The second round of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine dry run is scheduled today. Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan will be visiting Tamil Nadu to review preparedness and oversee mock vaccination drills, according to an official statement. Today's dry run will be carried out in 736 districts across 33 states and Union Territories (UTs).

The Union Health Minister will visit the sessions site at Government General Hospital, Chennai followed by the one at Government Omandurar Hospital, Chennai.

Rohit Sharma showed that he is the ultimate six-hitting machine in international cricket. On the 16th over of the Indian innings bowled by Nathan Lyon, Rohit Sharma danced down the track and hammered a big six over long on. That six helped Rohit Sharma create history. Rohit Sharma became the first cricketer in international history to hit 100 sixes combined across all formats against Australia. Rohit Sharma has 63 sixes against Australia in ODIs and that is the most by any player against the five-time world champions.

In what may come as good news for employees, the PM Narendra Modi-led central government has allowed the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and Exempted Provident Fund Trusts to invest in public sector debt ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) like Bharat Bond ETF. A notification was issued by the government in this regard on January 4.

Ahead of the talks between the Centre and the protesting farmers scheduled for Friday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the government is ready to consider any proposal other than withdrawing three new agricultural laws. However, one of the main demands from the central government of farmers is to withdraw the new agricultural laws.

France, which has raised its voice against Islamic terrorism, has openly supported India on the Kashmir issue. The Advisor to the President of France said on Thursday that France has been a supporter of India on the Kashmir issue. Emmanuel Bonne, the diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited India for a strategic annual dialogue between France and India, also targeted China, saying that France never let China play any 'procedural game' in the UN Security Council.

President Donald Trump faced the threat on Thursday of a second impeachment, a day after his supporters breached the U.S. Capitol in a stunning assault on American democracy as Congress was certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

As Democratic leaders demanded his ouster, Trump came closer than he ever has to a formal concession, acknowledging a new administration would be sworn in on Jan. 20 and vowing to ensure a smooth transition in a video released on Thursday evening.

Amid bird flu scare looming large in some of the states, as many as 150 crows have been found dead in Jammu & Kashmir's Udhampur district on Thursday. The samples of the dead crows have been sent for testing.

The Chief Animal Husbandry Officer of Udhampur, Dr Inderjeet Singh that birds may have died due to a cold wave.

After Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, Telengana has become the third state to complete urban local bodies reforms stipulated by the Union finance ministry.

With the completion of the reforms, the ministry has allowed the state to make additional borrowing of Rs 2,508 crore.

Gold price today fell to Rs 54,650 from Rs 54,700, while silver price was trending at Rs 71,400 per kg, according to the Good Returns website.

Gold jewellery price varies across India, the second-largest consumer of the metal, due to excise duty, state taxes, and making changes.

Shares of Larsen & Toubro were up 2.5 per cent at Rs 1,347 on the BSE in the intra-day trade on Thursday, having rallied over 50 per cent in the past three months, on the back of strong order flows.

The stock of construction & engineering major was trading close to its 52-week high of Rs 1,384, touched on February 1, 2020. In the past three months, L&T has outperformed the market by surging 51 per cent, as against a 21-per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex.

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