India
Centre allows cinema halls to operate with 100% seating capacity from Feb
In its new standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cinema halls and theatres, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting said that the auditorium of the cinemas, theatres and multiplexes have been allowed to operate with 100% of their seating capacity from February 1, 2021. The cinema hall and multiplex operators have been asked to endure staggered show timings and sufficient time interval between successive screenings to avoid crowding. Exhibition of films has not been allowed in the containment zones.
PM addresses 125th anniversary celebrations of ‘Prabuddha Bharata’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 31, 2021 addressed the 125th anniversary celebrations of ‘Prabuddha Bharata’, a monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order, started by Swami Vivekananda. It has been in publication since 1896 and carries articles on social sciences and humanities comprising historical, psychological, cultural and social sciences themes.
89 lakh children administered polio drops on National Immunisation Day: Jan 31
Government said that around 89 lakh children were given polio drops under National Polio Immunisation drive across the country on January 31, 2021 which was the Polio National Immunization Day, also known as Polio Ravivar. India has been free of polio for a decade, with the last case of wild poliovirus reported on 13th January 2011.
India has highest number of new leprosy cases annually: WHO
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India has the highest number of new cases of leprosy in the world annually, followed by Brazil and Indonesia. India officially eliminated leprosy, an infectious disease caused by mycobacterium leprae, in 2005 by bringing the prevalence rate below 1/10,000 at the national level.
Lt Gen Chandi Prasad Mohanty takes charge as Vice Chief of the Army Staff
Lt Gen Chandi Prasad Mohanty on February 1, 2021 took charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, succeeding Lt Gen SK Saini. Lt Gen Mohanty was heading the Army’s Southern Command prior to this appointment.
Economy & Corporate
8th India International Silk Fair being held from Jan 31 to Feb 4
Union Minister for Women & Child Development and Textiles Smriti Irani inaugurated the 8th edition of India International Silk Fair virtually on January 31, 2021. The fair is being held under one roof on Indian Silk Export Promotion Council’s virtual platform till February 4.
Maritime Union of India urges govt. to take note of ‘Neptune Declaration’
The Maritime Union of India (MUI) on January 31, 2021 urged the government to take cognisance of ‘Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change’ in the formulation of Maritime India Vision 2030. The Neptune declaration primarily focuses on recognising seafarers as key workers by all governments worldwide.
Serum Institute to launch new COVID-19 vaccine under brand Covovax
Serum Institute of India (Sll) chief Adar Poonawalla on January 30, 2021 said he is hopeful of launching a new COVID-19 vaccine under the brand name Covovax by June. Covovax is being developed by American company Novavax.
Sensex soars 2,314.84 points to close at 48,600.61
The 30-share pack Sensex soared 2,314.84 points or 5 per cent to close at 48,600.61. NSE Nifty advanced 646.60 points or 4.74 per cent to 14,281.20.
World
U.K. opens special visa route for Hong Kong residents to become citizens
Hong Kong residents can apply from January 31, 2021 for a new visa offering them an opportunity to become British citizens. Britain says it is fulfilling a historic commitment to Hong Kong people after Beijing imposed the security law on the semi-autonomous city that Britain says breaches the terms of agreements under which the colony was handed back to China in 1997.
U.K. to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership
The U.K. government has announced that it is applying to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), one of the world’s largest free-trade areas made up of 11 developed and emerging economies in the Pacific, under its post-Brexit plans. CPTPP comprises Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
World Leprosy Day observed on January 31
World Leprosy Day was observed on January 31, 2021. Japan’s Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, issued a message calling for addressing issues of economic vulnerability faced by those affected by leprosy. World Leprosy Day is observed on the last Sunday in January.
Hilton Valentine, the guitarist of British rock band ‘The Animals’, dies at 77
Hilton Valentine, the guitarist of British rock band ‘The Animals’ popular in the 1960s, died at the age of 77 on January 29, 2021. Valentine co-founded ‘The Animals’ in Newcastle, England in 1963 alongside singer Eric Burdon, bassist Chas Chandler, organist Alan Price and drummer John Steel.
India delivers 2 cranes for Iran’s Chabahar port project
In its latest push to develop Iran’s Chabahar port project, India handed over two 140-tonne cranes for loading and unloading equipment to the Iranian government on January 31, 2021. The cranes, part of a full consignment of six Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHC) worth about $25 million were sourced from Italy and formally released at a ceremony at Chabahar’s Shahid Beheshti port after talks between India and Iran.
Myanmar: Military stages coup, declares a state of emergency for one year
Myanmar’s military staged a coup on February 1, 2021, detaining de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and declaring it had taken control of the country for one year under a state of emergency. The military recently made allegations of fraud in general elections by the civilian government. Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party won the elections held in November 2020 easily. Along with Suu Kyi, President Win Myint has also been detained in capital Naypyidaw.
Sports
Jorden van Foreest wins Tata Steel Masters chess tournament
Jorden van Foreest upstaged his Dutch compatriot Anish Giri in the title-deciding Armageddon game in the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament at Wijk aan Zee in Netherlands on January 31, 2021. India’s P. Harikrishna finished seventh.
Denmark win Men’s World Handball title
Denmark defeated Sweden 26-24 to win a second successive men’s world handball title in Cairo on January 31, 2021. Spain defeated France 35-29 to finish third.
