News Flash (3rd February 2021): Top 10 Stories Of The Day

1. Greta and Rihanna tweets about India’s farmers’ protest, express solidarity

The farmers’ protests have now attracted the attention of international personalities. Greta Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist tweeted sharing an article about the shutdown at Delhi borders amid the farmers’ protest. “We stand in solidarity with the farmers’ protest in India,” Greta tweeted. Rihanna, American pop singer too shared the same article and tweeted, “Why aren’t we talking about this?”

2. 8 new cities to be built in India as Finance Commission grants ₹8,000 crore

A grant of ₹8,000 crore has been provided by the 15th Finance Commission of India for incubating eight new cities in eight states to foster urbanisation. “Earlier, we had stopped thinking about new cities…The government will work out the framework (to develop the cities) that may take six months or even one year,” DS Mishra, the Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary said in an official statement.

3. Allocation of ₹35,000cr to COVID vaccines can cover 50cr Indians: Official

Expenditure Secretary TV Somanathan made an official statement informing that ₹35,000 crore allocated for COVID-19 vaccines in the union budget of 2021-22 will cover the complete cost of vaccinating around 50 crore Indians. This is inclusive of all the logistics costs. He further added that the government has also added the cost of two doses of vaccine need to vaccinate each Indian at ₹700.

4. Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos to resign after 27 years

Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezoz, who is also the world’s second-richest person has decided to resign from his position as the CEO of Amazon, which he founded 27 years ago. He is going to be replaced in the July-September quarter by Andy Jassy, Amazon Web Services CEO. Instead, Jeff Bezos will work as the Executive Chairman, and develop and plan “new products and early initiatives”.

5. Tokyo Olympic 2020 President says, “Games will happen irrespective of the pandemic”

President Yoshiro Mori of theTokyo Olympic organizing committee has informed that the Games will take place “irrespective of the COVID-19 situation”. The Olympics are going to be conducted from July 23 to August 8. The Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga too is determined to hold the postponed Tokyo Olympics without postponing it any further, as a sign of human victory over the COVID-19 pandemic.

6. UP’s minor girl gang-raped, 3 accused yet to be arrested

In Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, a minor girl was gang-raped by three people. “The victim’s family reported the incident yesterday (Tuesday) saying that when the girl went out into the field, she was raped by the three assailants,” SP Shubham Patel told the media. “Attempts are being made to find and arrest the three accused,” his statement further added.

7. Mahindra says, UK firm developing pill-based COVID vaccine must be awarded Nobel Prize

Businessman Anand Mahindra recently shared a report on an England-based biotech firm that is working towards coming up with a COVID-19 vaccine pill. He tweeted, “it’s one of the most vital innovations the world needs”. “Don’t know if there’s any validity in this report. But would the Nobel Academy please give them a Nobel if they succeed?” 

8. Andaman and Nicobar Islands remain the only state/UT to be free from coronavirus

Andaman and Nicobar Islands is now the only Union Territory (UT) in India to be free by COVID-19 as of now. The health ministry informed that the last four infected persons in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have recovered. Andaman and Nicobar Islands had earlier reported 4,932 infections and 62 deaths from the virus.

9. WHO COVID-19 probe team visits China virus lab in Wuhan

On Wednesday, the COVID-19 investigation team of WHO visited a laboratory, the Institute of Virology, in China’s Wuhan city that the American officials suspected might have been the source of outbreak. Before this, the team had visited the animal health facility in Wuhan and Huanan seafood market where COVID-19 infection first emerged. COVID-19 had first emerged in Wuhan in 2019.

10. Sri Lanka cancels deal to construct major port terminal with India & Japan

On Tuesday, Sri Lanka cancelled a deal to build a major terminal at the Colombo port with India and Japan. The Sri Lankan government said that the East Container Terminal (ECT) will be completely owned by state-owned Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA). Previously, however, the country had said that the terminal would be 49% owned by India and Japan, with SLPA holding the majority stake.