GK Snapshots on 21 January 2021

1. India hands over 2 million doses of Corona vaccine gift to Bangladesh
2. PM Modi to address 18th Convocation of Tezpur University
3. Govt proposes to suspend new farms laws for one and a half years
4. China announces sanctions on 28 officials of former Trump administration
5. US President Biden reverses Trump administration policies
6. Biden plans to issue 15 executive orders on Day 1
7. AstroSat’s Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope spots rare ultraviolet-bright stars in a massive intriguing cosmic dinosaur in the Milky Way
8. PM greets people of Manipur on their Statehood Day 21 Jan
9. PM Greets people of Tripura on their Statehood Day 21 Jan
10. PM Greets Meghalaya on its Statehood Day 21 Jan
11. PM to chair all-party meeting of floor leaders ahead of Budget session
12. 5 dead after major fire hits Serum Institute of India plant in Pune
13. First tunneling drive of Phase-4 at Vikaspuri
14. Won’t disallow farmers’ tractor rally, says SC
15.CJI lashes out at media coverage of SC-appointed committee
16.Supreme ourt dismisses Aadhaar review petitions
17. HC grants transit anticipatory bail to ‘Tandav’ director, Amazon content head and others
18. SC notice to Centre, others on plea against web series Mirzapur'

National

5 dead in Serum Institute fire; Covishield facility unaffected

Five persons died and nine were evacuated from a building in the Serum Institute of India's Manjari premises here after a fire broke out at the facility on Thursday, police said.

AstroSat's Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope spots rare ultraviolet-bright stars

Astronomers, with the help of India''s first multi-wavelength space satellite Astrosat, have spotted a massive intriguing globular cluster in the Milky Way galaxy with rare hot UV-bright stars in it, the Department of Science and Technology said on Thursday. These stars whose inner core is almost exposed, making them very hot, exist in the late stages of evolution of a Sun-like star. It is not clear how these stars end their lives as not many of them are detected in these fast-evolving phases, making their study crucial.

COVID negative report free entry in lord Jagannath temple starts; over 25,000 devotees visit shrine

After opening doors of lord Jagannath temple for the devotees without COVID-19 negative report, Sree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) Thursday urged Odisha government to provide coronavirus vaccines to servitors and their family members on a priority basis.

International

India provides 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal

Kathmandu: India on Thursday handed over one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal under grant assistance in sync with its ''Neighbourhood First'' policy.

Global Teacher Prize winner Ranjitsinh Disale hails Biden's education focus

Global Teacher Prize 2020 winner Ranjitsinh Disale on Thursday welcomed Joe Biden''s inauguration as the 46th President of the United States and his focus on the importance of education, including his choice of a former teacher as his Education Secretary in Miguel Cardona.

Experts: 15 more days to reach trapped China mine workers

It will take at least 15 more days to get through a massive amount of debris and reach miners already trapped for 11 days since an explosion in a gold mine in eastern China, authorities said Thursday.

Virus pushes storied Paris fan museum to brink of folding

Just like the leaves of its gilded fans, France''s storied fan-making museum could fold and vanish. The splendid Musee de l''Eventail in Paris, classed as a historical monument, is the cultural world''s latest coronavirus victim.

Ousted Thai politician defends vaccine procurement criticism

A popular ousted politician charged with defaming Thailand''s monarchy for questioning the government''s COVID-19 vaccine procurement stood by his comments Thursday and said the nation deserves more transparency.

Legal

SC notice to Centre, others on plea against web series Mirzapur'

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday sought responses from the Centre, Amazon Prime Video and Excel Entertainment Pvt Ltd on a plea which has alleged that web series Mirzapur'' has completely tarnished the historical and cultural image of the place by showing it as a city of goons .

TN guv to take call on remission of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict in 3-4 days, SC told

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit will decide in 3-4 days on the state government''s 2018 recommendation to grant remission to A G Perarivalan, who is serving life term in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the Supreme Court was informed on Thursday.

#MeToo: Another case can be made against Ramani for deleting her Twitter account, Akbar tells court

Former Union minister M J Akbar told a Delhi court on Thursday that another criminal case can be made out against journalist Priya Ramani for deleting her Twitter account, which had primary evidence .

Gauhati HC dismisses petition challenging stay order against directive blocking AGP resolutions

The Gauhati High Court has dismissed a petition challenging a stay order against a lower court directive blocking all resolutions of Asom Gana Parishad''s latest general body meeting, held in defiance of instructions from a civil judge.

Judiciary, agencies like CBI, ED should act independently: HC

The Bombay High Court on Thursday said the judiciary and agencies like the RBI, CBI and ED should act independently, and asked "what heavens are going to fall" if an interim protection from coercive action is granted for a few days to NCP leader Eknath Khadse in an alleged land grab case of 2016.

Entertainment

Ajay Devgn begins shoot for his next 'Thank God'

Bollywood star Ajay Devgn on Thursday said that shooting has started for his next film titled "Thank God".

Inclusive fabric of country being damaged by bigotry: Filmamker Ramesh Sharma

Filmmaker Ramesh Sharma, the director of Shashi Kapoor-starrer 1986 political thriller "New Delhi Times", says the thought behind his latest documentary, "Ahimsa - Gandhi: The Power of the Powerless", is to highlight Mahatma Gandhi''s idea of inclusivity, which is under threat in the country today.

Director Nila Madhab Panda's next to be crime investigative environment project

Filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda, acclaimed for projects like "Kadvi Hawa" and "I am Kalam", says he is currently scripting his next, a crime environment film set in the future.

Drake delays new LP 'Certified Lover Boy'

Rapper Drake has announced that his new album ''Certified Lover Boy'' has been pushed back as he is focused on his health recovery.

Family, friends remember Sushant Singh Rajput on his 35th birthday

On Sushant Singh Rajput''s birth anniversary, family and friends celebrated the late actor''s legacy by sharing photographs, memories and moments from his life.

Sports

Red carpet welcome for Rahane; Siraj heads straight to father's grave

Chants of ''aala re aala Ajinkya aala'' headlined a red carpet welcome for Ajinkya Rahane on his triumphant return from Australia with some other teammates but the mood was sombre in Hyderabad as one of his warriors, Mohammed Siraj, headed straight to his father''s grave.

Stage set for grand finale of 23rd JK Racing Tyre National Racing Championship

The Kari Motor Speedway, situated on the outskirts of the town, will roar to life as participants gear up for the final round of India''s premium motor racing event - the 23rd JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship - from Friday.

India's track and field athletes to have first shot at Olympics in IGP Series starting Feb 18

The country''s track and field athletes will have their first shot at the Tokyo Olympics qualification during the three Indian Grand Prix Series events on February 18, 25 and Match 5 at Patiala.

Umpires offered us option to leave Sydney Test midway after racial abuse from crowd, reveals Siraj

India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj on Thursday revealed that on-field umpires had offered his team the option of leaving the third Test against Australia midway after he was subjected to racial abuse by the crowd in Sydney.

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