Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 15 (PTI) Protesting farmer unions stuck to their demand for a complete repeal of three contentious farm laws at their ninth round of talks with three central ministers while the government asked them to be more flexible in their approach and expressed willingness for necessary amendments, as the two sides decided to meet again on January 19.

Farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan told reporters after the meeting that the unions urged the government to repeal the three laws, but the Centre was unwilling to do so.

New Delhi, Jan 15 (PTI) Driven by healthy growth in pharmaceuticals and engineering sectors, the country's exports grew about 11 per cent year-on-year to USD 11.81 billion in the first fortnight of January, an official said on Friday.

The exports during January 1-14 last year stood at USD 10.65 billion.

Imports during January 1-14 this year too increased by 6.58 per cent to USD 18 billion as against USD 16.91 billion in the same period of 2020, the official said.

Jaipur, Jan 16 (PTI) Around 400 farmers from Kerala have joined the ongoing agitation near the Rajasthan-Haryana border against three new farm laws.

A group of farmers from Kerala came to Alwar's Shahjahanpur on Friday to participate in the sit-in launched by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha against the Centre's farm laws, former CPI (M) MLA Amra Ram said.

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched India's COVID-19 vaccination drive and asserted that the made-in-India vaccines being rolled out will ensure a "decisive victory" for the country over the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing the nation ahead of the launch, Modi reminded people that two doses of vaccine are very important and asked them to maintain wearing masks and social distancing even after receiving the jabs.

"'Dawai bhi, kadai bhi," he said.

New Delhi, Jan 15 (PTI) The ninth round of talks between protesting farmer unions and three central ministers got underway here on Friday afternoon to break the over-a-month-long deadlock on the three new agri laws.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, who is an MP from Punjab, are holding the talks with the representatives of around 40 farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan here.

New Delhi, Jan 13 (PTI) In a major decision, the government on Wednesday approved the procurement of 83 indigenously-developed light combat aircraft Tejas for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a cost of Rs 48,000 crore.

New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Petrol and diesel prices on Thursday were hiked by 25 paise per litre each, the second straight day of increase in rates that took the prices to new highs.

Petrol now costs Rs 84.70 per litre in Delhi and diesel is priced at Rs 74.88, according to a price notification from oil marketing companies.

This is the second straight day of a price increase. Rates were hiked by 25 paise each on Wednesday after a five-day hiatus.

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Former union minister M J Akbar on Tuesday told a Delhi court that journalist Priya Ramani failed to prove her charges of alleged sexual misconduct by him 20 years ago.

Akbar made the submission before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar through senior advocate Geeta Luthra during the final hearing in a criminal complaint filed by him against Ramani for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct.

Ramani had made allegation of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018.

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Farmer leaders welcomed the Supreme Court order to stay the implementation of three farm laws on Tuesday, but said they would not call off their protest until the legislations are repealed.

The Sankyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of around 40 protesting farmer unions, has called a meeting later in the day to decide the next course of action.

Delhi; 12 January 2021 (UMMN): Indian Supreme Court has stayed implementation of three new farm laws that is fiercely opposed by the farmers.

“We are staying three farm laws until further orders,” Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad A. Bobde said.

The stay on their implementation means the Centre cannot proceed with any executive actions to enforce the laws.