Plea against my Rajya Sabha election has no legal basis: Jaishankar to SC

'Health condition serious': Tejashwi visits ailing Lalu Yadav at Ranchi's RIMS

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and his mother Rabri Devi visited Ranchi's RIMS hospital to check on jailed party chief Lalu Yadav's health. Lalu Prasad Yadav, whose health condition deteriorated, has been diagnosed with lung infection. Prasad's elder daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti reached Ranchi and met her father. Senior party leaders from the state were also seen making a beeline at the hospital. "Our family wants better treatment for him. Doctors to analyse what treatments can be provided here after all test reports come. He has already undergone heart surgery earlier and only 25% of his kidney is functional. He has also been diagnosed with pneumonia and he is facing difficulty in breathing. His situation is serious," Tejashwi said. On Thursday, the jailed RJD chief's developed breathing trouble with congestion in his chest. The former Bihar chief minister has been convicted in the fodder scam cases.

Chandigarh shopkeepers expecting tax rebate from upcoming budget

The shopkeepers of Chandigarh are expecting rebate in taxes from the upcoming budget. The COVID-19 pandemic last year has halted the world as successive countrywide lockdowns to curb the virus impacted the shopkeepers. On January 19, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the first part of the budget session will start on January 29 and continue till February 15, and the second part of the session will be from March 8 to April 8. Birla said that Rajya Sabha will function from 9 am to 2 pm and Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm with Zero Hour and Question Hour. Members of Parliament have been requested to undergo an RT-PCR test against COVID-19 ahead of the budget session, he said. The union budget will be presented on February 1.

Watch: Nepal's Foreign Minister meets EAM Jaishankar in Delhi l Key details

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Nepalese counterpart Pradip Kumar Gyawali at the Hyderabad house in the capital. The two sides discussed all bilateral issues with focus on economy, trade, power, oil and gas, water resources, political and security issues, border management. Nepal also congratulated India on the remarkable success in the production of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines in India and requested for early provision of vaccines to Nepal. The two delegations included Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Bharat Raj Paudyal and other senior officials from both sides. Discussions were also held on expediting joint hydropower projects, including the proposed Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, which have numerous benefits for the people of both countries. Watch the full video for all the details.

Nepal: Protest against PM Oli in Kathmandu; Foreign minister on India visit

Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali Thursday arrived in India. He will attend the 6th meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission and discuss the entire gamut of relations, including COVID-19 cooperation and border disputes, with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. Gyawali is the senior-most political leader from Nepal to visit India after Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli triggered a border row last year by publishing a new political map that showed the three Indian territories - Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh - as part of Nepal. Meanwhile, protesters were detained in Nepal’s Kathmandu city. Watch the full video for more details.

COVID-19 has aggravated terrorism: EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar at the UNSC Open Debate said that in recent years terrorist groups and lone-wolf attackers have enhanced their capabilities by gaining access to emerging technologies. He further said that the COVID-19 pandemic has only aggravated the situation. "In recent years, terrorist groups and lone-wolf attackers have enhanced their capabilities by gaining access to emerging technologies, including drones, virtual currencies and encrypted communications. Social media networks have contributed to radicalization and recruitment of youth. The COVID-19 pandemic has only aggravated the situation. The relative isolation and extended disruption due to the lockdowns and the associated distress and economic uncertainty has made the world more susceptible to radicalizing narratives and extremist propaganda," said EAM Dr S Jaishankar.