NATIONAL NEWS
1000 drones to light up sky during Beating Retreat Ceremony
10000 drones will dazzle the sky during the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony in New Delhi today. This will be the first time ever that there will be drone show at the ceremony. The event is scheduled to take place at Vijay Chowk and will see in attendance the President of India and Supreme Commander of the armed forces, Ram Nath Kovind. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present on the occasion along with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and many other dignitaries.
India witnesses dip in daily positivity rate
India reported 2,35,532 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total active case count to 20,04,333. The daily positivity rate has fallen further to 13.39 percent. India also reported 871 deaths and 3,35,939 recoveries in the last 24 hours.
No Zero Hour on January 31st, February 1st
There will be No Zero Hour on January 31st and February 1, 2022, as the President will be addressing both the houses jointly on January 31st and the Union Budget will be presented on February 1st. All matters of urgent Public Importance will raised during the ‘Zero Hour’ on February 2nd.
Anti cut-Anti climb fence set up along India-Bangladesh border
Anti Cut-Anti Climb fencing has been introduced along the India-Bangladesh border. The new fence cannot be cut or climbed upon and is economically better and long-lasting, according to BSF IG N Bengal Frontier Ajai Singh.
INS Khukri to be India’s 1st full warship museum
INS Khukri, the first built missile corvette, which was decommissioned after 32yrs of service in December 2021, was handed over to the Diu Admin on January 26, 2022. The INS Khukri will be turned into India’s 1st full warship museum.
Haryana allows opening of cinema halls, schools
Haryana government allows all cinemas/multiplexes to open with 50 percent seating capacity and schools for classes 10th to 12th, universities, colleges and coaching/training institutes to open with effect from February 1, 2022.
Mumbai reports first case of Black Fungus
Mumbai has reported the first case of Black Fungus this year amid the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The case is a 70-year-old man, who tested positive for COVID-19 on January 5. He soon started showing symptoms of mucormycosis on January 12. He is currently undergoing treatment at Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai Central.
Delhi Cabinet approves compensation for farmers’ crop loss
Delhi Cabinet on January 28, 2022 approved compensation worth Rs 20000 per acre to the farmers for loss incurred due to unseasonal rain.
Earthquake of 6.4 magnitude hits South Pacific Ocean
Earthquake of magnitude 6.4 on the Richter Scale hit the Kermadec Islands region in South Pacific Ocean at 8:16 am on January 29, 2022.
Aaradhya Yadav replaces Vasu Vats in India U19 WC squad
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on January 29, 2022 approved Aaradhya Yadav as a replacement for Vasu Vats in India’s U19 World Cup squad. Vats will no longer be able to play in the tournament as he has sustained a hamstring injury. Any request for player replacement has to first get an approval from the Event Technical Committee. India is scheduled to take on Bangladesh today in their Super League quarter-final at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua and Barbuda.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
US warns of war if Russia invades Ukraine.
The Pentagon warned on January 28, 2022 that the destruction and human cost of a full-scale incursion by Russian forces into Ukraine would be “horrific,” but that there was still time for diplomacy to avoid a war. This comes as US President Joe Biden announced the deployment of a small troop to eastern Europe in near term.
Russia sees historic dip in population
Russia sees a historic decline in its population, as the nation’s population reduced by over a million people in 2021. Such a drop in population has not been seen since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Over 660,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the country since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Former Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor admits receiving money from Indian businessman for spot-fixing
Former Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor is facing a ban from the International Cricket Council (ICC) after admitting he received a $15,000 deposit for spot-fixing, though he said he was blackmailed and never went through with the arrangement. Taylor said he was coerced into accepting the money from an Indian businessman in October 2019 and that it took him four months to report the incident to the ICC anti-corruption unit because he feared for his safety. Taylor travelled to India to discuss the launch of a new T20 competition in Zimbabwe with the promise of $15,000 as payment. We had drinks and during the course of the evening, they openly offered me cocaine, which they themselves engaged in. I foolishly took the bait, Taylor said in a statement released via Twitter on Monday. Former Zimbabwe all-rounder and coach Heath Streak was banned by the ICC for eight years last April for his role in revealing inside information which could be used for betting purposes.
