Highlights| Joe Biden pledges to Americans in Kabul: 'We will get you home'

US President Joe Biden said on Friday a large evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies from Afghanistan is a risky operation and he cannot guarantee the final outcome.

Shia Muslims in Kolkata observed Muharram on Friday without taking out usual processions for the second consecutive year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

At least nine Chinese nationals have been killed in a massive explosion reported in Pakistan's Gwadar, according to The Balochistan Post. The report suggests that a convoy of Chinese engineers was targeted in the blast.

Click here to read more

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that ZyCov-D is the sixth vaccine, and the second indigenous vaccine, to be approved in India.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Coporation said that the Covid-19 vaccination drive in Mumbai would resume on Saturday after receiving 150,000 Covishield doses and 10,240 Covaxin doses, reports ANI.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the world must prevent the collapse of Afghanistan, reports AFP.

Following the virtual meeting today, the opposition has demanded the central government to repeal the three farm laws and restore full statehood in Jammu and Kashmir in a statement, reports ANI.

Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjeed urged the opposition leaders to set aside their difference and work together to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, reports PTI citing party leader.

Maharashtra on Friday reported 4,365 new Covid-19 cases and 105 deaths, taking the overall death tally to 135,672.

A soldier died after falling into a deep gorge along the higher reaches of Pir Panjal Range in Poonch district. More details to follow.

The Haryana state government would provide ₹2 lakh financial assistance each to the families that have lost members to Covid-19 and earn less than ₹1.8 lakh per month, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in a reply in state Vidhan Sabha, reports ANI.

As many as 19 parties, including the Congress, are attending the meeting of Sonia Gandhi with Opposition parties. They are -

1. Indian National Congress

2. TMC

3. NCP

4. DMK

5. Shiv Sena

6. JMM

7. CPI

8. CPM

9. NC

10. RJD

11. AIUDF

12. V.C.K

13. Loktantrik Janta Dal

14. JDS

15. RLD

16. RSP

17. Kerala Congress Mani

18. PDP

19. IUML

The FBI has found scant evidence that the attack on US capitol was coordinated, reports Reuters.

The meeting between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and the opposition leaders had begun, reports ANI.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma gives appointment letters to next of kin of the six police personnel killed during a gunfight at interstate border with Mizoram on July 26, reports PTI.

Two ITBP personnel were killed in a Naxal attack in Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh, reports PTI, citing the police.

In the attack, which took place near the ITBP camp, Kademeta in Narayanpur district, assistant commandant Sudhakar Shinde and assistant sub inspector (ASI) Gurmukh lost their lives in the line of duty.

At least 12 labourers were killed in Buldhana district in Maharashtra as vehicle carrying them for the Samruddhi Highway project work overturns, reports PTI citing police.

One woman was killed while two others were injured in an assault in Jammu. The Digiana police has taken cognizance of the incident. More details to follow.

The government in UP on Friday decided to lift weekend curfews as Covid-19 cases drop steadily. The markets are also allowed to open normally like weekdays.

Instagram and its parent company Facebook removed the post on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's page that revealed the identity of the parents of a minor girl who was raped and murdered in Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday remembered the sacrifice of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hazrat Imam Hussain on the occasion of Muharram.

The United States has airlifted around 3000 people from Afghanistan's Kabul airport on 16 flights, a White House official said.

It is back to square one for Afghanistan with al Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula (AQIP) praising their fellow terrorist group, the Taliban, for capturing Kabul with military force after evicting the US forces and Ashraf Ghani government. Read More

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone of multiple projects in Somnath, Gujarat via video conferencing. The projects include Somnath Promenade, Somnath Exhibition Centre, Parvati Temple and reconstructed temple precinct of Old Somnath.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tributes to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary at Parliament House today