New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the World Economic Forum's online Davos Agenda Summit today said despite dire predictions, India beat all odds in the global fight against the coronavirus. "Last year, in February-March, a lot of experts had said the India will be the worst-affected country, there will be tsunami of cases. They predicted 2 million deaths in the country. But India moved ahead with a proactive public participation," PM Modi said, addressing the World Economic Forum's Davos Dialogue.
PM Modi also said India had launched the world's biggest vaccination programme. "In just 12 days, India has vaccinated more than 2.3 million healthcare workers," he said.
The eight-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will contest elections in six states that go to polls next year, its chief Arvind Kejriwal said at the party's Ninth National Council meeting on Thursday.
"The AAP will contest Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab," Mr Kejriwal said pushing for action against those responsible for the January 26 violence in Delhi after the farmers' tractor rally went rogue.
Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 tally of cases crossed 1.07 crore with 11,666 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 1,03,73,606 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.94 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The total infections have mounted to 1,07,01,193. The death count increased to 1,53,847 with 123 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,03,73,606 pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.94 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent.
Here are the live updates:
Jan 29, 2021 04:10 (IST)
Farmers stay put at UP Gate, ''excess force'' removed
Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway early on Friday, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP Gate protest site, PTI reported.
Jan 29, 2021 03:52 (IST)
Novavax Covid vaccine highly effective, but not against South Africa variant
US biotech firm Novavax said Thursday its two-shot Covid-19 vaccine candidate showed 89.3 percent efficacy in a major Phase 3 clinical trial in Britain.
But the positive news was offset by results that showed it was much less effective against a highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus first identified in South Africa that is spreading quickly around the world.
The company said it would immediately begin developing a new vaccine targeting this variant, AFP reported.
Jan 29, 2021 02:28 (IST)
Haryana government extends suspension of mobile internet, SMS services in 3 districts
The Haryana government on Thursday extended the suspension of mobile Internet services, SMS services, and all dongle services in the districts of Sonipat, Palwal and Jhajjar for the next 24 hours till Friday 5 pm.
However, voice calls have been exempted, from the order, ANI reported.
Jan 29, 2021 02:04 (IST)
Farmers move towards Singhu border from Burari ground
Around 30 farmers from DDA Ground in Burari have moved towards the Singhu border and around 15 have been detained for their possible involvement in violence on January 26 and for violating laws, Delhi Police said on Thursday.
The Burari ground is being cleared, the police said.
Jan 29, 2021 02:00 (IST)
AAP leaders will voluntarily court arrest if farmers' protest sites forcibly vacated: Sanjay Singh
AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Thursday said the party stands with farmers agitating against the Centre's contentious farm laws and its leaders will "voluntarily" court arrest if the police will try to forcibly remove peasants from protest sites, PTI reported.
Jan 29, 2021 01:56 (IST)
Conspiracy to end farmers' agitation: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday alleged that an attempt was being
made to end the farmers' agitation on Delhi borders, PTI reported.
Jan 28, 2021 23:52 (IST)
Coronavirus news: Delhi reports 199 new COVID-19 cases
Delhi reported 199 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking total cases in the national capital to 6,34,524.
According to the Delhi government health bulletin, the recoveries in the national capital reached 6,22,114 after 119 new discharges today.
The death toll has mounted to 10,835 with six more deaths.