slam titles. The focus has been almost entirely on Novak Djokovic’s bid; almost none of it on Rafael Nadal. With the first Grand Slam title of 2022 to be determined Sunday, it’s Nadal who is just one win away. He’ll play the Australian Open final against U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who is aiming for back-to-back major titles and his own, albeit smaller, piece of history.

Trump facing legal, political headwinds as he eyes comeback

The probes, which are unfolding in multiple jurisdictions and consider everything from potential fraud and election interference to the role he played in the Jan. 6 insurrection, represent the most serious legal threat Trump has faced in decades of an often litigious public life. They’re intensifying as a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found Trump’s iron grip on the GOP may be starting to loosen.

Shops closed in Srinagar as complete restrictions imposed on non-essential movements during the weekend

Alleged Maduro co-conspirator says CIA knew about coup plans

A retired Venezuelan army general says US officials at the highest levels of the CIA and other federal agencies were aware of his efforts to oust Nicolás Maduro — a role he says should immediately debunk criminal charges that he worked alongside the socialist leader to flood the US with cocaine. The stunning accusation came in a court filing late Friday by attorneys for Cliver Alcalá seeking to have thrown out narcoterrorist charges filed nearly two years ago by federal prosecutors in Manhattan.

Dozens of Palestinian protestors injured in West Bank

Dozens of Palestinian protestors were injured on Friday during clashes with Israeli soldiers near three West Bank cities, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said. The eyewitnesses told Xinhua that fierce clashes broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in villages south and east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

Akhilesh Yadav alleges BJP’s hand in chopper delay

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has demanded the Election Commission of India to take cognizance alleging that his helicopter in Delhi was stopped by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government ahead of his press conference in Muzaffarnagar.

US Senator Mitt Romney tests COVID-19 positive

Romney, 74, “is currently asymptomatic and will be isolating and working remotely for the recommended period of time”, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement issued on Friday as saying. His wife has tested negative and the couple have been fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus, it said.

Magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes Kermadec Islands region

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Kermadec Islands region north of New Zealand, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said on Friday. The quake, which was revised from an initial magnitude of 6.6, was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), the USGS said.

Thane district sees 1,079 new COVID-19 cases, eight deaths

Thane’s COVID-19 mortality rate is 1.67%. In neighbouring Palghar district, the caseload stood at 1,61,552 and the death toll at 3,369, another official said.

Extended runway at Jammu Airport becomes operational

The existing runway which was 6,700 feet long has been extended and the revised stretch of the runway is now 8,000 feet. The work was completed by AAI in coordination with IAF and Military Engineer Services (MES).

Mizoram reports 2,143 new COVID-19 cases

The state also reported four deaths in the last 24 hours, stated the health bulletin.