HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION DEL112 VIRUS-VACCINE-HESITANCY Concerns about adverse effects post COVID-19 vaccination seem unfounded, negligible: Govt New Delhi: Urging healthcare workers not to hesitate to get the COVID-19 vaccine, the Centre on Tuesday said it was their societal responsibility to get inoculated, and concerns about adverse effects, as of now, seem to be ''unfounded, negligible and insignificant''.

DEL113 VACCINES-MEA-INDIA-LD-SUPPLY India announces supply of coronavirus vaccines to six countries under grant assistance New Delhi: India, one of the world's leading drugmakers, on Tuesday said it will provide COVID-19 vaccines under grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles from Wednesday, and that shipments will be sent to Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Mauritius as well on receipt of necessary regulatory clearances.

DEL91 VIRUS-LD HEALTH MINISTRY COVID-19: Of those vaccinated, 0.18 pc were adverse events, says govt New Delhi: Of the total people vaccinated against COVID-19 so far, the government on Tuesday said 0.18 per cent were adverse events following immunisation, while 0.002 per cent had to be hospitalised which is fairly low.

DEL26 NCR-TANDAV-FIR Another FIR against makers, artists of Tandav web series in UP Noida (UP): An FIR has been lodged against makers and artists of Amazon Prime's web series “Tandav” in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida, police said on Tuesday.

DEL105 DL-VACCINE-WASTAGE 'Once COVID-19 vaccine vial opened, it needs to be used fully within four hours' New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) A vial of COVID-19 vaccine once opened for inoculation needs to be fully used within four hours, else the remaining doses go waste and need to be destroyed, senior doctors said on Tuesday. By Kunal Dutt DEL103 JK-LD PAGD-PC Lone cites ‘breach of trust’, pulls People’s Conference out of PAGD Srinagar: People's Conference chairperson Sajad Lone on Tuesday announced his party's exit from the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, citing a “breach of trust” and saying some constituents of the seven-member grouping had fielded proxy candidates in the recent district development council (DDC) elections. DEL82 FARMERS-LD PANEL We'll keep our personal views on farm laws aside; Repeal not good for future reforms: Members of SC-appointed panel New Delhi: Under attack from protesting unions for their ''pro-government'' public stand on three contentious farm laws, members of a panel set up by the Supreme Court to resolve the crisis said on Tuesday they will keep aside their own ideology and views while consulting various stakeholders, even as they indicated a complete repeal won't augur well for much-needed agriculture reforms.

DEL116 CONG-KL-PANEL Ex-CM Chandy heads Cong's election management panel for Kerala polls New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday announced a ten-member election management and strategy committee for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls with former chief minister Oommen Chandy as its head.

LEGAL LGD14 SC-LD YAMUNA SC seeks report from NGT-appointed panel on cleaning Yamuna New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday sought a report from a committee, set up by the NGT, regarding the recommendations made by the panel for improving the water quality of Yamuna river and the extent to which authorities have implemented them. BUSINESS DEL24 BIZ-WHATSAPP-PRIVACY Govt looking into WhatsApp privacy policy changes: Prasad New Delhi: Amid a user backlash over a new privacy policy of WhatsApp, the Indian government on Tuesday said it is looking into the changes made by the popular messaging app, and asserted that sanctity of personal communication needs to be maintained.

DEL37 BIZ-LD WHATSAPP-INDIA GOVT India asks WhatsApp to withdraw changes to privacy policy New Delhi: The Indian government has asked WhatsApp to withdraw the recent changes in the privacy policy of the messaging app, saying unilateral changes are unfair and unacceptable.

DEL110 BIRDFLU-CENTRE Bird flu in poultry confirmed in few more places in Kerala, Maha New Delhi , Jan 19 (PTI) Bird flu in poultry birds has been confirmed in a few more districts of Kerala and Maharashtra, while culling operations are continuing in epicentres, the Centre said on Tuesday.

FOREIGN FGN22 US-BIDEN-BLINKENBiden admin will engage the world 'as it is', not 'as it was': Secretary of State-designate Blinken Washington: Underlining America's ''growing rivalry'' with China and Russia, US Secretary of State-designate Antony Blinken on Tuesday said the Biden administration will engage the world ''as it is'' and not ''as it was'', indicating that the diplomacy of the next president would be driven by ground realities.

FGN16 US-LD HARRIS It's not going to be easy, says Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on challenges facing America Washington: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead for Joe Biden when he will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday, saying ''it is not going to be easy.'' AARAAR