V-Day: PM-headed meet sets Jan 16 for vaccination launch

'Months' before everyone can be vaccinated -WH official

Andy Slavitt, senior advisor to the White House's COVID-19 response team, said on Wednesday it will be "months before everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get one."

Biden said vaccines will be widely available by spring. His adviser says later

Senior adviser to the White House Covid-19 response team, Andy Slavitt, says during a coronavirus press briefing that it may be months before coronavirus vaccines will become widely available to the public.

Holocaust Memorial Day: Auschwitz survivor educates public after recovery from COVID-19

Lily Ebert, 97, survived Auschwitz and COVID-19. Now she and her great-grandson are writing a book together.

Covid vaccines likely to have effect on transmission

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam says that Covid vaccines, “with the very high levels of effectiveness that we are seeing from the clinical trials, really couldn’t fail to have some effect on transmission.” However, the Deputy CMO for England doesn’t think there are “clear data”, but “we will get those data over time”. Report by Jonesia. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Watch: BSF soldiers celebrate Lohri at Poonch camp in J&K

BSF soldiers celebrated Lohri at Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir. The 72nd battalion of BSF jawans were seen celebrating and dancing on the occasion. Lohri is celebrated across the nation on January 13. The soldiers celebrated the festival with fervor and congratulated the countrymen. They also assured the people of the nation to celebrate the festival with enthusiasm as they were alert at the borders. Traditionally, Lohri celebrates the onset of the harvest season in Punjab. Traditionally, Lohri celebrates the onset of the harvest season in Punjab. Women in traditional attire performed Gidha, a folk dance, at many places. People also distributed jaggery, peanuts, and popcorns--the three edibles associated with Lohri. Watch the full video for more.

BSF jawans celebrate Lohri at Poonch camp

72nd battalion of Border Security Force jawans celebrated Lohri at the Poonch camp on January 13. Jawans lit a bonfire and danced around it on folk music. The customary eatables like peanuts, popcorn and other snacks were also present as a part of the celebration. It is known as a festival of farmers in Northern India and is observed a night before Makar Sankranti.

Watch: Protesting farmers burn copies of farm laws on Lohri

Agitating farmers Wednesday burnt copies of the contentious farm laws to mark the festival of Lohri. One lakh copies of the three agri laws were burnt at the Singhu border alone, said Paramjeet Singh of Samyukta Kisan Morcha. Lohri is widely celebrated in Punjab and Haryana to mark the harvesting of Rabi crops. People traditionally celebrate it by circling around bonfires, throwing food items -- peanuts, puffed rice, popcorn etc -- into the fire, singing folk songs, dancing, and feasting on the festive food. Watch the full video for more details.

Gorakhnath Temple presents a perfect picture of communal harmony

Situated along the banks of Rapti River in Uttar Pradesh, Gorakhpur city is famous as a religious centre. Home to Buddhists, Hindu, Jain and Sikh Saints, the city is named after a medieval saint, Gorakshanath or Gorakhnath in whose honour a famous temple is also built. Standing on the 52 acres of the land, the most attractive feature of this temple is the garbh griha where white marble statue of sage Gorakhnath performing yogic meditation is enshrined. Though a Hindu religious site, this temple is providing livelihood to hundreds of Muslim families who have been running their shops inside its premises for years, making it an epitome of communal harmony. Every year, the temple hosts the famous Khichdi Parv or Makar Sankranti fair which lasts for about a month. A number of food stalls and shops are set up around the temple at this time. Be it Hindus, Muslims or any other community people, everyone becomes a part of the fair. They mingle with each other, shop together and pray together, perfectly packaging a Mini India at one place. There are numerous religious sites in India belonging to various faiths but the one thing that connects them all is the message of love and brotherhood that they spread. Gorakhnath temple is also one among them which has been for years representing the country's 'Unity in Diversity'.

Uttarakhand CM inspects Kumbh Mela preparation in Haridwar

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat reviewed preparation for Kumbh Mela in Haridwar on January 24. Kumbh Mela in-charge DM Deepak Rawat briefed him about the preparations. The central government has issued guidelines and standard operating protocols (SOPs) for the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage festival in Haridwar. The Maha Kumbh Mela in Haridwar had begun on Makar Sankranti on Jan 14.

Maha Kumbh Mela: Haridwar painted in colours of folk tradition, culture

A mix of religious and cultural features of Hinduism, Maha Kumbh Mela in Haridwar has been filled with colours of folk tradition and culture this year. The walls in Uttarakhand's Haridwar are being painted with colourful theme. Walls are painted on the theme of Hindu mythology, in light of Maha Kumbh Mela. It has been painted at the places of tourists' interest. Maha Kumbh Mela had begun on 'Makar Sankranti' on January 14 will continue till April. It will be held for 48 days instead of the usual three-and-half-months. The Maha Kumbh in Haridwar is being held after twelve years.