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50th World Economic Forum in Switzerland begins Tuesday; Union Minister Piyush Goyal to lead Indian delegation
The four day 50th World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland will begin on Tuesday. 53 heads of state or government from 117 countries are participating in the event. The theme of this year’s WEF is ‘Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World’.
It emphasizes Forum Founder Klaus Schwab’s idea that managers have a duty to customers, suppliers and the wider economy, not just dividend-hungry shareholders.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal will lead the Indian delegation. Mr. Goyal will hold bilateral meetings with Ministers of Australia, South Africa, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Korea and Singapore.
Apart from this, he will also hold bilateral meetings with CEOs of companies and will also attend conferences for Accelerating Investments in Indian Railways and attracting Global Institutional Investments in India.
Among other highlights of the forum is Indian actress Deepika Padukone, who will be given a WEF crystal award for her work on mental health while the US rapper William Adams will be talking about ending gun violence.
After fire fury, now Australia faces flood threat
In Australia, weather forecasters have warned of severe storms in the fire-hit state of Victoria, which could lead to flooding. Recent heavy rains have dampened many of the country’s bushfires, but also led to power cuts and road closures.
The fires, which began in September, claimed at least 28 lives, destroyed thousands of homes and scorched millions of acres of land.
China reports SARS-like virus spreads across country, nearly 136 new cases
China reported a mysterious SARS-like virus has spread across the country, including to Beijing. A third person was confirmed to have died and nearly 140 cases were announced. The new coronavirus strain has caused alarm because of its connection to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
In Wuhan, 136 new cases were found over the weekend, the local health commission said. A total of 201 people have now been diagnosed with the virus in China.
Economies face huge risks from biodiversity loss and climate change: WEF study
A new World Economic Forum report has warned of huge risks to the economy from the biodiversity loss and climate change as businesses are more than dependent on nature.
Releasing the Nature Risk Rising Report ahead of its 50th Annual Meeting, the World Economic Forum said about 25 per cent of earth’s assessed plant and animal species are threatened by human actions, with a million species facing extinction.
The report said, over half the world’s total GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services and, as a result, exposed to risks from nature loss.
The report said that China, the European Union and the US have the highest absolute economic value in nature-dependent industries.
Pollination, water quality and disease control are three examples of the services that an ecosystem can provide. Construction, agriculture & food and beverages are the three largest industries that depend most on nature. As nature loses its capacity to provide such services, these industries could be significantly disrupted.
Former cricketer Man Mohan Sood passes away
Former Test batsman and National selector Man Mohan Sood passed away. He was 80. His lone Test appearance came against Richie Benaud-led Australia at Madras in 1960 when India lost by an innings and 55 runs.
India beat Sri Lanka by 90 runs in U-19 World Cup opener
Defending champions India cruised to a 90-run victory over Sri Lanka in an opening group league encounter of the ICC U-19 World Cup cricket at Bloemfontein in South Africa. Batting first, India scored a competitive 297 for 4, with the help of half-centuries from their premier batsmen opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Priyam Garg.
Chasing a victory target of 298, Sri Lanka was all out for 207 runs in 45.2 overs
India successfully test-fires K-4 ballistic missile
India has successfully test-fired a 3,500 kilometre range nuclear capable missile that can be launched from a submarine. The test of the K-4 ballistic missile was conducted off the Vizag coast in Andhra Pradesh. The three-metre-tall missile carries a nuclear warhead of over one tonne with a circular error probability far lower than that of Chinese ballistic missile.
With this test, India has moved one more step towards the induction of this ballistic missile on the INS Arihant class of nuclear submarines. This missile was developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Only the US, Russia and China have submarine-launched ballistic missiles of 3,500-kilometre range.
More than 100 killed in Yemen missile, drone attack
More than 100 people were killed and dozens wounded in a missile and drone attack blamed on Huthi rebels in central Yemen. This strike follows months of relative calm in the war between the Iran-backed Huthis and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition.
The Huthis attacked a mosque in a military camp in the central province of Marib — about 170 kilometres east of the capital Sanaa during evening prayers.
Mumbai marathon: Ethiopian national Derrara Hurisa breaks record to win full marathon in elite category
In the 7th edition of the Mumbai marathon, 22-year-old Ethiopian national,Derrara Hurisa has broken the event record for the full marathon elite category. Ayele Abshero and Birhanu Teshome came in second and third in the category.
Srinu Bugatha and Sudha Singh have won the Indian Elite Full Marathon Men’s and Women’s category respectively.
Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso finished at the top in the International Elite FullMarathon Women’s category.
Earlier, 55 thousand runners including foreign nationals have participated in the Marathon.
Nationwide programme to administer polio drops to children organized on National Immunization Day
The National immunization day was observed on January 19. With an aim to maintain the ‘NO POLIO’ status, a nationwide programme to administer polio drops to children below 5 years was organized throughout the country.
President Ram Nath Kovind launched the Pulse Polio Programme for this year by administering Polio drops to children below the age of five at Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle sign formal deal to exit from royal family
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have signed up to a formal exit deal from the royal family, which will see them forsake their His and Her Royal Highness (HRH) titles and will no longer receive UK taxpayers’ funding for their duties.
The deal, which comes into effect by spring in a few weeks’ time, means the couple will no longer be representing the Queen in an official capacity.
Queen Elizabeth II said the agreement followed months of discussions and was a constructive and supportive way forward for her grandson and his family.
Ratchanok Intanon lifts Indonesia Masters 2020 title
Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon lifted the Indonesia Badminton Masters 2020 women’s singles title after defeating Carolina Marin in the summit clash. Intanon defeated Marin 21-19, 11-21, 21-18 in one hour and twenty minutes long match
Record wheat acreage takes rabi sowing beyond 64 million hectares
According to data released by the Agriculture Ministry, India has sown wheat over a record area of 330 lakh hectares, taking the total planted area in the current rabi season to 641 lakh hectares, which is 8.6 per cent more than that sown in the corresponding period last year.
The maximum wheat sown area in the past was a little over 320 lakh hectares. While Madhya Pradesh has sown wheat over an area of 78 lakh hectares, about 19 lakh hectares over last year, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra planted wheat over an additional area of 5.6 lakh hectares, 4.5 lakh hectares and 3.86 lakh hectares, respectively, over the corresponding week last year.
Farmers have planted pulses over an area of 157 lakh hectares as against 150 lakh hectares in the same week last year.The area under coarse cereals is up by 13.5 per cent to over 53 lakh hectares. Oilseeds had been sown on 79.25 lakh hectares till this week.
Wrestling: India bags 7 medals in Rome Ranking Series
In wrestling, India has returned with seven medals from the Rome Ranking Series. Bajrang Punia and Ravi Kumar Dahiya claimed gold medals in the tournament. Bajrang staged a comeback to secure a 4-3 win against USA’s Jordan Michael Oliver in the summit showdown of the 65kg freestyle category.
Ravi bagged the gold after defeating Kazakhstan’s Nurbolat Abdualiyev 12-2 in his final 61 kg category bout.Earlier, Vinesh Phogat won a gold and Anshu Malik a silver in the women’s competition.
