HIGHLIGHTS

By Uzmi Athar FOREIGN FGN21 VIRUS-UK-BOOSTERS-STUDY Booster dose gives high levels of protection against infections from Omicron in older adults UK study London A third top-up booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine provides high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant among older adults, a latest UK study concluded on Saturday.

Following are the top stories at 9.20 pm.

NATION DEL91 EC-LDALL POLLS 5 states to have polls in 7 phases from Feb 10-Mar 7; ban on physical rallies till Jan 15 New Delhi: Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa will be held between February 10 and March 7 in seven phases with the counting of votes on March 10, the Election Commission announced on Saturday and banned physical rallies and roadshows till January 15 due to Covid concerns.

DEL78 POLLS-ANALYSIS PARTIES State polls: High stakes for BJP; Congress faces question over its place in opposition New Delhi: Even for a party that loves to up the ante in every election, stakes could not have been higher for the BJP than they are in the five state assembly elections, the schedule for which was announced by the Election Commission on Saturday.

DEL18 VIRUS-THIRD WAVE Data shows Omicron variant driving third wave of pandemic across states New Delhi: The third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic across all states is being driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, official sources said on Saturday, citing the latest data.

DEL73 DEF-RAJNATH-SCHOOL 100 new Sainik schools to provide opportunity to girl students to join armed forces: Rajnath New Delhi: The government's decision to set up 100 new Sainik schools will provide an opportunity for girl students to join the armed forces and contribute to national security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.

DEL81 EC-POLLS-CRIMINAL ANTECEDENTS Mandatory for parties to publish why candidate with criminal record selected for polls: EC New Delhi: Political parties fielding candidates with criminal cases will have to mandatorily upload on their website details of such persons as also reasons for selecting them to contest the polls, the Election Commission said on Saturday.

DEL22 MHA-LD-MISSIONARIES-FCRA MHA restores FCRA licence of Missionaries of Charity, can receive foreign fundings again New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has restored the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of the Missionaries of Charity, days after revoking it following some ''adverse inputs''.

DEL68 IIMs-PM-LETTER IIMs students & faculty asking PM to steer India away from 'forces that seek to divide us' New Delhi: A group of students and faculty members from Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to steer the country away from ''forces that seek to divide us'' and said his silence ''emboldens'' voices of hate.

DEL8 VIRUS-PEAK-ANALYSIS India's R-naught value recorded at 4, COVID-19 peak expected between Feb 1-15: IIT Madras analysis New Delhi: India's R-naught value which indicates the spread of COVID-19 was recorded at 4 this week, suggesting a very high infection transmission rate, according to a preliminary analysis by IIT Madras predicting the peak of the third wave between February 1-15. By Uzmi Athar FOREIGN FGN21 VIRUS-UK-BOOSTERS-STUDY Booster dose gives high levels of protection against infections from Omicron in older adults: UK study London: A third top-up booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine provides high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant among older adults, a latest UK study concluded on Saturday. By Aditi Khanna FGN19 VIRUS-NEPAL-LD PRACHANDA Nepal PM Deuba in COVID isolation after Prachanda tests positive Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba went into isolation on Saturday after he was found to be in the close contacts of ruling coalition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal who tested COVID-19 positive on Friday. By Shirish B Pradhan FGN18 CHINA-LD EXPLOSION 16 killed, 10 injured in canteen building explosion in China; probe ordered Beijing: China on Saturday ordered an investigation into the blast in a canteen building in Wulong District on Friday, which killed 16 people and injured 10 others as they were having lunch. By K J M Varma FGN25 PAK-SNOW-2NDLD DEATHS 22 people die trapped in vehicles after heavy snowfall in Pakistan's Murree Lahore: Pakistan’s popular hill station Murree was declared a calamity-hit area on Saturday after at least 21 people, including nine children, froze to death in their stranded vehicles due to unprecedented snowfall and rush of tourists to the picturesque town in Punjab province.

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