Author: Mike Harrison

The meeting would discuss the situation arising out of the recent developments in the ongoing farmers’ agitation in Delhi. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has called an all-party meeting on February 2, to evolve a consensus on the way forward on the issue of the farm laws and the farmers’ agitation in the light of the recent developments in Delhi.An official statement on Sunday said the meeting would discuss the situation arising out of the recent developments in the ongoing farmers’ agitation in Delhi, especially in view of the violence during the Republic Day and at the Singhu border.The Chief…

Kalaiarasan was proceeding with passengers in his autorickshaw towards Uthanampatti when a gang intercepted and attacked his vehicle An armed gang murdered an autorickshaw driver, who is a functionary in the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) here on Saturday night.Police said that Kalaiarasan, 33, lived in Kollampatti near Balakrishnapuram. He was active in the AMMK and held the position of Dindigul Union youth wing secretary. He was proceeding with passengers in his autorickshaw towards Uthanampatti when a gang intercepted and attacked his vehicle from behind. Fearing trouble, the passengers fled and Kalaiarasan too started running.However, the gang chased and assaulted…

Julie Jenkins Fancelli, an heiress to the Publix Super Markets, and far-right show host Alex Jones had contributed significant amounts to the rally, the Wall Street Journal reported. An heiress to the Publix Super Markets chain donated about $300,000 to fund a rally that preceded the deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol this month by supporters of former President Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.The Journal said the funding from Julie Jenkins Fancelli, a prominent donor to Mr. Trump’s 2020 campaign, was facilitated by far-right show host Alex Jones. It said her money paid for the lion’s…

Alexey Navalny had alleged that the huge palace in southern Russia is owned by the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian businessman Arkady Rotenberg said on Saturday he owns a huge palace in southern Russia which jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny has linked to President Vladimir Putin.Mr. Navalny and his anti-corruption foundation have published a video in which they allege the opulent mansion belonged to the Russian leader. The video has been viewed more than 103 million times.Also read: Who is Alexei Navalny, the man who stood up to Putin?Mr. Rotenberg, Mr. Putin’s former judo sparring partner who sold his stake…

Tamil Nadu has suggested to the Centre to allow vaccination of the elderly, along with frontline workers and healthcare providers, according to Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan.“We have created a session to cover 100 persons. If 40 or 60 healthcare providers come and frontline workers will be covered from February 1, there is still a gap. We can give priority to the elderly who are willing to get vaccinated. Permission can be granted for a State like Tamil Nadu. Experts are of the view that instead of vaccinating the elderly in the third phase, they can be inoculated simultaneously now. We…

Brussels has implicitly accused AstraZeneca of giving preferential treatment to Britain in the delivery of its vaccine, at the expense of the EU. Germany’s government on Sunday threatened legal action against laboratories failing to deliver coronavirus vaccines to the European Union on schedule, amid tension over delays to deliveries from AstraZeneca.“If it turns out that companies have not respected their obligations, we will have to decide the legal consequences,” Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told German daily Die Welt.“No company can favour another country over the EU after the fact,” he added.There has been growing tension in recent weeks between European…

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested a businessman, Anoop Gupta, in connection with the AgustaWestland case.The accused was produced before a special court that sent him to five-day ED custody.The agency has alleged that €70 million were routed through a web of entities set up in different countries to pay bribes to bag the deal for supply of 12 helicopters.According to the ED, Tunisia-based IDS Information Technology and Engineering Sarl had received €24.37 million from AgustaWestland. From there, €12.4 million was transferred to Interstellar Technologies Limited, Mauritius, and several other entities.Among the intermediaries was allegedly one Dubai-based Rawasi Al Khaleej General…

Jayant Chaudhury addresses massive BKU rally, says people have right to question inadequate laws At the farmer panchayat in Mathura on Saturday, Rashtriya Lok Dal vice-president Jayant Chaudhary said laws were not set in stone and could be changed according to the wishes of the people. Grandson of former prime minister and legendary farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh, Mr. Chaudhury was speaking at a massive rally called by the Bhartiya Kisan Union in Bajna to express solidarity with union leader Rakesh Tikait. Mr Rakesh Tikait has been protesting against the farm laws at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghazipur for…

Gove said Johnson was “very clear” in the call to stress that the U.K. has contractual arrangements with pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Pfizer. The British government said Saturday that it does not expect any disruptions to its orders for coronavirus vaccines after the European Union emphasized it would not trigger an emergency provision of the Brexit deal as part of its strategy to monitor export of doses produced in the EU. Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said the government expects the vaccines to be supplied as planned after the EU addressed the “mistake” in its proposal to tighten export rules for…

Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal that he was just a phone call away, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said farmers were open for talks as dialogue was the only way to resolve the crisis.“We want to bring the talks back on track and resolve the issue. We hope to have a timeline for talks in the coming days,” he said. Mr. Tikait said he believed in the Constitution and would follow the due process in the cases that have been filed against him. The BKU leader has been named along with other farmers leaders in FIRs filed by the…